Green Lentil and Vegetable Casserole (Printer view)

Protein-packed lentils baked with seasonal vegetables and herbs for a comforting vegetarian meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils

01 - 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
02 - 3 cups vegetable broth

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 medium carrots, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
09 - 1 zucchini, chopped
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 cup mushrooms, sliced

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
18 - 1 bay leaf

→ Topping

19 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional
20 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 375°F and allow to reach temperature.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Add carrots, celery, red bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes to the saucepan. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Stir in rinsed green lentils, tomato paste, dried thyme, dried oregano, smoked paprika, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to distribute seasonings evenly.
05 - Pour vegetable broth into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils reach tender consistency.
06 - Remove bay leaf from the mixture. Transfer the entire contents to a large ovenproof baking dish.
07 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the surface if using.
08 - Place in preheated oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes until the top becomes golden and the mixture bubbles at the edges.
09 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's a one-pan dinner that actually fills you up: Green lentils hold their shape beautifully, so you get real texture instead of mushy comfort food.
  • Your vegetable scraps become the star: Whatever you've got in the crisper drawer—carrots going soft, half a zucchini, mushrooms on their last day—they all belong here.
  • The smell while it bakes is pure kitchen magic: Smoked paprika and thyme fill your home with the kind of aroma that makes people ask what you're cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the stovetop simmering step: Raw or undercooked lentils will ruin the texture; the 20 minutes matters more than any other timing in this recipe.
  • Your vegetables should be roughly the same size: I learned this the hard way when huge carrot chunks refused to soften while tiny tomato pieces dissolved—aim for consistency in your chopping.
  • The broth you choose flavors everything underneath: A mediocre broth will make a mediocre casserole, so taste it before it goes in and adjust salt accordingly.
03 -
  • Taste and adjust seasoning before it goes into the oven: Once it bakes, the flavors concentrate and it's harder to fix, so give yourself a chance to add salt or herbs while you can still easily stir them in.
  • Use an ovenproof dish with some height to it: Shallow pans create a dish that reduces too much and becomes too thick, while deeper pans preserve the brothy quality that makes this feel like comfort food rather than a thick stew.
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