Vegan Lentil Moussaka

Lentils are a great substitute for vegans. They are packed full of protein which is one of the food groups vegans tend to lack in. Red lentils are also very cheap and quick to cook. They are also sold in a lot of supermarkets all around the world. Therefore you won’t have to look far to find this ingredient.

Moussaka is traditionally a Greek dish and it’s normally made with lamb, aubergine and lemon. My family and I aren’t great fans of lamb so I normally always use an alternative like pork. Pork and aubergine make a delicious combination. For this recipe instead of meat I decided to use lentils and the results were amazing. If your not a vegan but fancy a break from meat or your usual lamb moussaka then this dish is worth a try.

Do you eat lentils and if so what do you enjoy cooking with lentils? Let me know in the comments below and please don’t forget to like and follow me.

Serves 4

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Vegetable peeler
• Baking tray
• Nutribullet or blender

Ingredients

• Cashew Nut Cream Cheese x 1
• Potatoes x 1 kg Maris Pipers
• Onions x 1
• Aubergine x 1 large
• Tomatoes x 6 – 8 large
• Courgette x 1
• Lentils x 300g
• Mixed herbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable stock x 600 – 800mls

Method

• Start by making the cashew nut cream cheese.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C and put in the baking tray.
• Now peel the aubergine and courgettes.
• Cut these into large 1 cm pieces.
• Then peel the skin from the onions and cut into quarters.
• Take the other baking tray from the oven and put the chopped vegetables and the tomatoes in.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with mixed herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
• Put back into the oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
• When the vegetables are cooked leave to cool.
• Once the vegetables are cooled I put them into the blender and add in the vegetable stock.
• Blend all these ingredients together.
• Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and add in the lentils.
• Put the slow cooker on high for 2 – 3 hours or on low for 5 – 6 hours.
• Slice the potato into thin slices.
• Again preheat the oven to 180°C.
• When the lentils have cooked turn the slow cooker off and leave to cool.
• Spread the lentil mixture across the base of the baking tray.
• Next spread half the sliced potatoes across the top of the
• Now spread half of the cashew nut cream cheese across the top.
• Repeat this process and then put the moussaka back into the oven for 25 – 30 minutes.
• Just until the top has browned.
• Serve with salad or a vegetable of your choice and enjoy.

Vegan Lentil Moussaka was a hit with my husband and I. My son Ted, who is eight, was not the biggest fan of these dishes I have to be honest. Ever since he was a baby Ted has never really enjoyed lentils. I keep trying him every so often. Personally I love lentils as they are very quick to cook. They also cook well in the slow cooker and that’s what made this recipe easy for me. It’s a great mid week meal or week dish and fantastic to feed a whole family too. However you decide to eat this dish, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx