The cooking time for red lentils will depend on the texture you like best. If you want them to have a firm texture, you’re ideal stovetop time will be 6 to 7 minutes. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor soft and tender, go for 8 minutes. If you like your red lentils very soft, aim for 9 to 10 minutes. And if you like them mushy, 11 to 15 minutes of total cooking time should do the trick.