Spinach and ricotta is such a classic combination, and it's one of my favourites - the flavours are mild, but they work beautifully together. Creamy ricotta can never be a bad thing, especially with lots of garlicky spinach! Spinach and ricotta stuffed shells are my most commonly made concoction, but this time I decided to put my own stamp on it, and make this creamy spinach and ricotta lentil slice (is it even an Easy Cheesy Vegetarian recipe if it's not some kind of lentil bake?).
I've been making lots of lentil recipes lately - they're such a healthy protein, and so versatile too! This week alone I've made lentil soup, dal, and this creamy lentil slice. Even just this one dish could be eaten in any number of ways - with salad and garlic bread (my personal favourite), with roasted veggies and gravy, popped in a lunchbox or picnic basket... it's so good that you'll be happy to finish the whole batch in a couple of days (or freeze it in slices!).
Just cook some red lentils in stock, and add some garlicky sautéed spinach and onion. Add a bit of grated cheese, and then top it with some nice big dollops of creamy ricotta. As it bakes, the ricotta stays mostly intact, but melts down just slightly into the cheesy, garlicky lentils. Heavenly.
I've shared a lentil slice here on the blog once before, but this time I skipped the oats and used a couple of eggs to bind it all together instead. The end result is lighter and fluffier - a bit like a heartier, more filling version of a frittata. Both methods are great, so it just depends what kind of thing you fancy.
If you're not a spinach fan, I'm sure this same idea would work well with any other kind of sautéed vegetable. I love adding ricotta to the top of any kind of frittata or quiche - it feels so luxurious to get little pockets of creaminess through your dinner!
I can see myself adapting this same idea for all kinds of dinners - even my kids loved it! But for now, I'm very happy at the prospect of a second night eating this spinach and ricotta lentil slice.
Spinach and ricotta lentil slice
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 185 g (~ 1 cup) dried red lentils
- 500 ml (~ 2 cups) vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- Few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
- 100 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 cup when grated)
- 2 eggs
- Black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoon ricotta cheese
Instructions
- Add the lentils to a saucepan with the vegetable stock. Simmer, stirring regularly, until the lentils are tender and any excess liquid has been absorbed - around 15-20 minutes (you'll need to stir regularly towards the end, and turn the heat down, to ensure they don't stick). You can add a dash more water if needed - or, if you have too much excess liquid, just drain it away. Set aside to cool for around 15 minutes.
- Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan, and add the onion and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft. Add the chopped spinach (you can add a handful at a time if it won't all fit in the pan), and cook for a few minutes until wilted.
- When the lentils have cooled a bit, add them to a mixing bowl along with the spinach mixture, chopped parsley, grated cheese (hold a little back for topping), 2 eggs, and a good pinch of black pepper. Mix thoroughly, and transfer to a baking dish.
- Add a few dollops of ricotta cheese to the top of the lentil mixture, and top with any remaining grated cheese. Bake at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 45 minutes, or until firm and crispy.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for ¼ of the recipe (but you could probably stretch it to feed 6!).
Don't miss the recipe that started my obsession with lentil bakes - very veggie lentil bake (shared nearly 65,000 times so far!):
Nancy says
Hi Becca,
Thank you for this recipe. What size of dish did you use please?
Thanks
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
This one's about 8 x 8 inches :)
Alka Jain says
Please suggest what can be substituted for eggs. We don’t eat eggs but want to try this lovely recipe. Thanks
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
I'm not overly familiar with egg substitutes I'm afraid - you could try flax egg or something to help it hold together? Otherwise just try a slightly looser version with no egg - you could add rice instead, like in this one :) https://www.easycheesyvegetarian.com/very-veggie-lentil-bake/
Emily says
Another lovely recipe of yours I made this week, Becca, and no disappointment! I couldn't get ricotta for some reason (the store normally has it, so maybe it's the COVID-19 panic), but I used plain cottage cheese instead and it worked beautifully. :)
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Good to know that cottage cheese works too! Thanks Emily!
Debs says
What a gorgeous dish - lovely crispy nits round the edge. Had it for dinner and then took a slice to work for lunch. Yum
There were no nits only crispy bits!
Diana says
I made this but it didn't taste very good. Very mushy.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Hi Diana, so sorry you didn't enjoy this one, it's one of my favourites! Lots of other people have made it and loved it - I guess it just comes down to personal preference. I hope you find some other recipes here you enjoy more :)
Kara says
Could you freeze this?
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Yep! I actually freeze a few portions for my 1 year old, I just microwave one portion at a time for a couple of minutes to defrost - but I'm sure you could defrost in the oven too if you prefer :)
Keith says
I didn't have spinach or Cheddar or Ricotta Cheese, so I subbed Chopped Kale and Feta Cheese and also had some cooked Mung Beans that added a bit of healthy touches to a wonderfully yummy dish! Thank you Becca for the tasty artistic recipe! I actually had a slice for breakfast this morning, topping it with a dollop of Yogurt! My taste buds were in heaven! Thank You Again!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Keith! Sounds delicious :) So glad you liked it!
Alison says
I've just made this and it was one of the tastiest meals I've had in a long time. Thanks for the recipe! Will definitely make this again.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Awesome! Thank you so much Alison!
SueJ says
This looks so tasty, and it is great to have a recipe that can be tweaked so easily to fit what you have in the cupboard/fridge. Sounds perfect for dinner with some left over for a picnic lunch if the sunny weather surprises us again!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I'm hopeful that the sun will come back haha