MyTastr

Best lentils, according to chefs

Two picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Dimitri Moshovitis, Eleven Madison Home and Chris Cohen. Recommendations come from bonappetit.com, elevenmadisonhome.com and saveur.com.

Pantry Staples · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Timeless Natural Food Organic Black Beluga Lentils

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Moshovitis grew up on lentils in Greece and built Cava’s bowls on Timeless’ Montana-grown black belugas, “impressed by the varietal’s rich flavor” (Bon Appétit). Eleven Madison Park’s pantry shop, Eleven Madison Home, also stocks them. Organic, from family farms in Montana; about 25 minutes at a simmer.
    Where to buy · wholefoodsmarket.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: bonappetit.com ↗
  2. 2

    Rancho Gordo Black Caviar Lentil

    Chosen by
    “Unlike any lentils I’ve ever eaten, combining an intensely grassy and earthy flavor with a pleasantly firm texture — each individual grain stays intact and sort of pops.” He has found similar black lentils elsewhere, “but nothing quite compares to the Rancho Gordo product.” US-grown, under 20 minutes to cook, no soaking.
    Where to buy · ranchogordo.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: saveur.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best lentils, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Timeless Natural Food Organic Black Beluga Lentils, chosen by Dimitri Moshovitis (chef and co-founder, Cava). Moshovitis grew up on lentils in Greece and built Cava’s bowls on Timeless’ Montana-grown black belugas, “impressed by the varietal’s rich flavor” (Bon Appétit). Eleven Madison Park’s pantry shop, Eleven Madison Home, also stocks them. Organic, from family farms in Montana; about 25 minutes at a simmer. Source: bonappetit.com ↗
What are the other top picks for lentils?
No. 2 is Rancho Gordo Black Caviar Lentil, chosen by Chris Cohen (Saveur). Only two picks cleared the bar so far. Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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