Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake
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Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake is cheesy, delicious, meatless comfort food even a carnivore will love! Packed with hearty lentils, wholesome brown rice, and a bold blend of southwestern spices, this dish delivers big flavor in every bite. Combine everything in a baking dish and let it bake away while you do other things. Perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends!
“LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! It’s easy and healthy!”
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
It seems like forever that my hubby and I have been making this lentil bake! My husband and I began making this casserole back in my vegetarian days.
The recipe we initially 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 1993, but we still use that cookbook a lot.
This Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake is one of our favorites when busy, and we don’t have much 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.
This lentil recipe is:
- So easy! Do a little chopping and combine everything in a baking dish.
- Versatile! Add beans such as pinto or black beans for extra protein!
- Freezer-friendly! Place in freezer containers for a meatless meal that’s ready and waiting!
- Instant Pot-adaptable!
How to Make Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this easy lentil recipe. The recipe card below has the exact quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- 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 for 1 1/2 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 if desired.
Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake for the win! Little to no effort, and you have a cheesy, vegetarian dish that even a carnivore would love!
Tips for inspecting lentils:
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 1/4 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.
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!
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Combine all the ingredients except cheese and cilantro in the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes, then release all the pressure.
- Stir in half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and cover.
- Allow everything to stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The instructions are in the recipe card and above.
Use plant-based vegan “cheese,” in place of conventional. Brewer’s yeast will also give it a “cheesy” flavor.
Absolutely! It freezes beautifully! Bake and thoroughly cool. Store in airtight containers and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven, toaster oven, or microwave.
For more great vegetarian casseroles, be sure to try my:
- Summer Squash, Corn and Poblano Casserole
- Summer Vegetable Parmigiana
- Brown Rice Cheddar Kale Casserole
- Healthier Turkish Eggplant Casserole (Imam Bayildi)
- Zucchini Corn Casserole
- Grains and Greens Casserole
- Greek Vegetable Casserole
- Summer Squash Casserole
- Late Summer Vegetable Tian
Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake
Ingredients
- 1/2 large onion, (or 1 medium onion), finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3/4 cup brown lentils
- 3/4 cup long-grain brown rice
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (15-ounce) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (4-ounce) diced green chiles, undrained
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning blend, or another Southwestern-style blend
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 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 1/2 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.
Video
Notes
- Look the lentils over well for stones, twigs and odd-looking shriveled ones because those can be stone-like.
- Combine all the ingredients except cheese and cilantro in the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes then release all the pressure.
- Stir in half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and cover.
- Allow everything to stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro.
- Bake and thoroughly cool. Store in airtight containers and freeze for 1-2 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven, toaster oven, or microwave.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Thank you for your quick response. I did make it with a can of black beans. What a great, easy recipe! (Especially in the Instant Pot)
Hi, Arlene, That is great! Thanks so much and happy you love this recipe. Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
I would like to make this in the Instant Pot. I saw your instructions for that with 15 minutes and then slow release. My question is if I want to add black beans, can I use dry or would that not be enough time and/or liquid? Would I be better off with canned?
Hi, Arlene, Thanks much for your question. I have not tested it that way, so I can’t say and don’t want to give you false information. To be on the safe side, definitely use drained, rinsed canned beans. You can probably stir them in at the end; they should heat through pretty quickly. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
I love this recipe! It is tasty and easy to make in the instant pot.
Hi, Debra, Thanks so very much and so happy you love this recipe! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Debra, can you share your instant pot directions? Thank you!
Hi, Farrah, In case Debra doesn’t come back, try this: Combine all the ingredients except cheese and cilantro in the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes then release all the pressure. Stir in half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and cover. Allow everything to stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro.
Have been meaning to update this post with these instructions! Thanks so much and hope you enjoy!
This looks delicious! Can I use red lentils instead of brown?
Hi, Lorraine, Thanks so much for your question. You could, but red lentils cook much faster than brown or green; I’m afraid you’d have mush. If you hae some you want to use up, try adding them halfway through the baking process. Thanks again and let me know how it goes.
I was going to ask the same question as Lorraine.
With your answer, Carol, so I can use green lentils? I can’t find dry brown lentils here (I am in Australia).
Hi, Kristie, Thanks so much for your question. Yes, you can use green lentils. However, I’ve used green lentils that take much longer to cook, like 45 minutes if boiling on the stovetop, as opposed to brown lentils which cook in about 20-30 minutes. You might want to soak them overnight, drain them, and then add to the casserole. If you make it this way, please let me and my readers know how it worked out. Thanks so much and hope you enjoy!
Big thumbs up. going into the keeper board.
Hi, Tim, Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed!!
This is a favorite of mine. You can easily cut down on the sodium by making your own taco mix and eliminating the salt, using no added salt broth or stock and no salt added canned tomatoes. Works just fine!
Hi, Kate, Thanks so very much and so happy you love this recipe! Yes, there are many ways to reduce the salt/sodium level–all your suggestions are great! Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
As someone who eats meat, but is looking for some good, budget conscience recipes, this one is a winner. I actually think the reheated leftovers are even better than fresh out of the oven!
Hi, Janna, Thanks so very much and so happy you love this recipe! We’re meat eaters, but I love vegetables and eating vegetarian, too and you’re right, it’s nice to have delicious, filling, meatless options. Thanks again and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment.
Easy and delicious. I used fire-roasted diced tomatoes and I didn’t have a bell pepper so I used frozen fire-roasted corn. So good!
Hi, Liz, Thanks so very much and so happy you love this recipe! Great idea to use the corn. Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment.
Could this be made in a crockpot?
Hi, Deb, Thanks so much for your question. I tried it once from everything being raw/uncooked and it did not work out well. However, I have not tried it since with cooked lentils/brown rice and then heated through but I think that would work out much better. If you try it that way, would you let me know how it went? Thanks so much!
Delicious! Added black beans as we do not have chilis widely available where I am. Will be making this again!
Hi, Emily, Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed! Black beans are a great addition! Thanks again!