Marry me lentils are a plant-based twist on the creamy tomato-based dish often made with chicken. This version swaps in red lentils, which absorb all the flavor and cook fast. The dish comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for a busy weeknight. It’s rich, comforting, and packed with protein from lentils, soya milk, and nutritional yeast.

The recipe comes from Plant Protein by Gigi Grassia. It starts with a base of onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and rosemary, which gives the dish a deep, savory flavor. Sun-dried tomatoes bring a burst of tang and sweetness, while baby spinach adds color and a nutrient boost. The finished lentils are creamy, satisfying, and easy to portion for leftovers.

You can serve these lentils with a spoonful of plant-based yogurt or cream, some basil, and a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan. It’s filling, high in plant protein, and easy to store for meal prep.

These marry me lentils work as a quick dinner or an impressive dish to share. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or someone else, it might just win hearts at the table.

Make your lentils

This vegan take on the 'marry me chicken' recipe uses lentils with the similar tomatoey sauce, spinach, and plant-based parmesan to make a super easy one pot meal that's both gluten-free and ready in under 30 minutes.

marry me lentils with spinach, nutritional yeast, and vegan parmesan

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Servings

Ingredients

1 small-medium carrot diced
½ celery stick diced
1 small onion diced
2–3 garlic cloves very finely chopped
1 sprig of rosemary
10–12 sun-dried tomatoes chopped, plus extra to serve
1 tablespoon tomato purée paste
300 g split red lentils washed
700 ml vegetable stock
200 ml soya milk
4–5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Handful of baby spinach
Olive oil for cooking
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

Plant-based cream or yoghurt
Small handful of basil
Plant-based Parmesan-style cheese

Instructions

Heat a good glug of oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes and tomato purée for 5–8 minutes until the onion has softened and the flavours have infused. If it starts to dry out, add a splash of water.
Remove the rosemary and add the lentils, stirring for 1–2 minutes to toast the lentils. Slowly pour in the vegetable stock, stirring frequently, then add the soya milk and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Once the lentils are cooked, season with salt and pepper, then add the nutritional yeast and spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted.
Serve with plant-based cream or yoghurt, more sun-dried tomatoes, basil and plant-based Parmesan-style cheese.

Excerpted from Plant Protein by Gigi Grassia, published in 2025 by Greenfinch, an imprint of Quercus Editions Ltd. Photography by Kimberly Espinel.

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