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1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Rinse the lentils under cold water and pick out any debris. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then drain both well.
1 cup French green (Puy) lentils,
0.8 cup Long-grain white rice,
1 piece Yellow onion,
4 clove Garlic cloves
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2. In a large oven-safe Dutch oven or deep casserole dish (at least 3L capacity), combine the diced onion, minced garlic, olive oil, tomato paste, sweet paprika, ground cumin, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together until the onion is evenly coated in the spiced paste.
1 piece Yellow onion,
4 clove Garlic cloves,
2 tbsp Tomato paste,
2 tbsp Olive oil,
1.5 tsp Sweet paprika,
1 tsp Ground cumin,
1 tsp Dried thyme,
0.5 tsp Dried oregano,
1.2 tsp Salt,
0.5 tsp Black pepper
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3. Add the drained lentils and rice to the pot. Pour in the crushed canned tomatoes and vegetable stock, then nestle in the bay leaves. Stir everything together until well combined and the lentils and rice are evenly distributed.
1 cup French green (Puy) lentils,
0.8 cup Long-grain white rice,
1 can Crushed canned tomatoes,
2.5 cup Vegetable stock,
2 piece Bay leaves
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4. Bring the casserole to a gentle simmer on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring once, then immediately cover tightly with a lid (or foil if your dish has no lid) and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 50–55 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the rice has absorbed the liquid. Do not lift the lid during baking.
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5. Remove the casserole from the oven. Without lifting the lid, let it rest covered for 10 minutes — this allows residual steam to finish cooking the rice evenly and prevents any sticking.
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6. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Fluff the casserole gently with a fork, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve straight from the pot topped with fresh parsley.
2 tbsp Fresh parsley (garnish)
By mansi