Cheesy aubergine and lentil bake
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Cheesy aubergine and lentil bake
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Head of Food. She loves the precision and creativity of baking, turning fridge odds-and-ends into a weeknight pasta, and is always bookmarking new restaurants to try. She's happiest hosting friends around a table overflowing with food (and insisting everyone has seconds) or planning holidays around what to eat.
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Head of Food. She loves the precision and creativity of baking, turning fridge odds-and-ends into a weeknight pasta, and is always bookmarking new restaurants to try. She's happiest hosting friends around a table overflowing with food (and insisting everyone has seconds) or planning holidays around what to eat.
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ x 90g jar Inspired to Cook harissa paste
- 2 x 400g tins green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 500g carton passata
- 2 tsp sugar (any kind)
- 180g grated cheddar and mozzarella mix
- handful of basil leaves, to serve
Step by step
-
Preheat the oven to 240°C, fan 220°C, gas 9. Cut the aubergines into 1.5cm-thick rounds. Arrange on lined baking trays, brush on both sides with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season well. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning the slices halfway, until golden and tender.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauté or frying pan. Cook the onion over a low heat for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and harissa paste and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring. Stir in the lentils and passata with seasoning. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until thickened. Stir in the sugar.
- Take a medium baking dish (approx. 25cm x 18cm x 6cm) and spread one-third of the lentil mixture across the base. Top with one-third of the aubergine slices and one-third of the grated cheese. Repeat the layers twice more. Bake for 8-10 minutes until melted and golden. Stand for a few minutes, then scatter with the basil to serve.
