This lentil casserole with mushrooms combines lots of wholesome vegetables with hearty lentils and flavorful mushrooms, a creamy ‘gravy’ sauce, and a cheesy topping – a delicious meat-free meal!

This vegetarian dinner dish is just one of a few I love right now including Instant Pot vegetarian chili, Cauliflower risotto, and spinach artichoke quinoa casserole!

Lentil Casserole with Mushrooms

When I first made this recipe I ‘liked’ lentils but has no special ‘love’ for them. In fact, I pretty much dedicated them towards making soup; Spinach lentil soup, slow cooker veggie lentil soup, Instant Pot lentil soup, lentil chicken soup, and red lentil soup, for example.

Since then I’ve come to appreciate them a little bit more with Instant Pot dal, green lentil curry, a chicken and lentil casserole, and this meat-free Lentil Casserole with Mushrooms!

Originally I only cooked lentils because of their health benefits, not because I wanted to. Now I’m starting to appreciate how versatile they are – especially combined with lots of flavorful veggies and a cheesy topping! A little cheese makes everything better!

And this lentil casserole has ticked off all of the above points.

How to Make Lentil Casserole with Mushrooms

  1. Get ingredients ready. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray Lentil Casserole with Mushrooms; unbaked
  2. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes. Then sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, cover and let stand for about 20 minutes (very important – casserole is just tastier this way). Serve hot on its own or over spinach, greens, brown rice or whole grain pasta.

You can also enjoy it with more roasted veggies like roasted asparagus, cauliflower, green beans, or sauteed Brussel sprouts!

Lentil Casserole with Mushrooms

More Healthy Casserole Recipes

You can also browse through my entire collection of casseroles and one-pot dishes, for more dinner inspiration!

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Lentil mushroom casserole with melted cheese on top and wooden spoon in baking dish.

Lentil Casserole with Mushrooms

This lentil casserole is a cheesy vegetarian lentil bake recipe with brown mushrooms, green lentils, carrots, onions and celery, baked to a hearty healthy casserole perfection with melted cheese on top.
4.86 from 7 votes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 274
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 12 minutes

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 3 large celery stalks finely chopped
  • 2 large carrots coarsely grated
  • 3 tbsp coconut or avocado oil
  • 1 lb brown mushrooms sliced
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1 1/2 cups green lentils dry & rinsed
  • 10-12 oz can/pack organic cream of mushroom soup like Pacific Foods or Simple Truth
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups water boiled
  • 1 cup 4 oz any hard cheese, shredded (I used Mozzarella)
  • Cooking spray I use Misto

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray large (9×13) baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Preheat large non-stick ceramic skillet on medium heat and swirl 2 tbsp oil to coat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add celery and carrots, sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to previously prepared baking dish (everything gets mixed here).
  • Return skillet to high heat and add mushrooms. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until a bit browned, draining liquid into the baking dish as necessary (flavourful broth for baking) and stirring occasionally. Transfer mushrooms to the baking dish.
  • Return skillet to low heat and add remaining 1 tbsp of oil, along with thyme and garlic powder. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add lentils and cook for 2 minutes. Add water, bring to boil and transfer to the baking dish scraping the bits off the bottom of the skillet.
  • Add mushroom soup, salt and ground black. Stir well, cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes. Then sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, cover and let stand for about 20 minutes (very important – casserole is just tastier this way). Serve hot on its own or over spinach, greens, brown rice or whole grain pasta.

Notes

  • Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze: In an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 2scoops | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 328mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Author: Olena Osipov
Did you make this recipe?Mention @ifoodreal or tag #ifoodreal!

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About Olena

Welcome! I grew up in Ukraine watching my grandma cook with simple ingredients. I have spent the last 11 years making it my mission to help you cook quick and easy meals for your family!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this for Thanksgiving; added a splash of red wine. It’s very good and turns out it’s even better the next day and without cheese. Will make this again.

  2. 5 stars
    I have made this several times now. Unusually for me, I just about follow the recipe as it is! I use lots of dried tarragon, ground black pepper, red lentils and a sprinkling of chilli plus extra onions cooked well. It’s a delicious recipe which is enjoyed by both vegetarians and meat eaters. It’s even better reheated the following day ( in the unlikely event that there are any leftovers!

  3. 4 stars
    We liked that it was cooked abotu 10 minutes shy of the recipe bc we like some texture to the lentils. Add beef bouillon one cube to enhance flavor.

  4. 5 stars
    I thought this was a very good casserole however I don’t like crunchy lentils so I baked it 1-1/2 hours and stirred it while it was baking to make sure the it cooked evenly. Will definitely make during Lent!

  5. Looks yummy! So you add the 2 cups of boiling water to the lentils, then bring that mixture to a boil? Are you just looking for a rolling boil before you transfer to the baking dish, so the lentils are basically going to cook in the oven? Thank you!

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