This easy lentil granola is crunchy, packed with protein and fiber, and lightly sweetened with applesauce.

Why We Love This Lentil Granola

Higher in Protein and Fiber: Each serving provides 7g of protein and 7g of fiber for 140 calories. Perfect for sprinkling onto yogurt bowls or chia pudding for a boost of protein and fiber in the morning.
Crunchy and Lightly Sweet: This granola is light and crunchy (not break-your-teeth hard) and very subtly sweet. It’s a great addition to mushier breakfast bowls (like chia pudding, yogurt, oatmeal, or smoothies) that need a little textural contrast.
Great for Meal Prep: Lentil granola stays crisp for up to 2 weeks when stored properly!

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

This easy granola is made with just 4 base ingredients. See the recipe card at the bottom for the full ingredients list and quantities.

Lentils ⟶ I boil unseasoned dried brown lentils until slightly soft. You can use canned lentils for convenience, but rinse them well first to remove excess sodium. See FAQ section for notes on using red lentils or other legumes.
Applesauce ⟶ Adds natural sweetness and helps bind the granola to form clusters. I use unsweetened applesauce, but you can use sweetened if you’d like.
Rolled Oats ⟶ Not quick or steel cut oats! Rolled oats produce the best texture. Use certified gluten-free rolled oats if necessary.
Seeds ⟶ For healthy fats, fiber, and protein. I like to use a mix of pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. You can also use nuts like almonds, pecans, cashews, or peanuts.

Serving Suggestions

Lentil granola is the perfect crunchy topping for chia pudding, yogurt bowls, smoothie bowls, or oatmeal. Because the granola itself is not very sweet, I recommend serving it with fruit or a drizzle of maple syrup if you want it sweeter.

How to Store Lentil Granola

This lentil granola should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep it in a cool, dark place for up to 2 weeks. Do not refrigerate or the granola will soften.

Lentil Granola FAQ

Yes, I have made this granola with red lentils and it does work, but the texture will be different. Red lentils break down and kind of disappear into the granola, so you can’t really see that there are lentils in the granola. Brown lentils retain their shape and add distinct crunchy pieces to the granola.

Yes, just be aware that larger legumes won’t form clusters in the granola as well. I’ve used chickpeas and black eyed peas, but soybeans or white beans would probably be good as well.

This granola is sweetened only with applesauce, so it has a very subtle sweetness. I like to add it as a crunchy topping for chia pudding or yogurt with fruit, so personally I don’t want it to be very sweet.

You can use sweetened applesauce, or add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the mixture.

More Healthy Granola Recipes

If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!

Prep Time:5

Cook Time:1

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1½ cups cooked brown lentils
½ cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
½ cup nuts or seeds¹
½ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp salt omit if lentils are salted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray² with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Spread lentils out on the baking tray and place into the oven for 15-20 minutes until dried and starting to crisp. Then remove the lentils and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Mix applesauce and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl.
Add oats, nut/seeds, cinnamon, salt, and the dried out lentils. Mix until everything is well coated.
Spread the mixture out on the baking tray. Press down with a silicone spatula to flatten and compact the granola.
Place into the oven to bake for 40-50 minutes until dry and golden brown. Turn off the oven and leave the granola in for 30 minutes to crisp up more as it cools.

Notes

1) Nuts or Seeds: I like to use a mix of untoasted pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, and coconut flakes would be great as well.

2) Baking Tray Size: I developed this recipe in a small toaster oven using a quarter sheet pan. If you’re using a full size oven, you can double the recipe and use a half sheet pan.

Nutrition Facts

**Nutrition information is a rough estimate and intended for informational purposes only. I am not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist, and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration.

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