I love red lentils. They’re so easy to use as they cook quickly and don’t need soaking. They’re also a wonderfully healthy protein source full of fibre, B vitamins, and iron. This Red Lentil Egg Bake has the added benefit of using canned tomatoes and eggs, both nutritious ingredients that I generally have aplenty.
I first made this when I was attending a dinner club with a theme of “protein.” I love that it is a simple, filling, and nutritious dish that is also vegetarian. If you’re looking for a meatless Monday meal, this would be a great recipe to try! It is, additionally, gluten-free and can be served with rice or quinoa.
When served with rice or naan and a spinach salad this easy bake provides a well-rounded meal. I’m generally not very consistent at recording recipes, but I was so pleased with this one that I wrote down rough directions and have refined it since then. It’s now become a regular feature on our dinner table.
Feta works very well to top this recipe, but I have also used cheddar or mozza when I didn’t have any on hand. Feel free to adjust according to your needs, or to leave it off all together if you’re dairy-free.
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Red Lentil Egg Bake
Red Lentil Egg Bake
A flavorful and red lentil dish topped with eggs and feta.
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
- 1 Large Onion
- 1/2 Thumb Ginger Root
- 1/2 Tbsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tsp Black Pepper
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp Garlic Chili Paste
- 1 Quart Jar Canned Tomatoes or 2 Lg Cans Tomatoes (28 fl. oz.)
- 1 1/2 Cups Red Lentils
- 8 Eggs
- Feta Cheese, for topping
Instructions
Dice the onions and ginger. Also grind the cumin if you’re using whole seeds. Transfer the jarred tomatoes and their liquid to a bowl or blender and blend until smooth (I use my immersion blender directly in the jar).
Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in a large pot or wok. Stir in the onions, ginger, cumin, salt, turmeric, and pepper. Continue to cook over medium until the onions are soft. Add in the garlic and the chili garlic paste (this will not make the recipe spicy. If you want it hot add extra). Stir and cook for a few more minutes. You can add liquid from the tomatoes to deglaze as needed.
Pre-heat the oven to 350°.
Add the blended tomatoes directly to the pot. Leave uncovered and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling stir in the red lentils. Reduce heat once the sauce is back to a boil and stir often to keep the lentils from sticking to the bottom.
Continue to simmer for 15 minutes. If you find the mixture is getting stiff, dry, and prone to burn then add a splash of water. The sauce should be thickened and lentils will be slightly translucent and tender to the bite. They will continue to cook through the next step, so don’t worry if they’re not completely soft.
Immediately transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 pan. Use a spatula to make a slight indent in the red lentil mixture. Break the eggs directly into this space, being careful not to break the yolks. Sprinkle liberally with fresh-ground pepper and feta cheese.
Place the red lentil egg bake in the middle rack of the preheated oven. How long you cook the dish will depend on how you want the eggs—I find that 20 minutes provides a thick-custard consistency. Check the eggs every five minutes while baking, and remember that they will continue to thicken once removed from the oven.
Serve hot over rice or with naan bread.
Did you try making this Red Lentil Egg Bake? Let me know how it went below, or tag @growingwildroots on Instagram. I’d also like to see your review using the stars on the recipe card. I always love to hear from you, my readers.
Hi – I think the recipe has disappeared? I baked this once before and it was wonderful!
Thank you so much for the heads up! It was a problem with the recipe cards I’m using on my site. It should be fixed now.
Also, thanks for using and approving this recipe! I still make this often for my family as well.