Cheesy Mexican Lentil Casserole


Photo: Heather Norman Beckley
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Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped (I omitted this, I don't like celery)
4 cups water
1 cup dried lentils (green or brown) (I used 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (brown rice is recommended)
2 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup of salsa (this makes the consistency not too thick)
1 package (1 ¼ ounce) taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or monterey jack cheese

Preparation

1
In a large saucepan, saute the onions, green peppers, and celery in heated oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.
2
Add in the water; bring to a boil.
3
Stir in the lentils; cover, lower heat, and simmer 40 minutes (do not drain).
4
Transfer lentil mixture to a large bowl; add in cooked rice, tomato paste, salsa, taco seasoning mix, and chili powder; stir to combine.
5
Transfer mixture to a lightly greased medium-sized casserole dish.
6
Bake, uncovered, in a 350° oven for 20 minutes.
7
Sprinkle tortilla chips and cheese on top.
8
Bake another 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Tools

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About

This was surprisingly wonderful!!! Everyone loved it! I had some leftovers the next day and I added some fresh crushed chips, sour cream and topped it off with some salsa! I could eat this again and again!

Yield:

6.0

Added:

Thursday, April 8, 2010 - 9:02pm

Creator:

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