This flavorful casserole features red lentils, zucchini, carrots, and onion baked in a creamy peanut butter sauce. It’s simple, filling, high in protein and easy to make.
The recipe is plant-based, gluten-free, with no added oil. On the table in just 30 mins with minimal fussing.
This red lentil casserole is family-friendly and you will find yourself making it over and over again.
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Simple Pantry Ingredients
This easy red lentils casserole is made with simple plant ingredients. It is vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, and packed with fiber. Here is what you need:
- red lentils – they cook really fast
- veggies – zucchini, carrots, onion, garlic, and canned tomatoes
- soy sauce – you can also use tamari sauce for a gluten-free casserole
- light coconut milk – make sure to shake the can well before using
- peanut butter – use natural peanut butter
- seasoning – basil, paprika, ginger, coriander, Himalayan salt
For the full ingredients list, measurements, and instructions, please find the recipe card below.
Why Is This Red Lentil Casserole So Healthy
I believe that focusing on whole natural plant foods while avoiding animal products and processed sugars/oil is the healthiest way to eat. This is why this recipe is completely whole food, plant-based.
Processed sugars are well known for their propensity to stimulate weight gain but that is also true about oil.
Vegetable oils are pure fat and have 8000 calories a pound, have no fiber, and enter the bloodstream very quickly. All this means that they make you gain weight quickly while making your blood more viscose and sluggish.
This casserole is a meal that is very satiating and helps you lose weight. Red lentils are rich in slow-to-digest complex carbohydrates, fiber, and healthy resistant starch which help you feel full for longer.
Lentils and peanut butter are also very high in protein and minerals.
I love adding spices to all my recipes since they elevate the taste of dishes to another level also because spices are antioxidant/phytonutrient powerhouses. They reduce inflammation, boost your immune system and nourish your cells.
Canned tomatoes are high in bioavailable lycopene one of the most powerful antioxidants.
How to Serve
You can enjoy this red lentils peanut butter casserole as it is or as part of a larger meal. Here are a few ways to enjoy it:
- With a loaf of delicious whole grain or gluten-free bread.
- Serve it with a nutritious colorful salad with fresh greens and raw veggies, such as this Broccoli and Tofu Green Salad, or Easy Cucumber Carrot Salad.
- Combine it with some cooked grains, like quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat for a complete meal
- Enjoy it as part of a rich buddha bowl with greens, hummus, cooked rice, veggies etc.
- With various steamed vegetables as a side- like carrots, broccoli, peas, cauliflower
This Red Lentils Peanut Butter Casserole is
- plant-based (vegan)
- oil-free
- gluten-free
- high in fiber
- easy to make
- satiating and comforting
- loaded with healthy plant protein
- on the table in just 30 mins
- incredibly delicious
How to store
Cover and store the baked casserole in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store it right in the baking dish or transfer to an air-tight container.
Reheat in the oven before eating or you could also try it cold it is equally delicious.
more healthy recipes
- Easy Creamy Lentil Curry
- Lentil Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
- Sweet Potato Red Lentils Soup
- Gluten-free Chickpea Balls
- White Bean Nuggets
If you try this Red Lentils Peanut Butter Casserole, please leave a comment and recipe rating below. I would love to see your recreations so don’t forget to tag me on your Instagram or Facebook post with @wellnessdove and #wellnessdove.
Red Lentils Peanut Butter Casserole
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cups (300 g) red lentils, 10.5 oz
- 1 small (120 g) zucchini, 8oz
- 2 (210 g) carrots, 7.5 oz
- 1 large (150 g) onion, 5 oz
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup (125 g) chopped canned tomatoes
- 3 cups (720 ml) water
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp basil
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) light coconut milk
- ¼ cup (65 g) peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Put the zucchini, carrots, onion, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Place the red lentils, chopped veggies, tomatoes, water, and spices (soy sauce, basil, paprika, ginger, coriander, and salt) in a pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 mins.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the coconut milk and peanut butter. Whisk them together. Add the sauce to the pot and cook for another 2-3 mins.
- After that, transfer the red lentil meal into a baking pan/casserole dish. Mine measures 26 x 20 cm (10" x 8"). Sprinkle with some basil on top.
- Bake the casserole in the oven for 15-20 mins. Let it cool and set for about 10-15 mins. Enjoy!
Lovely, nutritious recipe. I freestyle chopped the veggies to give a bit more texture and fried over the onions, garlic and courgettes. Delicious!
I have just finished reading through the recipe for the first time and thought exactly the same thing whilst doing so. Thanks for the confirmation….Cheers
Too much liquid?
Hi Jane,
It may seem too much at first but it thickens when you bake it. I recommend you let it sit for at least 10 mins after you bake it and it firms even more.
So easy..what a timesaver in this busy world. I actually generously doubled the spices as we like pronounced flavor .(Could be my spices need replacing!) Used PB2 and soy milk with coconut extract to cut down on fat content. Yummy..
Hi Lani,
I’m delighted to hear that you found this recipe easy and a time-saver! Doubling the spices to suit your taste is a fantastic idea, and using PB2 and soy milk with coconut extract for a lower fat content is a clever modification. I’m so glad it turned out yummy for you!
By the way, I saw a post recently and someone was eating lentil bread. Any chance you have a lentil bread recipe in the works?
Now that I think about it, I have made lentil flatbread but haven’t shared it yet. Was it a lentil flatbread or a loaf that you saw?
This was excellent! I made an avocado crema (vegan, cumin, jalapenos and lime blended until creamy) to put on top. I can’t stop eating it!
Hi Dianna,
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe. Your addition of the avocado crema sounds absolutely delicious – what a creative and flavorful touch! I’m glad you can’t stop eating it – that’s the best compliment a recipe can receive.
Does it freeze well?
Hi, Judith!
I haven’t tried to freeze it yet, but it should work fine.
This was really good! I made a few changes to reduce the fat content, like using peanut butter powder and almond milk. This recipe will be a regular in my house. Thank you.
That’s wonderful! So happy you liked the recipe, Karissa!
Hi Karissa. Did you reconstitute the PB powder? If so how much/ what ratios did you use?
generally it is 2T PBpowder to 1.5 T water
My grandmother use to make a lentil, peanut butter casserole many years ago and it was delicious. I’ve been looking for a recipe with those two ingredients for years. Of course, back in the day there were no food processers, etc. but I’m so anxious to try this out. I’ll try and remember to come back and let you know how it turns out.
I’m so happy. Thanks so much for sharing.
Hey Carol, I am glad to have inspired you with my recipe.
I really hope that it turns out great! I’be so happy if you share the result here.
Enjoy!
Tried it and loved it. The only problem was that it was so good it was difficult to not overeat! Thanks again for sharing this fabulous recipe.
Wow, amazing! We hardly ever have leftovers as well.😄Thanks for the wonderful feedback!
What is the texture like? I’m thinking a mashed/sweet potato type texture? Very curious to try making it. I’m a “sauce” freak. Can you double the sauce or would you have to double all the ingredients or it would be too soupy? What do you make to go with this, and how would you describe the flavors? Thanks.
The sauce gets mixed in with the lentils and cooked vegetables.
Hey Linda,
the texture is thick and creamy. If you want to double the sauce, you have to double all the ingredients otherwise it would be too watery. Also, you can eat it straight from the pot without baking it and then it resembles lentil curry. But when you bake it, it thickens.
I have serving suggestions in the recipe post above, for example you can serve it with cooked grains like brown rice, quinoa, a slice of bread, steamed veggies, etc.