CAVA Black Lentils Nutrition Facts: The Highest-Protein Base (2026)

Black Lentils are one of the most nutritionally dense items on CAVA's entire menu — not just among bases. At 18g of protein and 15g of fiber per serving, they outperform every other base and many proteins for the combination of these two nutrients in a single ingredient. Here's the full breakdown.

For a real-time view of how Black Lentils affect your full bowl's protein and macro totals, use our CAVA Protein Calculator.

CAVA Black Lentils — complete nutrition facts

Note the fiber: 15g is more than half of most people's daily fiber target (25–38g) from one ingredient. For context, a typical bowl of oatmeal has around 4g of fiber. Black Lentils have nearly 4x that from a single base serving.

The 18g of protein is significant because lentils are plant-based. In the context of a mixed bowl, pairing them with any animal protein covers all essential amino acids completely. And at only 3g of naturally occurring sugar with no added sugar, they're one of the more nutritionally complete ingredients on the entire CAVA menu.

How Black Lentils compare to every other CAVA base

All 8 CAVA bases, sorted by protein content from highest to lowest:

The key comparisons worth highlighting:

• Black Lentils vs. Brown Rice: Similar calories (270 vs. 310) but Black Lentils have 2.6x more protein (18g vs. 7g) and 3x more fiber (15g vs. 5g). For almost every nutritional goal, Black Lentils win over Brown Rice.
• Black Lentils vs. SuperGreens: Greens are 35 cal vs. 270 cal. For calorie-restricted eating or low-carb goals, greens win. For protein, fiber, and satiety, Black Lentils are dramatically better — a half-and-half mix gives you the best of both.
• Black Lentils vs. Saffron Basmati Rice: Rice is higher carb (54g vs. 37g), much lower protein (5g vs. 18g), and much less fiber (2g vs. 15g). Black Lentils dominate in every category except taste preference.

Why protein AND fiber together matter

Most high-protein foods are low in fiber (chicken, steak, eggs). Most high-fiber foods are low in protein (lettuce, most vegetables). Black Lentils are nutritionally unusual in providing both — 18g protein and 15g fiber in a single ingredient. This combination has specific practical benefits:

• Satiety: Both protein and fiber independently slow digestion and extend fullness. Together, they make a lentils bowl considerably more filling than a rice bowl of identical or even higher calories.
• Blood sugar stability: The 15g of fiber slows glucose absorption from the 37g of carbohydrates, significantly reducing the blood sugar spike that refined grain bases can cause.
• Gut health: 15g of prebiotic fiber in one serving meaningfully contributes to gut microbiome health. Fiber fermentation by gut bacteria produces short-chain fatty acids that support colon health and immune function.

Best bowl combinations built on Black Lentils

For maximum protein (~55g total)

For high protein, controlled calories (~45g protein)

For maximum fiber (~20–25g fiber)

Black Lentils base (15g fiber) + Roasted Vegetables (5g fiber) + Avocado (2g fiber) on a mixed base with SuperGreens brings your total to 20–25g of fiber in one bowl — a meaningful contribution to the 25–38g daily target.

Black Lentils work across nearly every dietary pattern: high-protein, plant-based, Mediterranean, high-fiber, and even lower-calorie builds (at 270 cal they're below Brown Rice at 310 cal). For a step-by-step guide to building the highest-protein bowl possible, see our high-protein bowl guide, and for a full macro breakdown across every ingredient category, the CAVA macros guide covers how to hit specific targets.

Questions people ask

How much protein is in CAVA Black Lentils?

18g per standard serving, making them the highest-protein base on the CAVA menu by a significant margin. Brown Rice is 7g, Saffron Basmati Rice is 5g, and all the greens bases are under 4g. They're also one of the highest-protein plant-based items on the entire menu, rivaling many of the protein options in the mains section. Use our CAVA Nutrition Calculator to see how Black Lentils interact with the rest of your bowl build.

Are CAVA Black Lentils healthy?

By most nutritional standards, yes — they're an exceptionally good food. 18g plant-based protein, 15g fiber (more than half of many people's daily target), only 270 calories, and 3g of naturally occurring sugar with no added sugar. The sodium (520mg) is worth noting if you're building a low-sodium bowl, but it's lower than either rice option (770mg each).

Are CAVA Black Lentils vegan?

Yes. Black Lentils contain no animal products — no dairy, no meat, no eggs. They're a whole-food plant-based protein source. CAVA does not list any allergens for Black Lentils beyond the standard note that items may share preparation areas with other allergens.

Do CAVA Black Lentils have a lot of carbs?

They have 37g of carbohydrates per serving, which is not low-carb. However, 15g of that is fiber — so the net carbs are roughly 22g. For context, Brown Rice has 48g of carbs with only 5g of fiber (43g net carbs). Black Lentils are significantly better for blood sugar management than the grain bases, despite having a meaningful carb count. For a complete look at how macros break down across the entire menu, see our CAVA macros guide.