Description
This easy vegan hotpot with lentils combines savory lentil stew with a crispy baked potato topping, creating a comforting and nutritious one-dish meal. Packed with protein-rich red lentils, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs, it’s a wholesome and satisfying option perfect for a cozy dinner. The lentil base simmers on the stovetop before being layered under thinly sliced potatoes and baked until golden and crispy.
Ingredients
Lentil Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 medium-large carrots, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 250 g dried red lentils
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes (about 400 g)
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 400 ml water
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp tamari sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Potato Topping
- 2-3 large baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced into discs (about 0.5 cm thick)
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- Black pepper, to taste
- Thyme, to sprinkle
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) to prepare for baking the hotpot later.
- Sauté Vegetables: Dice the onion and carrots and sauté them in olive oil over medium heat in a skillet or pan for 4-5 minutes until softened.
- Add Garlic and Corn Flour: Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then stir in the corn flour to help thicken the sauce.
- Add Lentils and Seasonings: Add the mixed herbs, rosemary, oregano, tomato puree, tamari, red lentils, chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, and half the vegetable stock to the pan. Stir everything to combine.
- Simmer the Sauce: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, adding more stock as necessary. The sauce should thicken and the lentils should become soft and start to break down.
- Prepare Potatoes: While the sauce simmers, peel and thinly slice the potatoes into discs roughly 0.5 cm thick.
- Assemble Hotpot: Transfer the lentil sauce into a baking dish or keep it in the skillet if oven-safe. Level the sauce with a spoon.
- Layer Potatoes: Arrange the potatoes in an overlapping pattern over the lentil sauce, ensuring full coverage without gaps.
- Season and Cover: Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper and thyme. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake Covered: Bake the hotpot in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, allowing the potatoes to cook through under foil.
- Uncover and Crisp: Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes until the potato topping is golden and crispy.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve the vegan lentil hotpot immediately while hot.
Notes
- The lentil sauce is ready when the lentils are soft and beginning to break down, creating a stew-like consistency.
- If the potatoes start browning before they are fully cooked, cover the dish with foil to prevent burning while finishing the bake.
- This hotpot keeps well in the fridge for 3-5 days and can be reheated in the oven.
- You can prepare it ahead of time; just cover it with foil and bake when ready.
- The dish freezes well; cover tightly with foil before freezing. Defrost fully before reheating.
