Lentils – For a Low Cost Meal
Lentils are a fabulous low cost ingredient in many quick and easy meals. They are extremely versatile and can be used in many different ways. As people continue to feel the pinch with incomes staying the same or falling in real terms, many families are on the look out for easy and nutritious, low cost meals.
This lentil bake recipe is cheap to make at around £2.50 for four servings and it is very quick and easy too. And if you are cooking for one or two people and the extra portions will keep easily in the fridge or freezer to be reheated when required – or even be used in a packed lunch the next day!
Lentils are low cost and highly nutritious and can be used in many tasty dishes. Lentil Bake is a great way to feed a hungry family, easily and economically
One of the best ways to save money on your food bills is to use pulses as a main ingredient. At just over £1 for 500g of lentils, each pack will make two meals for four at least and maybe more.
Red lentils cook in 15-20 minutes and they are low in fat and calories, and high in protein. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to try them. In fact you can always mix them with meat in a stew so that the meat goes further.
What Are Lentils?
Lentils are a legume, the seed from the lentil plant and has been part of the human diet since prehistoric times.
They grow in pods on the lentil bush and are produced in the United States and in Canada as well as Asia and the Mediterranean. The bush is about 16 inches high. In fact they may have been one of the very first cultivated plants.
Because they are dried, they have a long shelf life, so there is little danger of them being wasted – another aspect that makes them economical. And they are available all year round. Red and green lentils are most commonly sold although brown and other colours are available.
Split red lentils cook more quickly and are mushier than green lentils. Green lentils hold their shape better in stews and soups. Which lentil you use for a recipe depends on the type of dish you are creating.
Green lentils make a good meat substitute in a dish such as Vegetarian Lasagneand red lentils are good where a softer texture is sought such as this Lentil Bake dish.
Lentil Bake – Low Cost, Easy Supper
Serve with baked potatoes to make the most of the heat while the oven is on, along with salad or your favourite green vegetable
The recipe also uses courgettes which are plentiful in late summer. At other times of year use mushrooms, leeks, broccoli or even frozen peas, instead.
Tomato on top makes a great finish and adds an extra flavour and texture but it can be omitted when tomatoes aren’t in season.
More Lentil Recipes
Cooking Notes
You will need a baking dish
Serve hot with baked potatoes and a green vegetable or salad
Easy Lentil Bake Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 125 g red lentils
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion peeled and chopped
- 1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
- 1 small courgette chopped
- 55 g rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
- 1 egg beaten
- 100 g cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tomato optional
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C
- Place the red lentils in a saucepan and cover with boiling water
- Bring back to the boil and simmer gently, for 10-15 minutes until soft, adding more water if necessary
- Stir occasionally to prevent the lentils sticking to the bottom of the pan
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan
- Cook the onion until soft
- Add the garlic and courgette
- Continue cooking for a few minutes and then lower the heat
- Add in the cooked red lentils
- Sprinkle in the dried mixed herbs
- Add the oats
- Stir in the egg and 3/4 of the cheese
- When all is thoroughly mixed in place in a baking dish
- Sprinkle on the remaining cheese
- Slice the tomato and place on top, if using
- Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes
Hello
Can I use steel cut ( pinhead ) oats instead of rolled oats?
If so, would I need to adjust cooking time, and would they change the texture?
Thank you
I think they would be fine – might add to the texture a little bit. No need to change cooking tme. Let me know how it goes!
Absolutely delicious, even my fussy husband really enjoyed this !
That’s good to hear!
Looks yummy. I always cook lentil chilli and dal so it’s always good to have new ideas!
Hi Penny,
I have contacted you as I cook for 50 people once a month at my local Baptist church in Australia. I am given $120 which is not a lot! I guess that’s roughly 60GBP.
The lentil bake looks great and I may use that in two weeks time. I will accompany it with unpeeled washed potato with a cross on top and roast them. I will use sea salt and in some trays whole garlic. In the last half hour I will squash down the potato and put lots of fresh rosemary on top. Most likely for quickness will use frozen peas/sweetcorn and carrot mix. There are three in my team including me and we usually have 2 .15 hours to prepare this one course. meal.
I have some cheap recipes that I will share with you another day.
Thanks for your inspiration and look forward to chatting with you. Sheila
Hi,
What can I use instead of the oats please?
Three of us are coeliacs and also can’t eat oats (more’s the pity).
Thanks
Tass
I am not sure what would be best but I will put the question to th Penny’s Recipes Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/pennysrecipes/ and see if anyone has the answer
Hi Tass – One reader has suggested the following – Buckwheat flakes, rice flakes, quinoa flakes
Thanks Penny & the Facebook member.
I’ll see what I can find & I’ll give them a try.
Tass
Tass,
You may be interested in the below:
“Safely including oats in a gluten free diet: Oats and Avenin:
Whilst oats do not contain gluten, they do contain the protein avenin to which about 5% of coeliacs are intolerant. Newly diagnosed coeliacs used to be advised to avoid oats for the first 6 months to 1 year after diagnosis before gradually re-introducing them. This advice has recently changed and the British Society of Gastroenterology Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of coeliac disease advise that gluten-free oats can be included with the diet immediately from the point of diagnosis.
Please be aware that including pure, gluten free oats should be considered on an individual patient basis. It is recommended that symptoms be monitored closely by a healthcare practitioner to ensure suitability.”
That is an extract from http://www.nairns-oatcakes.com/gluten-free/glutenfreeoats
It sounds very quick and easy, will give it a try Penny. Thanks.Grace Hopkins.
Very tasty, I used double the ingredients and have enough to freeze for another day. I didn’t have any courgettes so used red pepper and mushrooms. Thanks! Belle
Made this yesterday – so good, so tasty. I made the amount given even though it was just for two of so, thinking I would have half for another meal. My husband liked it so much he had another helping, so now I only have a small piece left – might add it to a soup! Served the bake with buttered cabbage. Delicious.
lovely thanks, will be made again without doubt
Penny thank you so much for this recipe- I’m totally hooked on it. I’m making it and freezing it in portions, since I’m following weightwatchers and don’t want to buy their products.
I’m trying to convince my teenagers
That it’s so tasty too- fussy teens!!!
I hope to win them over one day 🙂
Thanks again
Evie x
Thanks for saying – and glad you like it so much. Perhaps when teenagers become responsible for buying and cooking their own food they will realise the value of easy, low cost and really tasty meals!
Thanks for the recipe. This is a really tasty dish. x
A great recipe – tasty and delicious!
Lentils take only about 20 minutes to cook (and no need to pre-soak eheitr) They are the easiest legume to cook.If you want it really simple just cover in water and add garlic and salt. If you want to make it more substantial then add whatever vegetable you like.(diced carrots, celery, peas,whatever..you can also add tomato sauce to increase the flavor. Lentils are very simple to work with.