Lentil Bake is perfect as part of a main meal but also as part of a packed lunch. Great for kids of all ages and fantastic for baby-led weaning
Lentils and sweet potato rarely featured in my diet before having kids. Now they seem to be a weekly staple and I'm always experimenting with new ways to serve them. Both Finn and Rory love them, I know that if I make something with either of these ingredients that it will generally be a hit with them. This Curried Lentil Bake is no exception.
Some of my most viewed recipes involve sweet potato and/or lentils so I'm guessing they are a popular food choice for other parents too. My sweet potato, lentil and carrot croquettes and lentil lasagne are particularly popular.
This dish is made up of lentils, vegetables, sweet potato and eggs, making it very nutritious, very tasty and easy for babies to eat.
How to Store Lentil Bake
Lentil bake is easy to make but does take a little bit of time to prepare. I often make it at the weekend for lunch and then freeze the leftovers in individual portions. Freeze on a baking tray until frozen and then transfer to a ziplock bag or freezer container. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the leftovers for 3 to 4 days.
Although I prefer it straight out of the oven it still tastes good cold and the boys are more than happy to eat it. If you are looking for non-sandwich ideas for lunch-boxes then this dish is perfect.
Recipe FAQs
Lentils come in a range of sizes and colours. In this recipe, I chose to use red split lentils. When they are cooked they go mushy and the texture is perfect for a bake. The smooth texture is also baby and kid-friendly. As other lentil varieties hold their shape more when cooked, I do not recommend using a different lentil type in this recipe.
Lentils may be small but they are a great source of fibre, protein and minerals all of which babies need for proper development. Lentils do have a reputation for causing gas and it is often recommended not to introduce lentils until 8 months of age. Red lentils are lower in fibre and are therefore believed not to cause gas as easily.
Start by giving your baby a small amount of lentils, if there is no symptoms of digestion upset then try offering a little more.Other Lentil Recipes...
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Curried Lentil Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 celery stalk (finely chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon mild curry powder*
- 1 cup (175g) red split lentils
- 2 â…“ cups (580ml) vegetable stock*
- 1 medium (1 ½ cups) / (235g) sweet potato (cut into approx. 1 cm cubes)
- ½ cup (70g) frozen peas
- 3 eggs (lightly beaten)
Instructions
- Heat oil in pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots then reduce the heat to low and cook for approx. 10 mins (until softened.)
- Add the curry powder and cook for a further minute
- Add the lentils & stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer until cooked, soft and stock absorbed (approx. 20 mins)
- Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a pan and fry the sweet potato cubes, on a low heat, for approx. 10min. (add a little water if needed)
- Pre heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas4
- Once lentils are cooked, allow to cool slightly and then add the potato, egg and peas. Stir until combined.
- Place the mixture in a greased, ovenproof dish (mine was 10" x 7.5")
- Bake in the oven for 30-40 mins or until set and golden (mine took 35 mins) but timings will vary with ovens.
- Slice into squares. I cut into 20 pieces.
Recipe Notes
**If serving to a baby or young children use homemade stock or very low salt stock. Nutritional information is an ESTIMATE only and is calculated using an online calculator. The facts are based on 1 of 20 squares. Facts will vary depending on the brands of ingredients used and size of vegetables.Â
Nutritional facts
NOTE: This recipe was first published on Jan 25th, 2016. It has been updated with new photos and now provides more information, answering some commonly asked questions.
Bernadette says
Having recently found your blog i was so excited to try this...esp w my own Fionn!!! Well he loved it and at 6 months i am happy to get anything near his mouth as most things seem to just be flung overboard. It was a hit w his 8yo sister who detests eggs so a double win for us!!! Thanks for such great family style blw recipes. Looking forward to many more!!
Amy says
I just love messages like this, it makes my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know, I really do appreciate it. I'm so glad that this got approval from both your 6mth and 8 year old. Double bonus! I have a Mexican version of the same thing that they may enjoy too.....https://www.healthylittlefoodies.com/mexican-lentil-bake/
Lucy Shakeshaft says
I'd love the make this recipe for my 15 month old but he is allergic to eggs! Do you think it would be okay to use an alternative (flaxseed egg) or can it be omitted entirely?
Many thanks for your help!
Amy says
Hi Lucy, I'm not sure how a flax or chia seed egg would work in this. I've tried them in cookies but never in a dish like this. I would say it would def be worth a try. Sorry I can't help you anymore, I should really do some more experimenting with egg substitutes as I get asked this a lot.
theandroidgirl says
So glad I found your website. wonderful healthy recipes. I first stumbled upon the apple cinnamon crisps, I was like this is brilliant. I can pack this as snack for my kiddo to daycare on those days when the daycare is serving not so healthy snacks. Then I came across the mango coconut breakfast bar, then lentil spinach pancake -- I found myself book marking recipe after recipe. This is just amazing. I don't have to wonder anymore what to pack for daycare. Thanks so much. This means a lot to me.
Amy says
Thank you so much for your kind feedback. It really means so much to receive messages like this and makes running this blog worth it. ?
Aurelie says
That looks yummy! Great idea, I might give it a try for my toddler (hoping there will be leftovers too!) 🙂
Amy says
Thank you, I'm sure you will enjoy the leftovers! I hope your toddler gives it the thumbs up!
Amanda says
Greetings,
I really dig lentil bakes. I tried to throw a Mexican inspired one together myself but it didn't set up into bars as I expected. I think perhaps I didn't use enough egg whites. It was still really tasty. At any rate I am hoping you might invent some variations to this or if you could recommend some substitutions. I am thinking of trying a mushroom and kale lentil bake with either squash or sweet potato, garlic and onion. I am just unsure of proportions. Mushrooms cook down quite a bit but kale not so much. What do you think? A healthy handful of kale and a 1/2 cup of sauteed mushrooms?
Amy says
Hi Amanda, thanks for your comment. I absolutely love the sound of the Mexican inspired lentil bake. I am def going to be experimenting with that this week....if it works I'll pop it up on the blog. Liking the sound of all your other creations too. I think the measurements sound good to me, although I can't say for sure without trying. Let me know how it goes...
Madeline says
Has anyone tried freezing these? I like to make and freeze big batches of toddler food... Thanks!
Amy says
Hi Madeline, I can't remember if I have frozen this before. I usually cook it for dinner and then have it for lunch the next day! I'm pretty sure it would freeze well.
Fiona says
Hi is it 180 fan oven or without fan?
Amy says
Hi Fiona, I use a fan oven.
Chloe says
Love your recipes! I don't have kids yet but I think I will just make these for myself haha
Amy says
Thanks Chloe! Ha ha, delicious for adults too ?
Emily says
I just discovered your site and am so excited! There are so many recipes I want to try 🙂
I just wanted to ask roughly how much sweet potato? I often but them but the size can vary immensely.
Amy says
Hi Emily, I'd say the sweet potato was around 150g (medium sized) I will make sure to add weights to my recipe as this really isn't that precise! Hope you have success with the recipes and thanks for your feedback 🙂
Emily says
I finally got around to making these today! Well, I made the entire mixture (sans eggs) last night and then combined and baked it today. We all loved these, especially Miss One who I'm afraid has been a little neglected in the tasty foods department. I think she really appreciated some flavour. I love that this recipe uses lentils where others would use flour, makes it so much more nutritious. I used water instead of stock and a combination of Indian spices instead of curry powder and it was still delicious and flavoursome. I also used 150g worth of sweet potato and it was perfect 🙂 Some of the sweet potatoes I buy a three times that size so I'm very glad I asked. We have and love our YumBox too!!
Amy says
Thanks for the feedback Emily! You have been busy working your way through the recipes, so glad you are enjoying them!