Lentil and vegetable hotpot

It’s definitely the time of year for comfort foods! It’s dark early in the evening, the wind has a chill and the rain…..well, I really hope those empty reservoirs are feeling full now! And with many people turning the heating down due to high fuel bills, warming comfort is even more needed. So this super tasty hotpot really hits the spot. Why? Well, it’s:

• cheap (see below)
• full of healthy fibre, protein and other nutrients
• hits the comfort food spot full on
• really filling (great if you are feeding extra-hungry tummies)
• can be batched baked so you can have a dish waiting to be used on those super hectic days

In the UK, hotpot (Lancashire hotpot that is) is traditionally made with the scrag ends of mutton or lamb as a cheap but filling family meal. And some would still say that’s what hotpot is. However, if you check out the internet, there are numerous ways of making hotpot. This lentil and vegetable one is my favourite, although I’ve also created a rich mushroom one which is delicious although more expensive. I’ll save sharing that recipe for another day!

You can use whatever veg you like in this hotpot recipe, especially if you have bits and bobs hanging around the bottom of the fridge that need using up. I’ve gone for simple carrot, courgette and peas, with the stem of the broccoli we had on the side added in as well.

Cost wise, this filling mains dish is cheap, particularly if you use uncooked green lentils. In total it comes to £2.11 (based on todays Tesco prices). However, uncooked green lentils do take longer to cook, which means it uses more energy and takes more time. So if you prefer to use a tin of cooked lentils, it pushes the price up to £2.54, which is still pretty good. Certainly cheaper than anything with meat in, scrag ends or not!

Soaking the lentils in advance will help reduce the cooking time. Two hours is a good guideline, but if you’re out all day, popping them into soak before you leave in the morning will mean much less cooking time later in the day. Soaking also helps to reduce windy after effects and can make the nutrients more absorbable, so it’s really worth remembering if you can (and more pleasant for everyone in the house too 😉 )

Lentils are a great ingredient to include regularly as apart from being very affordable they are packed with nutritional benefits like:

• plant protein
• fermentable fibre (for gut health)
• minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium
• B vitamins including folate

I always have some to hand as they’re a great addition to many tasty recipes. If you want to try some of my favourites, check out my lentil ragu, lentil, sweet potato and shiitake mushroom bake and my rainbow roasted veg and lentil bowl. You’ll also find more lentil recipes in my books so do check them out as well.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Do let me know if you give it a go – enjoy the food hug!

Lentil and vegetable hotpot

A warming and filling main meal, perfect for chilly days

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

soaking time 2 hours hrs

Servings: 4 moderate portions

Course: Main Course

Calories: 326

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 100 grams dried green lentils or 400g tin cooked green lentils, drained
• 2 large potatoes
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium courgette or 100g mushrooms
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 500 ml vegetable stock if using uncooked lentils OR
• 150 ml vegetable stock if using tinned lentils
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 150 grams peas frozen is fine
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• black pepper to taste

Equipment

• Medium-sized pan suitable for stove top and oven eg: le creuset pan or stainless steel pan with no handle

Method

 

1. Skip this step if using cooked tinned lentils. Tip the dried green lentils into a bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak for at least 2 hours if possible.
2. Scrub the potatoes and cut off any dodgy bits but leave the skin on. Cut the potatoes into thin slices using the slicer blade on a food processor or a mandolin if you have one. Alternatively, cut into the thinnest slices you can with a sharp knife.
3. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the potato slices. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until they're just cooked. Do not overcook or the slices will disintergrate and you'll get mash instead! Drain and leave to cool.
4. Whilst the potatoes are cooking, prepare the other vegetables. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel the carrots and chop into bite-sized chunks. Wipe the courgette or mushrooms and dice. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
5. Heat a couple of tablespoons of water in the base of an oven-proof saucepan if you have one or any pan if you are transferring the mix to a dish. Add the onion, carrot and bay leaf. Sauté on a medium heat for 5 minutes, adding more water if needed to stop them sticking.
6. Add the courgette or mushrooms to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes before popping in the garlic. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring from time to time.
7. IF USING UNCOOKED LENTILS: Drain the soaked green lentils and add them to the pan along with the tamari, mixed herbs and paprika. Stir well and cook for another minute or so. Mix the tomato puree with 400mls of the vegetable stock. Pour it into the pan, stirring well to mix everything together. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.
8. IF USING TINNED OR PRE-COOKED LENTILS: Add the tamari, mixed herbs and paprika to the pan. Stir well. Mix the tomato puree with 150ml of vegetable stock. Pour it into the pan, stirring to make sure everything is combined. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Rinse and drain the tinned lentils and add to the pan. Simmer for another 2 minutes.
9. If the mix is a little thick once the lentils are cooked, add more vegetable stock to the pan so there's a good sauce, but not runny.
10. Add the peas to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes. These get a late entry otherwise they get overcooked and loose their bright green vibrancy.
11. Stir in the nutritional yeast and black pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf.
12. Pre-heat the oven to 200℃. If needed, transfer the lentil veggie mix to an oven proof dish. Layer the sliced potatoes over the top of the veggie mix. Brush with a little extra virgin olive oil to help them go crispy. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
13. Alternatively, if you are eating straight away, pre-heat the grill to high and place the pan/dish under the grill for 5 minutes until the potatoes are browned.
14. Serve with some greens on the side. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Portions can also be frozen so this dish is great for bulk cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portionCalories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 16gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 940mgPotassium: 1517mgFiber: 17gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 6025IUVitamin C: 66mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 5mg

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