Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake is cheesy, delicious meatless comfort food even a carnivore will love and is super easy to prepare! Simply combine everything in a baking dish, pop it in the oven and let it bake away while you do other things.
The inspiration behind this dish:
Oh, the lentil joy! It seems like forever that my hubby and I have been making this dish! My husband and I began making this casserole back in my vegetarian days. We’ll just say those days were a long time ago so as not to date me.
The recipe we originally followed is “Lively Lentil Bake” from Hot, Spicy and Meatless, Over 150 Delicious, Fiery and Healthful Recipes by Dave DeWitt, et. al., the folks behind Chile Pepper Magazine. This collection of spicy vegetarian fare was published in 1994 and we’ve used that cookbook a lot.
This Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake is one of our favorites when we’re both busy and don’t have a lot of time to prep and cook. Quite often, we already have the ingredients on hand in the pantry.
The only fresh things you need is an onion, green bell pepper and cilantro for garnish if you like. It’s very easy to make minor substitutions as this is a versatile and forgiving recipe.
How to inspect lentils for debris:
One thing you always want to do when working with lentils is to look them over well for stones, twigs and odd-looking shriveled ones because those can be stone-like.
What I do is:
- Place a small amount–about ¼ cup–on a plain white paper plate. A white surface makes debris easier to find.
- Look them over for any odd things and discard.
- Then, gently fold the plate to guide them into your pot or into a bowl.
- Repeat with the remaining lentils.
How to make Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake:
My recipe is significantly different from the original in the cookbook, however, the procedure remains the same:
- Combine all the ingredients in the baking dish!
- Cover and let it bake away while you do other things! About all you make dirty in the process is your knife and a measuring cup.
- Stir once during the baking process.
- Add cheese near the end and top with cheese at the end.
Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake for the win! Little to no effort and you have a cheesy, vegetarian dish even a carnivore would love!
For more great vegetarian casseroles, be sure to try my:
- Southwestern Squash, Corn and Poblano Casserole
- Italian Summer Vegetable Casserole
- Brown Rice Cheddar Kale Casserole
- Healthier Turkish Eggplant Casserole (Imam Bayildi)
- Layered Zucchini Corn Casserole
- Grains and Greens Casserole
- Brown Rice and Summer Vegetable Casserole with Feta and Black Olives
- Southwestern Summer Squash Casserole
- Late Summer Vegetable Tian
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Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake
Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake is cheesy, delicious meatless comfort food even a carnivore will love and is super easy to prepare! Simply combine everything in a baking dish, pop it in the oven and let it bake away while you do other things.
Ingredients
- ½ large (or 1 medium) onion, finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¾ cup brown lentils
- ¾ cup long-grain brown rice
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (15-ounce) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (4-ounce) diced green chilies
- 1 tablespoon taco or other Southwestern seasoning blend
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican and leaf--not ground)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (leaf--not ground)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Pepperjack or white Cheddar), divided
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients, except the cheese, in a deep 2-3 quart glass or ceramic baking dish and mix well. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 1 ½ hours, stirring once while the mixture is baking.
- Remove the foil, stir in half the cheese and place the remaining cheese over the top.
- Return to oven (uncovered) and bake until cheese has melted, approximately 20 minutes.
- Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 239Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 1047mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 13g
The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Vanessa says
Could you use Jasmine rice? if so, would the cooking time be altered?
Carol says
Hi, Vanessa, Thanks so much for your question. You could use jasmine rice but there may be a slight difference in flavor as jasmine rice has somewhat of a floral taste. Someone used white basmati rice a while back and they said the cooking time was too long. I’ve cooked a lot of jasmine rice over the year as a personal chef and have found different brands cook up differently so it’s hard to tell you exactly how much time it will need. I’d cut back on the liquid a little bit if you’re not using brown rice. You can always add a little more later. Thanks again and hope it works for you!
Andi says
This was amazing! The whole family loved it (including the kiddos 8 and 5). Best part is it comes together fast and you can get a bunch of other things done while its cooking. I didn’t have any brown/green lentils so I ended up using red lentils. I also increased most of the ingredients (this family lives on leftovers)! Thanks a million for a new crowd pleaser 🙂 Oh, I did fry up some corn on the side and added that when we plated it, its a great addition.
Carol says
Hi, Andi, Thanks so very much! Glad you all enjoyed–especially those kiddos! They’re usually a tough crowd. Thanks again and hope you’ll try some of my other vegetarian entrees.
Carol says
Thank you for your feedback, Brenda. The reason for the ads is so that I can provide you with a FREE recipe. Perhaps there was something hung up with your internet connection or your computer was doing something in the background because I’ve loaded that post numerous times without any problems. I also had my tech guy check everything and there were no problems.
Liz says
I love this recipe. Like most casseroles it allows you to riff off of it. Have some zucchini, throw that in. Tonight I had chard from the garden and parsley. Threw that in. It has become a staple, easy dinner to use up what’s in the veggie drawer at the end of the week. Love it!
Carol says
Hi, Liz, Thanks so very much! So glad you enjoy and make it your own. Yes, so easy to change it up and add extra veggies like the zucchini, yellow squash, more peppers, winter squash, etc. Thanks again!
Karen says
I made this casserole today. I was excited to try it as lentils and rice are a couple of my faves. I don’t know why, but all I could taste was an overpowering oregano flavor which was disappointing. Is 2 tsp of oregano the correct amount? If I made this again, I’d definitely omit half of the oregano or maybe all of it. Also, to me, it was a bit too salty. Might try it again (with modifications) as I love lentils!🙂
Carol says
Hi, Karen, Thanks so much for the feedback. I don’t recall anyone mentioning the oregano thing before. Sometimes people are sensitive to certain flavors. I can handle cinnamon in baked goods, but put it in anything savory and I just can’t. Did you use Mexican oregano? You can get it through Penzeys. It’s a little different from traditional oregano which lends itself more to Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. Perhaps try low-sodium vegetable broth next time, too. Thanks again!
Celeste says
Morning!
I made this last night, also very excited to try my new found brown rice and lentil dish!!
Half way through it still looked like a minestrone soup, but when the time was up everything was nice and fluffy.
I agree, something (herb/ spice) I added is a bit overpowering, so I’ll half everything next time too.
Will definitely try it again. Thank you for the recipe!!
Carol says
Thanks, Celeste! Wondering if you used powdered oregano? Two teaspoons of that WOULD be overpowering. Thanks again!
Lori says
This is the first time I’ve been inspired to write a review about a recipe. This meal made ALL of the picky eaters I’m cooking for happy!! I thought that was impossible! This recipe is now a staple!!!
Carol says
Hi, Lori, Thanks so very much! Wow, that makes me so happy! Glad you and everyone enjoyed. Thanks again!
Marlene says
I tried this today and it was delicious. Simple to make, basic ingredients that are easy to find and have on hand, and the result is hearty and tasty. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for such a winning recipe!
Carol says
Hi, Marlene, Thanks so very much! So glad you enjoyed! This has been a favorite of ours for many, many years so I’m glad I’ve been able to pass it on and more people can enjoy it. Thanks again.
Kat says
We cooked this just over a week ago as experimenting with meatless meals now – it was so good it’s back on the list to make again! A new favorite for us! Thanks!
Carol says
Thanks so much, Kat! So glad you all enjoyed it! This recipe has certainly stood the test of time with us, too. Still is and will always be one of our go-to meatless meals! Thanks again and hope you’ll try some of my other meatless meals.
Julia says
I made this with green lentils and white basmati. It smelled delicious while baking, but I think 1.5 hours is too long for this combination: the texture of the rice and lentils were similar and both mushier than I’d prefer. I’ll try again and keep a closer eye on the cooking time!
Carol says
Thanks so much, Julia! I’ve had green lentils take FOREVER to cook and then sometimes they cook very quickly–faster than brown lentils. The white basmati is definitely going to cook fast. If you wanted to use that combination again, you could always precook everything on the stovetop (including the vegetables) so its all the texture you want, combine in a baking dish and then just place in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until it’s heated through. You could also make a day or two ahead of time and then heat through later. Thanks again!
Terri Boyko says
This is great to do as I have leftover cooked rice and leftover green cooked lentils. I’ll try the recipe tomorrow!!! Thanks for the great idea!!
Carol says
Hi, Terri, If you’ve got already cooked rice and lentils, you’ll want to cook the vegetables in a skillet or saute pan first, then combine everything in a baking dish. You won’t need as much liquid, so just enough to moisten everything. Thanks so much and hope you enjoy!
Margot says
I am excited to make this recipe. What capacity is your baking dish or what capacity would you recommend? Thank you!
Carol says
Hi, Margot, Thanks so much for your great question! I would recommend at least a 2-quart baking dish. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Margot says
This was a delicious dish and so easy to bake in the oven! We were in a “light cheese” mood and skipped the cheese and it was still delicious. What a clever idea to bake rice with lentils in the oven like this, no sautéing, etc. It’s a keeper!
Carol says
Thanks so very much, Margo! So glad you all enjoyed and this is now one of your go-to recipes as it’s been one of ours for over 20 years! Thanks again!
Melissa says
I make this for meal trains all the time now, I’ve recently started eating vegan… Even without the cheese it is phenomenal!
Carol says
Thanks so much, Melissa! So glad you enjoy! Vegan cheese should work just fine. I’d love to know what a “meal train” is, however. Thanks again!
Kristine Munoz says
A meal train is a sign-up sheet, usually (maybe always?) online, for when someone has a baby or is ill. An organizer finds out food allergies, preferences etc. From the family receiving it, posts that information plus dates when meals will be needed online, then this is circulated by e-mail invitations to interested parties. My academic department does this whenever someone has a baby and will welcome cooked food for a few weeks. It’s a great system! Everyone helps out a little and the recipients get a lot of help without needing to ask anyone. Google “meal train” and you’ll get to a website that features the calendar system for free.
Carol says
Hi, Kristine, Thanks so much! I had never heard it referred to as a “meal train” before but we’ve done it many times and have also been the recipient after breaking a kneecap. It’s a wonderful thing to do for people. Thanks again!
Liz says
What is the nutritional value on this recipe? Or at least the sodium level?
Thank you!
Carol says
Hi, Liz, Thanks so much for your question! I’m in the process of adding nutrition to all of my recipes and updated this one today for you. The nutrition information is computer-generated so it’s only an estimate. You can adjust the sodium level down by using no-salt-added tomatoes, lower-sodium or salt-free broth, etc. Thanks again!
Karen says
Do you think this could be made with white rice instead of brown rice?
Thanks,
Karen
Carol says
Hi, Karen, Thanks so much for your question. Yes, it could be made with white rice, but the white rice does not take as long to cook as brown rice. The length of time it takes to cook brown rice is on par with the time it takes to cook lentils. What I would do is saute the vegetables, cook the lentils and white rice, then combine it all and then bake it. You could even make it a day or two ahead of time that way. Thanks again and hope this works for you!