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This dump-and-bake Lentil and Quinoa Casserole is hearty, filling, and packed with flavor! Top each bowl with crispy, garlicky kale chips for a low-effort fall or winter meal. Vegan and Gluten-Free; Oil-Free Option.
If you’re looking for an easy weeknight meal that practically cooks itself, Lentils and Quinoa with Crispy Kale is it. Lentils, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and pantry staples are baked together in an Italian-seasoned broth and served with garlicky kale chips on top. It’s a true dump-and-bake meal that’s packed with fiber, texture, plant-based protein, and oh-so-comforting flavors!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
There’s nothing I love more than a dump-and-bake casserole, especially on nights when a last-minute grocery run sounds like torture. This Dump and Bake Lentil and Quinoa Casserole is a ridiculously simple fall and winter meal that bakes tender brown lentils, fluffy quinoa, and winter produce in a well-seasoned broth. The baked kale chips add a delicious crunch on top!
- Let The Oven Do The Work: Take the night off tonight—your oven does the heavy lifting for you here. Just dump the ingredients into a casserole dish, stir, and wait for them to bake into a comforting meal in about 1 hour.
- Budget-Friendly Pantry Staples: I keep my pantry stocked with seasonal vegetables, dry lentils, quinoa, broth, and everyday seasonings all season so I can whip up this simple vegan lentil quinoa bake without having to go on a grocery run in the rain or snow.
- Healthy Garlicky “Croutons”: I like to think of the crispy kale chips on top of this casserole as a sort of healthy, garlicky crouton. They add a savory, satisfying crunch that brings the whole casserole to life!
Every scoop has the perfect balance of textures and savory, herby, comforting flavors. Along with my Baked Butternut Squash Farroto and this Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Bake, this is what I’ll be curling up with this winter.
What You Need For This Dump-and-Bake Casserole
This wholesome and hearty casserole bakes a mix of cheap pantry staples and fresh produce together in only one casserole dish. Homemade kale chips, made from fresh kale and simple seasonings, are the best crunchy topping! Here’s what you need:
- Quinoa: use any color of quinoa you have on hand.
- Brown or Green Lentils: both of these lentils hold their shape and become tender and chewy after soaking in the broth for about one hour.
- Vegetables: a hearty vegan lentil casserole needs winter produce, like sweet potatoes, a red bell pepper, and a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. If you want to mix and match the veggies, I’ve included a few substitutions in the Substitutions and Variations section below.
- Spices & Seasonings: vegetable broth is combined with Italian seasoning, dried minced onions, ground sage, and garlic powder to help the quinoa and lentils soak in as much flavor as possible. Feel free to also add crushed fennel seeds for a nice anise flavor and red pepper flakes for a subtle kick of heat.
- Curly Kale: for the homemade kale chips. Its curly, ridged leaves trap the oil and seasonings and become light and crispy when baked in the oven.
How to Make Lentils and Quinoa with Crispy Kale
- Add the lentils, quinoa, and vegetables to a casserole dish. Sprinkle the spices and seasonings over top, then pour in the broth. Stir until combined, then cover the dish.
- Bake the casserole until the lentils are tender and the quinoa is cooked.
- Meanwhile, add the kale leaves to a large bowl and season with the oil, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne. Massage the seasonings into the kale.
- Spread the seasoned kale across a large baking sheet. Bake on the top rack for 5 minutes, then toss the leaves with tongs. Continue baking until the kale is crispy, then set it aside to cool.
- Stir the baked casserole before dividing it between serving bowls. Top with the crispy kale and enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Rinse the lentils and quinoa before you start cooking. Soaking the lentils isn’t necessary, but giving them a rinse under cold running water and picking out any small rocks or debris is. Also, rinsing the quinoa washes away its bitter outer coating (saponin) to give you more delicious, extra fluffy grains.
- The secret to crispy kale chips is dry kale leaves. Make sure your kale leaves are completely dry before tossing them in oil and seasonings. I found that patting them dry with a clean kitchen towel worked really well, or you can throw them in a salad spinner to get rid of every last drop of moisture.
- Keep an eye on the kale chips. They can go from crispy to burnt very quickly! They only take about 10 to 15 minutes to bake, so throw them in the oven right near the end of your casserole’s cook time.
Serving Suggestions
On cold winter evenings or when I’m too tired to cook but want something healthy, I’ll make this dump-and-bake lentil casserole. It’s packed with fiber and plant protein, so one serving is usually all I need to fill me up.
When I feel like pairing the casserole with something light and fresh, I’ll opt for this Winter Kale Salad, this Shaved Fennel Salad, or this Sautéed Delicata Squash. On hungrier days, I’ll serve a generous scoop in a halved Air Fryer Acorn Squash or with a side of this Rosemary Garlic Tofu for extra protein.
It can even be served as a side dish for the holidays! Since everything bakes together in one dish, you can let the casserole do its thing in the oven while you prepare this Tofu Turkey, this Classic Vegan Stuffing, and anything else you like. Check out my Vegan & Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Guide if you need more ideas for your holiday menu.
If you’re looking for more vegan dump-and-bake casseroles, you’ll also love this Butternut Squash & Brown Rice Casserole, this Vegan Chickpea & Rice Casserole, and this No-Boil Baked Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff!
How to Store Leftover Quinoa Casserole and Kale Chips
Once the leftover casserole has cooled to room temperature, transfer the portions to airtight containers or cover the baking dish. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store the leftover kale chips separately in a paper towel-lined container or bag on the kitchen counter.
To make the leftover kale chips crispy again, reheat them in a 400ºF toaster oven or 375ºF air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes. Reheat as much leftover casserole as you plan on eating in the microwave or cover the casserole dish and reheat it in a 350ºF oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s warmed through.
Substitutions and Variations
- Quinoa Substitutions: I only tried this recipe with quinoa, but if you need a substitute, try using an equal amount of basmati rice, brown rice, or farro instead.
- Oil-Free Option: You can toss the kale leaves with 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to keep the chips oil-free.
- Kale Chip Substitutions: There’s nothing wrong with using store-bought kale chips if you don’t feel like making your own!
- Optional Protein Boost: Dump a 15 oz. can of drained and rinsed chickpeas or cannellini beans into the casserole dish with the rest of the ingredients in step 2 to up the plant protein.
- More Vegetable Ideas: Butternut squash or acorn squash would be a great seasonal swap for the sweet potatoes here. You could also combine the potatoes and bell peppers with broccoli florets, baby spinach, cauliflower florets, or diced carrots. Just make sure the total volume of veggies is the same so the casserole bakes in the same amount of time.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Dump & Bake Lentils and Quinoa with Crispy Kale
Ingredients
For the Lentils & Quinoa:
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 cup dry brown or green lentils
- 1 14 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 sweet potato peeled and diced
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Spices & Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon salt-free Italian seasoning blend
- 2 tablespoons dried minced onions
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds optional, but recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, reduce or omit for mild heat
For the Crispy Kale:
- 1 head of curly kale washed, de-stemmed, and patted dry
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Generous pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 420F, with one rack in the middle of your oven and another in the upper third. Set a 9×13” casserole dish (preferably with a lid) and a large baking sheet to the side.
- Dump: Rinse the lentils and quinoa well, then add them to the casserole dish along with the tomatoes, bell pepper, and sweet potato. Sprinkle all of the spices and seasonings on top of the casserole, then pour in the vegetable broth. Mix well and cover the casserole with a lid or tightly fitting aluminum foil.
- Bake the Casserole: Place the baking dish in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 60 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the quinoa is fully cooked.
- Crispy Kale: In the meantime, wash and de-stem the kale and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place the leaves on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Do your best to get the kale as dry as possible, as this will make crispier kale!
- Season: Add the kale to a large bowl and sprinkle the oil, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne (if using) on top. Use clean hands to gently massage the seasonings into the kale until all leaves are evenly coated.
- Bake the Kale: Spread the kale evenly across a large baking sheet and place in the top rack of the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then use tongs to give the kale a quick toss on the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the edges of the kale are crispy. Cool time will depend on how wet the kale leaves were — watch them carefully because they can burn quickly! I like to time this so the kale finishes baking at the same time as the casserole. Once crispy, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the kale chips to cool and crisp up more on the baking sheet.
- Serve & Store: Remove the casserole from the oven and give it a good mix. Divide between serving bowls and top with the crispy kale, or serve the kale on the side and sprinkle on top as you enjoy the meal. Store any casserole or kale leftovers in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Leftover Kale: The kale chips can be quickly reheated in a toaster oven at 400F or air fryer at 375F for 5 to 7 minutes to crisp them up again.
Nutrition
