This vegetarian red lentil and rice casserole is a dump-and-bake recipe that features warming curry spices, coconut milk, and a handful of budget-friendly ingredients. The casserole is sliceable, versatile, and requires just 10 minutes of active time to make!
Red lentils and rice cook together in the oven to make this sliceable, curry-seasoned lentil bake. This is the newest in a long line of dump & bake casseroles. The purpose of this kind of "dump and go" meal is to make a low-prep, hands-off, nourishing vegetarian meal.
While my quinoa black bean casserole and rice & bean casserole feature Text-Mex-style seasonings, this red lentil bake uses a variety of Indian spices and coconut milk to make a warming curry flavor.
Unlike brown or green lentils, red lentils cook quickly. They take just about the same amount of time to cook as basmati rice, so they are the perfect natural pair for a casserole.
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Recipe summary
- Ingredients: This recipe is very budget-friendly because it relies on inexpensive dry red lentils and basmati rice as the base. Add in coconut milk, a few different spices, and vegetables to round out the casserole.
- Flavors: This red lentil casserole is completely inspired by Indian cuisine in flavors, though it pulls from no dish in particular and instead relies on curry powder and garam masala to bring forth warming flavors similar to my mix vegetable lentil curry and Instant Pot lentil and sweet potato curry.
- Time: All you need is 15 minutes of active time to throw this dish together. Both lentils and white rice cook very quickly, so overall the lentil casserole is ready in about 40 minutes tops!
Ingredients
- Red lentils: These are also called orange lentils. Choose dry, uncooked lentils. Red lentils (also labeled split red lentils) cook much more quickly than brown lentils and cook down into a mush. If the lentils aren't fully broken down at 25 minutes, simply add extra time and continue cooking.
- Basmati rice: This is my favorite type of rice, so much so that we have a 20-pound bag on hand at all times. Long-grain white rice can be used at a 1:1 swap. Brown rice does not work as a direct swap because it takes longer to cook and requires more liquid.
- Coconut milk: This adds extra depth and also contributes some of the liquid needed to cook the lentils and rice. I use full-fat coconut milk (usually just labeled as unsweetened coconut milk), but lite coconut milk works as a lower-fat option.
- Curry powder and garam masala are the main spices, along with coriander and cumin. Curry powder is a bit of a catch-all and varies from brand to brand, but you can't really go wrong here, so just choose whatever sounds good to you. Garam masala is a mix of spices that often includes coriander and cloves, so it's quite warming.
- Sweet potato: Just one medium sweet potato adds a touch of sweetness to the lentil bake. I don't peel the sweet potato because it helps keep the diced sweet potato intact during cooking. You can peel the sweet potato if you prefer, but it will break down into the casserole as it bakes.
Step by step instructions
While the idea behind a dump-and-bake casserole is to literally dump all ingredients into a casserole dish and then bake them, I find that it's worth taking an extra 5 minutes to heat the cooking liquid prior to baking the casserole.
Additionally, I recommend toasting the spices for just 30 seconds to bloom them and enhance their flavor. This step is easy and really adds more life to the dish.
Simply heat a medium pot over medium heat, then add a drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add the spices. Toast, stirring consistently, for just 30 seconds.
Whisk in the coconut milk and vegetable broth, stirring to combine with the seasonings. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, to a 9x13 baking dish add the well-rinsed rice and red lentils, along with the bell pepper, sweet potato, and any other vegetables you'd like to add.
Carefully pour in the simmering liquid. Stir to combine with the rice and lentils.
Cover tightly with foil or an upside-down baking sheet. Transfer to the middle oven rack to bake for 23-25 minutes at 375°F, or until the rice is fluffy and the lentils are mostly softened.
Remove the foil and continue cooking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes to fully thicken up the casserole. Baking uncovered evaporates any of the extra liquid and ensures the rice and lentils are fully cooked.
Cooking tips
- Always rinse and sort lentils before cooking them. It's rare, but lentils occasionally have little stones that make it into the bag, and accidentally biting down on one of these can really ruin dinner!
- White rice should always be rinsed well before cooking. Rinsing rice removes excess starches, which prevents rice from becoming gummy and mushy. To rinse the rice, place it in a fine-mesh sieve and run under cool running water, stirring the rice occasionally to ensure each piece is rinsed, until the water runs clear.
- Tightly cover the baking dish: While a ceramic lid is the best option to keep steam in the casserole dish during cooking, I find that foil works just well. If foil isn't available, an upside-down sheet pan will do the trick.
- Lentil texture: Note that the lentils break down significantly during baking, and disappear into the casserole as a sort of glue that holds the rice together. For firmer, intact lentils, start checking the lentil bake at 18 minutes, instead of 23.
- Split red lentils cook more quickly than red lentils. I find that they are almost completely dissolved at the 20 minute mark, whereas whole lentils will take 25-30 minutes to cook completely.
- Other dish sizes: 9x13-inch is my go-to dish size for casseroles, but you can get away with using a smaller size. Just make sure that the dish is deep enough to fit all of the ingredients, as they will expand slightly during cooking.
- Variations: Diced carrots, cauliflower florets, or diced onion can be mixed into the casserole in addition to or in place of other vegetables. The only part of this casserole that can't be modified is the liquids (vegetable broth and coconut milk), red lentils, and rice.
Storage tips
Leftovers: Let the casserole cool to room temperature before refrigerating. It keeps well for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave. Reheat the entire casserole in the oven at 325°F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until warmed through. Cover with foil if the casserole starts to dry out too much.
Freezing: I have not tried freezing this recipe. Other rice casseroles like my rice and broccoli casserole and rice and bean casserole have frozen well, so I imagine this one would too. Let thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat frozen slices in the microwave to thaw.
Looking for more casseroles?
Have extra red lentils to use up? Try using them in lentil patties, red lentil stew, and even as a lentil pasta sauce.
Recipe
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Red Lentil Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice see note #1
- 1 cup red lentils see note #2
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil canola oil etc.
- 1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 13.5 ounce can of coconut milk
- 1 medium sweet potato diced small (¼ to ½ inch cubes)
- 1 medium orange bell pepper diced
- chopped cilantro and lime wedges for serving
- ⅓ cup raw unsalted cashews optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a fine mesh sieve, rinse the rice well until the water runs clear. Rinse and sort the lentils, removing any stones or broken lentils as needed.
- Drizzle oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon. Toast, stirring frequently, for just 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Add the salt, vegetable broth, and coconut milk. Whisk to combine. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, to a 9x13-inch baking dish add the rinsed lentils and rice, along with diced sweet potato and bell pepper.
- Carefully pour the simmering broth into the baking dish. Stir to combine with the rice and lentils.
- Cover tightly with foil or an upside-down sheet pan and transfer to the middle oven rack. Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes, checking the rice and lentils for doneness. If the lentils aren't done at 25 minutes (they should be almost completely dissolved), return the lid and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and sprinkle with cashews, if using. Return to the oven to toast the cashews and evaporate any extra liquid, about 5 minutes. If the liquid is fully evaporated at this point and you aren't adding cashews, skip this step. Remove from the oven and serve garnished with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
Video
Notes
- Rice: An equal amount of long-grain white rice can be used in place of basmati. I don't recommend brown rice, as it requires additional liquid and cook time.
- Lentils: Use red/orange lentils, which cook much more quickly than brown lentils and cook down into a mush. If the lentils aren't fully broken down at 25 minutes, simply add extra time and continue cooking.
- Sweet potato: Make sure to dice the sweet potato small so that it cooks completely. I recommend leaving the skin on, as the sweet potato breaks down and becomes mushier when the skin is removed.
- Choose a 9x13 or similarly sized dish. A smaller dish works but make sure that it's deep enough, as the lentils and rice expand a bit while cooking.
- Leftovers are best within 3 to 4 days. Let cool before refrigerating in an airtight container. I have not tried freezing this recipe, but I imagine that it would work.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like cauliflower florets, diced onion, green beans, etc.
Bala says
This dish came out sooooo nice! Thank you for creating such a comforting recipe! We shared it with friends and everyone loved it. We will definitely be making this again soon 🤩
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
I'm so happy to hear that it was a success!
Jeanette Hardy says
This dish is so tasty and comforting. I love it and I recommend you try it...a great quick meal!!
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
Tasty and comforting is just what I'm going for with these dump & bake recipes! Thanks for leaving a review!
Annie says
Total fail. Nothing was fully cooked.
Added broth and recovered for THIRTY minutes. Still not cooked!
And the more liquid you add, the more bland it becomes because you’re diluting the EXPENSIVE spices.
Never trying a recipe online ever again. So frustrating to waste food.
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you. My advice is to always just keep it covered and keep cooking until it is done, sometimes that is up to 45 minutes because of oven variations (mine is pretty much always done by 30 mins but I’ve seen variations from others). It also might be worth checking your oven temp with an oven thermometer. An hour is a long time to cook white rice.
Only add broth if it’s dry. If it’s very dry that’s a sign that steam is escaping from the casserole dish and that the lid may not be on tight enough.
I realize you likely won’t be giving this recipe a try again but hopefully this helps someone else with questions in the future 🙂
ML says
Can this be cooked in the air fryer?
Thanks
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
I can't say for sure since I haven't tried it, but if your air fryer has a bake option or is one of those toaster oven/air fryer combos it should work. If you only have an air fryer without the bake function I would reduce the temp by 25F.
Amelia Millhuff says
The red lentils did not cook all the way.
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
I'm sorry to hear that! For future reference for anyone else who runs into this: If the lentils aren't mostly softened in 25 minutes, just put the foil back in place and bake for another 10 minutes, adding more time as needed. You can add an extra splash of broth too, if it looks dry (which could be a sign that the lid/foil wasn't on super tightly).
Jessica says
Followed to a T and mushy with uncooked lentils. So disappointing!
Natalie says
If my family is allergic to coconut, would I be better off using more broth or using a milk alternative?
Cassidy Reeser says
I would use more broth, about 3/4 cup seems right. If it seems dry and the rice or lentils aren't fully cooked, add an extra 1/2 cup of broth while covered.
Nima says
My mother-in-law made this and I kept going for seconds and thirds. Hers turned out so good. I’m south asian and found it flavourful!
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for leaving a review! 🙂
Jackie says
To start: I did not follow the instructions closely and I don't mind saying so. Added extra veggies to clear out the fridge, used green lentils soaked overnight (okay two days, I got lazy) and didn't heat up any of the liquid. Just dumped it all into the pan, covered and baked. As a result, the dish took an extra 20 minutes (covered) to cook the sweet potatoes and rice. I imagine if I had boiled like the recipe states, they would've come up to temp and softened quicker but I didn't mind. The next 10 minutes uncovered was plenty enough to boil off remaining liquid.
The result was great, very tasty and versatile casserole that is quite filling and with minimal effort. Lasted us a week and a half of leftovers. Going to be pleased to add this to our vegetarian rotation of the week.