Vegan Baked Lentils Recipe

A Meatless Main Dish Rich in Legumes

Mar 18, 2007
Jill Harris

Turn humble lentils into a hearty meal with minimal effort but maximum flavour.

Lentil Nutrition

Lentils are a nutritious legume with a flavour distinct from the other beans in its family. As with other types of beans, however, they are a nutritional powerhouse!

Lentils are high in fibre. At 15 grams of fibre per cup, lentils supply more than half of the daily recommended minimum;
Lentils are high in protein (18 grams, approximately 1/3 the daily requirement for a woman);
Lentils are high in iron (1/3 the daily requirement);
Lentils are very low fat;
When cooked from scratch, lentils are low sodium. If substituting canned cooked lentils for lentils cooked from dried, give them a good rinse to get rid of excess sodium.

Lentil Recipes

Baking lentils is an easy way to prepare a hot dinner without standing (or slaving) over the stove. Raw lentils are mixed with spices and vegetables, then covered and baked. The consistency is thicker than a stew but still leaves some juices to be mopped up.

Other lentil recipe ideas:

Spoon some mashed potatoes on top and create a lentil version of Shepherd's Pie;
Omit the marjoram and sage if unavailable. This recipe still tastes great;
Serve with a peppery side salad, cooked leafy greens (like kale or collards), and crusty bread.

Vegan Baked Lentils Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups dry (uncooked) lentils
2 ¼ cups water
2 onions, chopped
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 carrots, sliced
½ cup celery, sliced (optional)
1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. marjoram
1/8 tsp. sage
1/8 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf (be sure to remove before serving)
2 tsp. chopped parsley
Optional garnish: sliced avocado or grated Swiss cheese (vegetarian)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F.
In a 9 x 13 baking dish, combine lentils, water, spices, onions, garlic, and tomatoes.
Cover tightly and bake for 30 minutes.
Stir in carrots and celery and bake, covered, for another 40 minutes.
Stir in optional green pepper and parsley.

Reference: USDA Nutrient Database