Cheesy lentil slice

Who knew you guys loved lentils so much?! Since I posted it back in October, my very veggie lentil bake has been super popular, with over 33,000 views so far. That number of views isn’t unheard of around these parts, but it usually takes a while to build up – in just a few months, I think that’s pretty good! Since you’re obviously big fans of really easy, relatively healthy lentil-based dinners, I thought I’d offer up another option – this cheesy lentil slice!

Just like my very veggie lentil bake, this cheesy lentil slice is super high in protein and fibre, but it’s still absolutely delish. The main difference between the two is that this slice can be… well, sliced. This means that as well as making a great dinner alongside some homemade chips and salad (or whatever else tickles your fancy), it can also be packed into lunch boxes or picnic baskets to be served cold. Gotta love a versatile recipe!

I cooked up this recipe using a selection of knives from TT Trading. You may think you’ve never heard of these guys, but have you ever seen the ‘World’s Sharpest Knife’ being demonstrated in the supermarket? That’s who I mean!

I’m always drawn in by a good supermarket demonstration (what can I say? I love kitchen gadgets. I once watched someone spiralise different vegetables for what felt like at least an hour) – and although these knives may look simple, they’re super impressive in person. It’s hard to watch someone sawing through a hammer with an ordinary kitchen knife, and not be impressed.

The little paring knife is great for chopping your way through all the veggies you’ll need for this cheesy lentil slice, and the long carving knife meant I ended up with perfectly round slices of tomato (which may seem like an odd thing to say, but have you ever tried to slice a tomato with a blunt knife? It just ends up all squished!). There are also steak knives and a flexible fileting knife to complete the set.

The best thing about these knives is that they all come with a lifetime guarantee, meaning that you buy them once, and can have them replaced for free if you ever need to – forever.

Luckily, despite their super sharp blades, the World’s Sharpest Knife set doesn’t come with a premium price tag – less than £45 for the complete set (10 knives in total, plus two juicers!).

Once you’ve chopped all your veggies, it’s just a case of mixing them with some cooked red lentils, oats, and a good handful of grated cheddar cheese. Top with those (perfectly round…) slices of tomato, and bake the whole lot until it’s nice and firm. Then just slice it up!

You could try using different veggies, different cheese etc. if you feel like it. Just remember that since you want this cheesy lentil slice to set nice and firm, you’ll need to thoroughly cook any particularly wet vegetables beforehand, and cut them nice and small. Other than that, the world is your… cheesy lentil slice.

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4.89 from 9 votes

Cheesy lentil slice

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 380 g red lentils (~ 2 cups)
• 1 litre vegetable stock (~ 4 cups)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 small leek, halved lengthwise then thinly sliced
• 1 small carrot, diced fairly small
• 130 g green beans, cut into 1cm slices (~ 1 cup when sliced)
• 150 g rolled oats (~ 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• Black pepper
• 150 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 1/2 cups when grated)
• 1 large tomato, sliced

Instructions

• Add the red lentils and vegetable stock to a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Cook over a medium heat until the red lentils are tender and any excess liquid has cooked off - around 15 minutes. You'll need to stir regularly, especially in the last few minutes, to ensure the lentils don't stick to the pan.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the chopped leek, carrot and green beans. Cook for a few minutes over a medium heat, until the leek is soft. Set aside to cool.
• When the lentils are cooked, transfer them to a large mixing bowl, and add the cooked vegetables, rolled oats, smoked paprika, and a generous pinch of black pepper. Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, then add about 2/3 of the grated cheese (hold some back for topping). Mix thoroughly.
• Spread the lentil mixture out into a greased baking tin (mine measured 9 inches square), and smooth out the top. Add the remaining grated cheese and a few slices of tomato. Bake at 180°C (Gas Mark 4 / 350°F) for around 45 minutes, or until the lentil slice is firm and the cheese on top is golden (cover with foil if you feel the cheese is browning too quickly). Either serve immediately, or allow to cool and cut into slices.

Author: Becca Heyes

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/6 of the recipe.

Love a lentil? Try my Mediterranean lentil meatballs with tomato sauce!