Alternative Title in Honor of Minnesota: Lentil and Brown Rice Hot Dish
I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now and thought I’d share it.
It is not:
- fancy
- gourmet
- particularly photogenic
It is:
- simple
- easy
- cheap
- comforting
- kid-friendly
I’m particularly drawn to the cheap part right now. As the holidays hit and money starts to flow out the door, I always feel the need to tighten up the grocery budget a bit. I think lentils, beans, rice and other grains will be on frequent rotation in our kitchen. I may also have to ban myself from Whole Foods. Anyone else feeling the budget pinch?
Oven Baked Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole
- 3 cups vegetable broth or water (or combination of both)
- 3/4 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed and sorted
- 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
- 3/4 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: bay leaf + salt if using water instead of broth, rosemary, basil, any herbs to your liking
- Preheat oven to 325F
- Mix all ingredients in a 2 qt baking dish.
- Cover with lid or foil and bake for about an hour, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- That’s all. See – so easy!
It’s good topped with crushed red pepper, nutritional yeast, parmesan cheese and/or gomasio. I usually serve it with some bread for a simple but filling and tasty dinner.
