Roasted carrot and lentil tahini bowls

Lentils and tofu with roasted carrots and a measured tahini dressing.

By The foodose editorial team. Nutrition calculated from USDA FoodData Central. Checked on paper on 12 September 2026; not yet cooked in a test kitchen or photographed, so the times and yield are estimates. How we develop our recipes

What still needs a real kitchen

Confirm the carrots roast tender in 25 to 30 minutes
Photograph the finished bowls

Time: About 45 min; estimated
Serves: 2; see below
Energy: 425 kcal; per serving
Protein: 32 g; per serving

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Not yet photographed. The panel names the dish’s main ingredients rather than showing a picture we have not taken.

Ingredients for 2 servings

2 servings

Check off ingredients as you go.

Contains sesame, soya.

Cooking steps

Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan). Toss the carrots and tofu with the oil and cumin on a lined tray.
Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until the carrots are tender and the tofu is golden at the edges.
Warm the lentils in a small pan with a splash of water.
Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice in a bowl. It will seize and thicken at first; keep whisking in cold water, a spoonful at a time, until it pours.
Divide the lentils between two bowls, add the carrots and tofu and spoon the dressing over.

The useful detail

Tahini thickens initially when lemon is added; continue whisking in water. The seizing is normal and passes: it takes two or three spoonfuls of water to bring it back to a pouring sauce.

Make it work for you

One serving is Half the tray with half the lentils and dressing. You can switch to a smaller portion in the ingredients above; it is three quarters of this, and it contains correspondingly less energy and protein. It is an option, not a goal.

Chickpeas instead of lentils
Firmer and nuttier, and they hold their shape.
Per serving: about 30 kcal more, about 2 g less protein, about 3 g more fat.
Sweet potato instead of carrots
Sweeter and softer; cut the pieces larger.
Per serving: about 55 kcal more, about 1 g more protein, about the same fat.
Peanut butter instead of tahini
Sweeter and thicker; loosen it the same way.
Per serving: about the same energy, about the same protein, about the same fat.
Allergens: Removes sesame; adds peanuts.

Estimated nutrition

Per standard serving, calculated from the ingredients above. Nutrition changes with substitutions, brands and how much oil stays in the pan.

A vegan bowl with protein from both the lentils and the tofu. Tahini is rich, which is why 20 g is weighed rather than spooned freely.

Nutrition per serving
Energy	425 kcal
Protein	32 g
Fat	17 g
of which saturates	2 g
Carbohydrate	43 g
of which sugars	not calculated
Fibre	16 g
Sodium	110 mg

Show calculation notes

Each ingredient’s weight is multiplied by its USDA FoodData Central values per 100 g. The whole recipe is added up and divided by 2. Raw weights are used for meat, fish and vegetables; beans and lentils are drained weights. All of the oil is counted as eaten. Added salt is not included; sodium from stock, bread, cheese and tinned food is.

Calculation, whole recipe
Ingredient	Weight used	Source	Energy	Protein
carrot	250 g	FDC 170393Carrots, raw	103 kcal	2.3 g
firm tofu	200 g	FDC 172475Tofu, raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate	288 kcal	34.5 g
olive oil	4.5 g	FDC 171413Oil, olive, salad or cooking	40 kcal	0.0 g
ground cumin	1 g	FDC 170923Spices, cumin seedFoodData Central records cumin seed; ground cumin is the same seed, milled.	4 kcal	0.2 g
cooked lentils	250 g	FDC 172421Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt	290 kcal	22.5 g
tahini	20 g	FDC 168604Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, type of kernels unspecified	118 kcal	3.5 g
lemon juice	10 g	FDC 167747Lemon juice, raw	2 kcal	0.0 g
Whole recipe		Divided by 2	845 kcal	63.1 g

Per serving the energy is rounded to the nearest 5 kcal, grams to the nearest whole gram and sodium to the nearest 10 mg. of which sugars could not be calculated, because one ingredient’s record does not cover it; the row above says which. Calculation method 1.0, September 2026. How the calculation works.

Storage and reheating

In the fridge: Cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Eat within 3 to 4 days. Keep the dressing separate; it thickens in the fridge.
In the freezer: Freezing keeps food safe indefinitely; the texture is best if it is eaten sooner rather than later.
Reheating: Reheat until it reaches 74°C / 165°F, steaming hot throughout.

Checked against US Food and Drug Administration, Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Leftovers and Food Safety, FoodSafety.gov, Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures and FoodSafety.gov, Cold Food Storage Chart. UK guidance from the Food Standards Agency is shorter, at two days for most leftovers.

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