Baked aubergines and lentils recipe

This baked aubergines and lentils recipe is ready in under an hour and serves four.

Going meat-free for a couple of dinners a week is not only a healthier choice, but it will save you money too. This recipe costs £3.16 and serves four people making it 79p per portion. Plus, this recipe is cooked in one large baking tray so there’s minimal washing up - just what you need from an easy midweek meal. 

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 3tbsp white wine vinegar
• 150ml 0% fat natural yogurt
• 1tsp dried mint or fresh mint, finely chopped
• 150g lentils, washed
• 500ml hot vegetable stock
• 2 aubergines, halved lengthways
• 1tbsp chopped parsley

For the sauce:

• 2tbsp tahini
• 1tbsp honey
• 2tsp soy sauce

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220C Fan/ Gas 9. Mix the onion and vinegar in a bowl and set aside to pickle. Mix the yogurt and mint and chill.
2. Put the lentils into a roasting tin and pour over the stock. Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins.
3. Mix the sauce ingredients, adding water to make it a dropping consistency. Cross-hatch the fleshy surface of the aubergine and spread over the sauce.
4. Remove the foil and nestle the aubergines into the lentils. Bake for 25 mins until the lentils and aubergine are tender. Top with the chopped parsley and pickled onions. Serve with the yogurt and a green salad, if you like.

Top tips for making our baked aubergines and lentils 

If you like spice, serve these baked aubergines with some sliced fresh red chilli or a drizzle of your favourite hot sauce. Sriracha or crispy chilli oil are excellent choices.

Jessica Ransom

“Aubergine is a delicious sponge for flavour and the hearty texture makes it very filling - you’ll hardly notice that the recipe is meat-free. To make the recipe vegan, use a dairy-free yogurt and swap the honey for a little maple syrup.”

This recipe is cooked using a single baking tray. If you don’t have one that’s suitable, this Falcon tin is lightweight, easy to store and will soon become your most used tray in the kitchen. 

FALCON Enamel Bake Pan Blue & White Large 37 X 29.5 x 6cm Roasting Baking Tray - View at Amazon

This is a very useful and versatile baking tray to have in the kitchen. It’s great for making pies, crumbles or simply roasting veg. The scratch resistant material makes it perfect for a busy cook and the chic design makes it a great oven-to-table option.

You might also like our other baked aubergine recipe or these aubergines with basil pesto crust are full of flavour. These Mediterranean aubergines are a nice option if you’re craving something tomatoey.