Tinned Cheesy Lentil Bake
The much quicker version of my viral Red Lentil Bake!
Do you remember my viral Cheesy Red Lentil Bake that I posted ages ago, well this is the tinned green lentil version!
You don't have to cook the lentils first in this one, it's just a really delicious, throw together kind of bake that you can eat hot or cold.
You can prep this ahead of time if you want to, just make it in the morning, pop it in a baking dish and cover it in the fridge before cooking it later....and in the unlikely event that you have any leftovers, this freezes SO well!
Tips & Swaps
Here is the Cheesy Red Lentil Bake recipe if you want to give it a try!
This is best if you freeze it after baking. Just cut it into wedges and pop it in a sealed container. Defrost and microwave to warm through when you want it.
You can make mini versions of these. Just pop the mixture in a lined or greased muffin tin and bake them in the oven. They will take around 15-20 minutes to bake, but it will depend on how thick they are.
Feeds 4-6
1 red onion finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 x 400g tins of green lentils, drained
2 tbsp dried mixed herbs
1 medium grated carrot
120g of fresh white breadcrumbs
200ml -220ml Vegetable stock
100g of grated cheddar cheese (plus extra to sprinkle over the top)
Heat a drizzle of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes on a medium heat until soft.
Stir in the chopped garlic for the final minute.
Heat the oven to 190C fan
Tip the onion and garlic into a mixing bowl with the drained lentils, mixed herbs, grated carrot, breadcrumbs, (200ml) stock and cheese. Season generously with salt and pepper. Work the breadcrumbs and stock into the other ingredients with a wooden spoon. Spend a minute or two on this until all the ingredients have combined and you have a dry sticky consistency.
Tip the mixture into a lined baking dish (23cm across)
Press the filling down firmly with the back of a spoon, ensure it's packed down, level and pushed into all the edges. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top
Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the cheese has turned golden brown and starting to crisp.
Leave the bake to cool and firm up for around 15 minutes. Lift it out by the edges of the baking paper and cutting it into slices.