Mushroom and lentil bake with tahini crust

Name: Mushroom and lentil bake with tahini crust
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: Serves 6

Easy
November 2019

Easy
November 2019

Serves 6
Hands-on time 30 min, oven time 30 min

An impressive vegetarian main course that is so much easier to make than you’d expect – the whole thing won’t set you back more than an hour. The rich mushroom and beluga lentil ragù is topped with a cheesy tahini crust and served with a sharp pickled red onion salad.

If you like that, then you’ll love this Middle Eastern-spiced nut roast with a stunning three potato topping.

Vegetarian recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 421kcals
Fat: 22.4g (4.5g saturated)
Protein: 24.3g
Carbohydrates: 24.8g (11.3g sugars)
Fibre: 11.4g
Salt: 1.4g

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 421kcals
Fat: 22.4g (4.5g saturated)
Protein: 24.3g
Carbohydrates: 24.8g (11.3g sugars)
Fibre: 11.4g
Salt: 1.4g

Rate

Save

Save recipe

Save

Save recipe Print

Rate

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large celery stick, chopped
300g portabellini mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp baharat spice mix or ras el hanout spice mix
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 vegetable stock pot/cube (we used Knorr Stock Pot)
2 x 250g packs cooked beluga lentils (we used Merchant Gourmet)
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp pomegranate molasses

For the topping

6 tbsp tahini
Juice 2 lemons
2 medium free-range eggs
50g vegetarian hard cheese or feta
1 small red onion, chopped
Large handful fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves chopped
2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted in a dry pan
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

You’ll also need…

Medium to large baking dish, roughly 1.5 litres

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large celery stick, chopped
300g portabellini mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp baharat spice mix or ras el hanout spice mix
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 vegetable stock pot/cube (we used Knorr Stock Pot)
2 x 250g packs cooked beluga lentils (we used Merchant Gourmet)
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp pomegranate molasses

For the topping

6 tbsp tahini
Juice 2 lemons
2 medium free-range eggs
50g vegetarian hard cheese or feta
1 small red onion, chopped
Large handful fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves chopped
2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted in a dry pan
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

You’ll also need…

Medium to large baking dish, roughly 1.5 litres

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan, then fry the onion, carrots and celery over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, season well with salt and black pepper and cook for 5 minutes more.
Stir in the tomato purée, the spice mix, soy sauce and the stock cube/pot, then stir over the heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils and chopped tomatoes. Fill the tomato can with water, then add that to the pan, along with the pomegranate molasses. Simmer for 15 minutes until rich and saucy. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
For the topping, mix together the tahini, half the lemon juice, 100ml cold water, the eggs and most of the cheese in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, mix the red onion with half the remaining lemon juice and a good pinch of salt, then set aside.
Pour the mushroom and lentil mixture into the baking dish, then pour the tahini topping over the top. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and set on top.
Just before serving, rinse and drain the red onion, then mix with the parsley, pine nuts, the remaining lemon juice and the pomegranate seeds in a medium bowl. Scatter this mixture over the bake, then serve.

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan, then fry the onion, carrots and celery over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, season well with salt and black pepper and cook for 5 minutes more.
Stir in the tomato purée, the spice mix, soy sauce and the stock cube/pot, then stir over the heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils and chopped tomatoes. Fill the tomato can with water, then add that to the pan, along with the pomegranate molasses. Simmer for 15 minutes until rich and saucy. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
For the topping, mix together the tahini, half the lemon juice, 100ml cold water, the eggs and most of the cheese in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, mix the red onion with half the remaining lemon juice and a good pinch of salt, then set aside.
Pour the mushroom and lentil mixture into the baking dish, then pour the tahini topping over the top. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and set on top.
Just before serving, rinse and drain the red onion, then mix with the parsley, pine nuts, the remaining lemon juice and the pomegranate seeds in a medium bowl. Scatter this mixture over the bake, then serve.

delicious. tips

The savoury umami flavours that infuse this dish call for a slightly spicy, peppery red such as a côtes du rhône or Chilean carmenère.

Fancy getting a copy in print?

Subscribe to our magazine

Rate & review

Rate

Reviews

Read what others say...

Katie Barnes says:

20th Jan 2020 at 2:22 pm

We loved this – the filling is super tasty and the crust is lovely we are trying to be more flexitarian and this is the tastiest veggie dish we’ve tried to date

Log in to Reply
Lucy Hillcox says:

2nd Jan 2020 at 2:37 pm

Do you think you could make this in advance?

Log in to Reply
1. Fiona Logan says:
  
  24th Mar 2020 at 10:16 am
  
  Yes, the lentil mushroom mixture can be made up to 2-3 days in advance – or frozen, then defrosted – add the topping just before baking. Leftovers reheat well and can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Make the salsa up to an hour ahead. The delicious. food team x