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Courgette and red lentil bake served
Healthy and tasty baked dish with fresh vegetables and red lentils

Courgette and Red Lentil Bake

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Main Courses Quick Meals
The healthy, gluten-free cousin of lasagne. Here pasta sheets are replaced by thinly sliced courgette, and meat sauce by a spicy, tomatoey red lentil filling. Light yet filling dish where roasted vegetable sweetness and earthy lentils meet melting cheese. Perfect choice if you crave something warm but want to avoid heavy carbs.
🕒 Prep Time 25 mins
🍳 Cook Time 35 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 300 kcal
🌍 Cuisine International

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Ovenproof dish (Pyrex): For baking.
  • Saucepan: For cooking lentils.
  • Frying pan: For making sauce.
  • Knife/Mandoline: For slicing courgette.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Soya (if in cheese/milk)
⚠️ Nuts (if in cheese/milk)

Instructions

1 ✓

Rinse red lentils and cook in plenty of salted water for approx. 10-12 minutes until half-soft. Drain.

Tip: Do not cook until completely mushy (al dente), because they soften further in oven and absorb sauce moisture.
2 ✓

Slice courgettes lengthways into 3-4 mm thick slices. Salt them, let stand for 10 minutes, then pat off sweated water with kitchen paper.

Tip: Salting draws water from cells (osmosis), so it doesn't soak the dish during baking.
3 ✓

Chop onion and garlic. Sauté onion in oil, add garlic, then pour in tinned tomatoes. Season (oregano, basil, salt, pepper) and bring to a simmer.

Tip: This 'marinara' base gives the bake its flavour.
4 ✓

Stir pre-cooked lentils into tomato ragu.

Tip: Lentils absorb the acidic-spicy taste of tomatoes this way.
5 ✓

Oil the dish. Layer: one row of courgette, then lentil ragu. Continue until finished (courgette goes on top).

Tip: Layering ensures every bite has vegetable and protein too.
6 ✓

Pour over plant milk (replaces béchamel) and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Tip: Plant milk binds layers. Rest for 10 minutes before serving to make it sliceable.

Recipe FAQ

Why did the bake turn out watery?
Courgettes contain lots of water. After salting and resting, squeeze them out thoroughly, or pre-bake slices slightly in pan/oven before layering. of course.
Do I need to soak red lentils?
No! Red lentils are hulled, so they cook very fast (15-20 minutes) without soaking.

Ingredients

  • 2 whole Large courgettes
  • 200 g Red lentils (dried)
  • 1 head Onion
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 400 g Chopped tinned tomatoes
  • 200 ml Plant-based milk (unsweetened)
  • 100 g Vegan cheese (grated)
  • 3 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dried oregano
  • 1 tsp Dried basil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Ground pepper