It is an annual plant known for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about 40 cm (16 in) tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. As a food crop, the majority of world production comes from Canada and India, producing 58% combined of the world total.

In cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, where lentils are a staple, split lentils (often with their hulls removed) known as daal are often cooked into a thick curry/gravy that is usually eaten with rice or rotis.

global production of lentils was 6.3 million tonnes, led by Canada with 33% and India with 25% of the world total (table). Saskatchewan is the most productive growing region in Canada, producing 95% of the national total. In India, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are largest producers with both producing more than 70 percent of the total. Other major producers include West Bengal and Bihar.

The United States was the third-leading country for lentil production in 2018, with the Palouse region of eastern Washington and the Idaho panhandle as the most productive state regions.