Vegetarian lentil hotpot is a tasty lentil and vegetable stew with a layer of golden sliced potatoes on top. This healthy, comforting lentil hotpot is easy to make, great for meal prep and low cost.
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What you'll love about the recipe
- This delicious, easy lentil hotpot with potatoes is an all-in-one vegan and vegetarian family meal
- Good for your budget. Not only is this meat-free recipe budget-friendly, but you'll also save on energy costs. This potato and lentil bake actually goes under the grill for a few minutes so you don't need the oven running for hours
- Healthy vegetarian lentil hotpot is packed with nutritious ingredients. It's high in fibre, with lots of vegetables and plenty of healthy plant protein
- Naturally gluten-free. Use vegan butter or cheese, or olive oil if you want a vegan lentil hotpot which is dairy-free
Ingredients
Olive oil - or another healthy cooking oil
Onion. If your onion isn't large, use two
Garlic adds extra flavour. If you've got it you could also use roasted garlic, or omit the garlic if you're not a fan
Carrots and celery add flavour, sweetness and extra goodness to this vegetarian lentil hotpot
Lentils. This recipe is designed for either brown or green lentils. Red lentils have a different texture - if you want to use red lentils use this red lentil bolognese recipe for the base.
I've used dried lentils in the recipe as they are cheaper and very easy to cook from scratch. If you want to use canned lentils, use 2 cans and rinse and drain them. Add them 10 minutes before the other veggies have finished cooking. Add only 125ml of stock to the pan and top up if necessary.
Tinned tomatoes and tomato puree. Doubling up on the tomatoes gives a richer flavour.
Worcestershire sauce, herbs and stock all add seasoning and extra flavour. Use either dried or fresh herbs. Fresh basil, thyme or parsley all go well - add a tablespoonful of chopped fresh herbs as they are less concentrated than dried herbs.
Check that your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free if necessary.
If you are using a stock cube, you'll only need half of one as most are designed to make 500ml of stock.
Potatoes - any type of white potato will be fine in this recipe
Cheese, butter or olive oil. The sliced potatoes will go golden and crispy if topped with grated cheese. Either cheddar or parmesan are good. Or you could brush the top with 25g of melted butter or olive oil. Of course, you can use vegan cheese or butter.
Variations and substitutions
Add extra veggies if you like. Fry some leeks, mushrooms or peppers with the onion. If you want to add softer vegetables such as courgettes (zucchini) add them partway through the cooking time so that they don't go mushy. You could also stir baby spinach leaves into the lentil stew at the end of the cooking time.
If you don't have Worcestershire sauce you can also use soy sauce, tamari sauce or half a teaspoon of Marmite.
If you want to vary the base of this vegetarian Lancashire hotpot, you could also use these other recipes and top them with cooked sliced potatoes:
- Red lentil bolognese
- Vegan mince with lentils, mushrooms and walnuts
- Sweet potato and black bean stew
- Sweet potato, kale and white beans
For a hearty spiced lentil hotpot, add some ground spices to the recipe with the onions. Try a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a teaspoon of ground cumin. Or use your favourite curry powder blend.
For a meat-based variation, try this beef and bean hotpot recipe. Or you could add bacon or cooked sausage to this recipe.
How to make vegetarian lentil hotpot
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil, then saute the chopped onions for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should start to brown slightly as the caramelisation adds flavour to the dish.
Add the diced carrots, celery and garlic. Continue to saute for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the lentils, both tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, herbs and stock to the pan. Stir well, then cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Check that the lentils and vegetables are tender, and add some seasoning if necessary (depending on the stock, you may not need any).
Whilst the lentils are cooking, prepare the potatoes. There's no need to peel them, just give them a quick wash. Then cut into 3-4mm slices.
Add the potato slices to a pan and cover with lightly salted boiling water. Boil for about 5 minutes until they are just tender to the point of a knife. Drain well.
Add the cooked lentil and vegetable stew to a grill-proof dish. (You may be able to leave it in the frying pan, but check that the handle is flameproof!) Layer over the cooked sliced potato, and top with grated cheese or melted butter.
Grill the lentil hotpot under a medium hot preheated grill for 10 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Expert tips
- Cut the vegetables, including the potatoes as evenly as you can. It'll ensure that everything cooks through at the same time.
- Different varieties of potatoes can cook at slightly different times, so check them a couple of times to see if they are cooked. If they are overcooked they'll go mushy and break up.
Serving and storage
Serve your lentil hotpot bubbling hot. There are plenty of veggies in the dish, but why not add a side of greens for extra colour and nutrition?
Vegetarian hotpot can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
You can also batch cook and freeze this lentil and potato bake. Wrap well and defrost at room temperature.
Meal prep
Lentil and vegetable hotpot can be assembled and grilled at the last minute. Make the lentil stew and cooked potatoes in advance, and store them in the fridge. When you're ready, heat the stew on the stovetop, add the potatoes and pop under the grill.
Frequently asked questions
No, dried lentils do not need to be soaked before they are cooked. However, some people think that green and brown lentils are easier to digest when they are soaked, so if you'd prefer to soak them, go ahead. Once soaked, rinse well and add to the recipe.
Yes, you can replace the lentils in this recipe with canned lentils. Use 2 cans, and rinse them under a tap. They won't need cooking so add them towards the end of the cooking time. You'll also need to cut down on the stock in the recipe, as cooked lentils won't absorb the liquid.
Other healthy veggie dishes
You might also like these healthy vegetarian comfort food recipes. They are filling, satisfying and delicious. Perfect for a hungry family!
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Recipe
Vegetarian Lentil Hotpot
Equipment
- large lidded frying pan
- saucepan
- oven proof dish if frying pan cannot be used under a grill
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic peeled and very finely chopped
- 1 stick celery finely sliced
- 2 carrots cut into 1cm dice
- 400 g tinned tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 160 g green or brown dried lentils
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs or use fresh herbs
- seasoning to taste
- 250 ml vegetable stock
- 750 g potatoes
- 50 g cheddar optional, or use 25ml butter or olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Fry the onions for 5 minutes until starting to brown. Add the carrots, celery and garlic and saute for a further 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the lentils, canned tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs, stock and Worcestershire sauce. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. After 30 minutes, the lentils and vegetables should be tender.
- Add seasoning if necessary. You may not need additional salt as the stock and Worcestershire sauce will already be seasoned.
- Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into slices about 3-4mm. There's no need to peel the potatoes, just give them a quick wash. Cover with boiling water and simmer for about 5 minutes until just soft. Drain well.
- Preheat the grill to medium. Spoon the lentil mixture into an oven-proof baking dish. Layer the cooked potato slices over the top of the lentils, overlapping them slightly. Brush with melted butter or olive oil. Alternatively, sprinkle over grated cheese.
- Place under a preheated grill and brown the top of the hotpot for 10 minutes. Turn partway so that it is golden on all sides.
Notes
- If you want to use canned lentils, use 2 cans and drain them well. Add them 10 minutes before the other veggies have finished cooking. Add only 125ml of stock to the pan and top up if necessary.
- Add extra veggies if you like. Fry some leeks, mushrooms or peppers with the onion. If you want to add softer vegetables such as courgettes (zucchini) add them partway through the cooking time so that they don't go mushy.
- If you don't have Worcestershire sauce you can also use soy sauce, tamari sauce or half a teaspoon of Marmite.
- Cut the vegetables, including the potatoes as evenly as you can. It'll ensure that everything cooks through at the same time.
- Different varieties of potatoes can cook at slightly different times, so check them a couple of times to see if they are cooked. If they are overcooked they'll go mushy and break up.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
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