Green Lentil and Vegetable Casserole (Printable)

Protein-rich green lentils baked with seasonal vegetables in a savory herb-infused tomato broth for a comforting vegetarian main.

# What You 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

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Add carrots, celery, bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes to the saucepan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Stir in rinsed lentils, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
05 - Pour vegetable broth into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender but not mushy.
06 - Remove bay leaf from the mixture. Transfer the lentil and vegetable combination to a large ovenproof baking dish.
07 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the top, if using.
08 - Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the mixture is bubbling at the edges.
09 - Remove casserole from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's deeply satisfying without any fussiness, the kind of dish that makes you feel like you've actually cooked something.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, making it perfect for meal planning without the repetitive feeling.
  • You can swap vegetables based on what's in your crisper, so it never feels like you're making the same thing twice.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils—it removes excess starch and makes the final texture cleaner and less sludgy.
  • The bay leaf must come out before serving; I learned this the hard way when someone bit into one and their whole face changed.
  • Tasting a lentil before moving to the oven is the only way to know if you have the texture you want, because there's no second chances once it's baked.
03 -
  • Cook your lentils just shy of done before the oven step—they'll continue cooking gently during baking and you'll avoid mushy results.
  • The smoked paprika is where people stop and ask for the recipe, so don't mistake it for regular paprika and think it won't matter.
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