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    Home - Recipes

    Lentil Casserole

    Apr 25, 2019 · Modified: Aug 11, 2022 by Courtney · This post may contain affiliate links · 59 Comments

    60401 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    This comforting lentil casserole is a family favourite! Lentils and kidney beans are simmered with diced tomatoes, rosemary, and garlic then topped with shredded cheddar cheese and then put in the oven for a quick broil for this easy weeknight meal you will want to eat on repeat.

    a skillet filled with lentil casserole that has a serving taken out of it next to a plate.

    Keeping with the comfort theme this week, I want to share with you one of my most favourite easy vegetarian meals.  I've been making this one for YEARS and it's one I come back to time and time again because it is SO simple, totally comforting and absolutely delicious.

    One of my favourite things about this recipe (besides the ooey gooey melted cheese) is that is it made from pantry ingredients.  This lentil casserole has been a dinner saviour many nights when I hadn't planned a thing and had no idea what to do.

    Calling it a casserole might be a bit of a stretch because 95% of the cooking is done stovetop, but 'bean stuff' which is the term I've come to call it by around the house just didn't sound as appealing.

    It's kind of like chilli but seasoned with rosemary and garlic in a pot with cheese melted onto it.  If cheddar isn't your thing,  mozzarella, Monterey Jack or pretty much any other melting cheese would be good here, including your favourite melting vegan cheese.

    How to make this quick lentil casserole:

    Heat a large pot to medium heat and add the olive oil.  When the olive oil is heated add the celery and onion and cook them until they begin to soften then add the diced tomatoes, kidney beans, lentils, garlic and rosemary.  Season with salt and pepper, then bring the pot to a boil.

    Once the pot is boiling, reduce the heat to a low simmer and allow it to cook for 20 minutes.

    When the mixture is cooked, transfer it to an oven-safe dish then top with the grated cheese and broil on high for 2-4 minutes or until the cheese melts.

    A top view of a skillet filled with lentil casserole topped with melted cheese.

    What to serve with this lentil casserole

    When I serve this at home we just grab a plate and dig in but it would be equally as awesome with a side salad or some other form of green veggies.

    Dietary Considerations and Accommodations

    This recipe for easy bean salad is suitable for the following diets:

    • vegetarian
    • for vegan, substitute cheddar for your favourite vegan melting cheese
    • clean eating
    • gluten free

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    More recipes you’ll love!

    If you like this lentil casserole, you might want to check out some of our other comforting vegetarian recipes:

    • Cauliflower and cheese pie
    • Pasta fagiole
    • Skillet mac and cheese

    If you have made this recipe we’d love to see it! Tag us on Insta @loveandgoodstuff.
    Loved this? Don’t forget to rate it below!

    a skillet filled with lentil casserole that has a serving taken out of it next to a plate.
    Print Recipe
    3.96 from 103 votes

    Lentil Casserole

    a comforting casserole of lentils, kidney beans and tomatoes with cheese
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time35 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Fusion
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 523kcal
    Author: Courtney
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 rib celery - finely diced
    • onion - finely diced
    • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
    • 1 19 oz can lentils - (drained)
    • 1 19 oz can kidney beans - (drained)
    • 1 clove garlic - crushed
    • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 1⁄2 cups shredded cheddar cheese - (or your favourite vegan melting cheese)

    Instructions

    • Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
    • When the oil is hot, add the diced celery and onions to the pot and sautee for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the drained beans, lentils and diced tomatoes to the pot along with the rosemary and garlic.
    • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Bring the pot to a boil, then once it is boiling reduce the temperature to low to gently simmer for 20 minutes.
    • Set your oven to broil on high.
    • Pour the lentil and bean mixture into a skillet or small casserole dish and cover with the shredded cheese.
    • Broil the dish for 2-4 minutes or until the cheese melts and begins to crisp.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 34gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 1498mgFiber: 36gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 302IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 167mgIron: 11mg

    * nutritional information is calculated by online tools and may not be 100% accurate.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @loveandgoodstuff or tag #loveandgoodstuff!
    « Breakfast Polenta
    Homemade Falafel »

    About Courtney

    I'm Courtney and I love great food!

    Creating delicious meals, photographing them, and sharing them with friends and family are some of my favourite joys ❤️
    More about Love & Good Stuff

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Geoffrey at Spoonabilities says

      May 02, 2019 at 4:22 pm

      This lentil "bean stuff" looks great. I've gotten a better appreciation for lentils over the years, and anything with cheese on top is a winner in my book.

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        May 02, 2019 at 5:45 pm

        Thanks so much!! I'd have to agree with you on the cheese 🙂

        Reply
    2. Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme says

      May 02, 2019 at 4:57 pm

      So comforting! It'll be perfect for the fall time so I'm pinning it now!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        May 02, 2019 at 5:44 pm

        Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    3. Andrea Metlika says

      May 02, 2019 at 5:01 pm

      This looks so tasty and hearty. Love that you used garlic and rosemary in this.

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        May 02, 2019 at 5:44 pm

        Rosemary and garlic makes everything better 🙂

        Reply
    4. Adriana says

      May 02, 2019 at 5:24 pm

      Wow this casserole looks delightful and I am a lentils fan so this is my kind of food. Hearty and fulfilling, great idea for a weekly menu too.

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        May 02, 2019 at 5:43 pm

        Thanks so much Adriana!

        Reply
    5. BribedWithFood says

      May 02, 2019 at 5:58 pm

      This casserole looks so comforting - Perfect for the terrible weather we are experiencing here in Chicago at the moment!

      Reply
    6. Alison says

      August 20, 2019 at 6:37 pm

      This looks amazing! Something my whole family can enjoy, and omitting the cheese it's vegan and plant-based!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        August 21, 2019 at 12:20 am

        Thanks so much! And yes, it would also be great without the cheese - you just don't need to bake it then.

        Reply
    7. Hannah F Healy says

      August 20, 2019 at 7:27 pm

      This is such a cool idea! Looks so tasty!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        August 21, 2019 at 12:19 am

        Thanks Hannah!

        Reply
    8. SHANIKA says

      August 20, 2019 at 7:34 pm

      This Lentil Casserole looks so good! I always love a meatless option to classic recipes!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        August 21, 2019 at 12:19 am

        Thank you! I love them as well!

        Reply
    9. Raia Todd says

      August 20, 2019 at 7:37 pm

      I love how easy this is! And a family favorite, too. 🙂 Thank you!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        August 21, 2019 at 12:19 am

        You're welcome!

        Reply
    10. Suzanne says

      September 23, 2019 at 8:00 pm

      Made this tonight and the whole family loved it! Made one tweak because I didn't have rosemary and added taco seasoning instead - soooooo delicious!

      Reply
    11. Courtney says

      September 24, 2019 at 2:35 pm

      I'm so happy to hear you all enjoyed it! I can imagine it was delicious with taco seasoning as well!

      Reply
    12. Julie S says

      December 03, 2019 at 1:53 am

      Oh my goodness... this was absolutely amazing. I was totally convinced, while making it, that it wouldn't be that great.. I was very wrong. Simple to make, packs a ton of flavor, and very filling. Thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        December 09, 2019 at 4:42 pm

        Hi Julie! I'm so happy you enjoyed it and you're welcome!

        Reply
    13. Alyssa says

      February 22, 2020 at 6:26 pm

      This looks delicious. Do you think I could make it in a crock pot? (except for the cheese).

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        February 24, 2020 at 3:05 pm

        Hi Alyssa! I have never cooked it in a crock pot, but I don't see any reason not to try it in there! I'd love to hear how it turned out if you do 🙂

        Reply
      • Abbie says

        May 21, 2020 at 9:17 am

        Hi, this looks really nice! Do you think it will freeze well? I was thinking to prep everything and freeze before broiling, then bake it with cheese when I'm ready? Thanks!

        Reply
        • Courtney says

          May 21, 2020 at 1:50 pm

          Thank you! I have never tried doing that before, but I think that if you prepare it to the point where you add cheese you could easily freeze it. If you do it, I would love to hear how it turns out!

    14. Carrie says

      February 26, 2020 at 8:10 pm

      Does it have to be canned lentils? Wouldn’t raw lentils cook while it simmers?

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        February 26, 2020 at 8:25 pm

        I have never tried it with dried lentils, so I am unsure if there will be enough liquid in the tomatoes to cook them.

        Reply
        • EM Scott says

          November 09, 2020 at 6:39 pm

          what do you bring to a boil as there's no liquid in the list of ingredient's nor the instructions?

        • Courtney says

          November 09, 2020 at 6:44 pm

          There is liquid in the canned tomatoes. You bring the contents of the pot (which is everything but the cheese) to a boil.

    15. Mav says

      February 28, 2020 at 12:31 am

      Will be making this....will be good ( I’m sure ) topped with mashed potato and cheese. Vegetarian Shepherds pie is always a favourite!

      Reply
    16. Cheryl Phillips says

      April 25, 2020 at 7:16 pm

      Just finished making this dish and loved it! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    17. Sue says

      May 06, 2020 at 12:36 pm

      I only have dried lentils if I cook them first to use, which variety should I use?

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        May 06, 2020 at 1:54 pm

        Green or French lentils would work well.

        Reply
    18. Laura says

      May 06, 2020 at 9:08 pm

      This was so good! We had it with rice, though it wasn’t needed.

      Reply
    19. Di Harvey says

      May 13, 2020 at 12:00 pm

      My family love this lentil bake, ice cooked it twice during ‘lockdown’ and it’s packed with protein and vegetables and you can add other vegetables if you wish. My kids are 20 and 15 and don’t agree on most foods but love this. Best of all it’s quick and so easy to prepare, no fancy ingredients! Thank you

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        May 13, 2020 at 1:29 pm

        You're so welcome! I am so happy to hear it's been a helpful recipe for you during quarantine.

        Reply
    20. Angela says

      May 26, 2020 at 6:25 am

      Excellent! Juicy, easy to put together, and it was a satisfying option for ‘meatless Monday’ 🙂
      It looks like a chili but is a nice change! I didn’t have Rosemary where I was cooking so I used Italian seasoning and it was very good. I toasted some cheese bread for dipping.

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        May 26, 2020 at 8:06 pm

        I'm so happy you enjoyed it!! Cheese bread sounds like the perfect side too 🙂

        Reply
    21. Sarah says

      August 18, 2020 at 7:48 am

      This was so delicious, maybe better the next day too. I added a heaped teaspoon of vegetable stock powder for extra seasoning. I served it over a bed of baby spinach with a dollop of sour cream and some pickled jalapeños. This is an easy and quick meal.

      Reply
    22. M. Wyche says

      August 20, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      Perfect dish for our Meatless Monday!

      Reply
    23. sylvie says

      August 24, 2020 at 9:18 pm

      Why can't you start out in a big skillet?

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        August 25, 2020 at 1:10 pm

        There's no reason why you couldn't. I've been making this since before I had a skillet that could transfer to the oven, so I make it this way out of habit.

        Reply
    24. Marg says

      October 19, 2020 at 11:00 am

      This was delicious! Added carrot and mushrooms for extra goodness. Pinned for later. Thanks for the recipe

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        October 19, 2020 at 1:46 pm

        You're welcome! I'm happy you enjoyed it! I like adding mushrooms to it as well!

        Reply
    25. Ashley says

      October 26, 2020 at 11:12 pm

      This is a weeknight favorite. I substitute celery for carrots. When I have kale, I'll also add that. But it is SO good! It tastes like pizza with the broiled cheese. This meatless meal won't have you missing meat at all! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        October 28, 2020 at 4:08 pm

        You're so welcome! I'm so happy you love it 🙂

        Reply
    26. Bill says

      November 03, 2020 at 3:22 am

      Where do you get 19 ounce cans of lentils and kidney beans? Did a search and only found 19 ounce cans of lentil soup, the rest are mostly 15 oz. Can you give apex weight/grams of the beans?

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        November 03, 2020 at 3:05 pm

        Hi Bill!

        I buy them at any grocery store I have ever shopped at. If for some reason 19 oz cans are not available in your area, the volume of the can drained is about 2 cups. I hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Bill says

          November 03, 2020 at 9:30 pm

          Thanks. I only buy organic, maybe that's why.

        • Laurie S Darling says

          May 23, 2022 at 4:21 pm

          so if substituing dry lentils, would the measurement be two cups cooked? TIA

    27. Katherine says

      January 30, 2021 at 7:32 pm

      Yummers. Made it for my work week lunch prep. Very tasty. I added a bit more garlic, cause well garlic!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        February 02, 2021 at 3:49 pm

        You can never go wrong with more garlic! Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    28. Vicki says

      February 24, 2021 at 6:04 pm

      Love this recipe! Not into meat as much lately and I saw this and made it. My husband even liked it!
      Thanks so much.

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        February 25, 2021 at 7:57 pm

        I'm so happy you both enjoyed it. You're welcome!

        Reply
    29. Julia says

      October 02, 2021 at 5:40 pm

      This is gorgeous but I made too much! Can I freeze it?
      Thanks
      Julia

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        October 05, 2021 at 6:25 pm

        Hi Julia! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! I have never frozen it myself, but I don't see any reason why you can't!

        Reply
    30. Kate says

      January 31, 2022 at 11:24 am

      If I don't have canned beans what's the ratio with dry beans in the bag? Learning how to cook dry beans and I'm still not great at this. Thinking rice was difficult is now a thing of the PAST.

      Reply
    31. Divania says

      February 25, 2023 at 10:03 pm

      If I were to use dry lentils vs. canned, what quantity would I cook? A cup? Thank you! So excited to try this.

      Reply

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