VEGETARIAN CASSEROLE

Vegetarian casserole image

A Mediterranean one-pot stew with peppers, courgettes, lentils, sweet smoked paprika and thyme

Provided by Caroline Hire - Food writer

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried thyme
3 medium carrots, sliced (about 200g)
2 medium sticks celery, finely sliced (about 120g)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
2 x 400g cans tomatoes or peeled cherry tomatoes
1 vegetable stock cube made up to 250ml (we used 1 Knorr vegetable stock pot)
2 courgettes, sliced thickly (about 300g)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
250g cooked lentils (we used Merchant Gourmet ready-to-eat Puy lentils)

Steps:

Heat 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add 1 finely chopped onion and cook gently for 5 - 10 mins until softened.
Add 3 sliced garlic cloves, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp dried thyme, 3 sliced carrots, 2 finely sliced celery sticks, 1 chopped red pepper and 1 chopped yellow pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
Add two 400g cans tomatoes, 250ml vegetable stock (made with 1 stock pot), 2 thickly sliced courgettes and 2 sprigs fresh thyme and cook for 20 - 25 minutes.
Take out the thyme sprigs. Stir in 250g cooked lentils and bring back to a simmer. Serve with wild and white basmati rice, mash or quinoa.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 216 calories, Fat 5.1 grams fat, SaturatedFat 0.7 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 31 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 16.1 grams sugar, Fiber 9.8 grams fiber, Protein 12.3 grams protein, Sodium 1.6 milligram of sodium