lentil & aubergine parmesan bake

Aubergine parmigiana meets lentil bolognese — and the result is pure comfort.

This has quickly become one of our firm favourites, and for good reason. Layers of tender roasted aubergine are baked with a rich, deeply savoury lentil sauce infused with spicy harissa, sweet tomatoes, balsamic for depth, fresh basil and plenty of grated parmesan. A spoonful of tahini melts into the sauce, giving it a subtle creaminess and that thick, luscious texture that makes every bite feel indulgent.

Finished with bubbling, golden mozzarella that stretches as you serve it, this is the kind of dish that feels generous, satisfying and properly special.

Hearty yet wholesome, rich but balanced — it’s everything you want in a filling main, especially with a simple green leaf salad on the side to cut through the richness.

Comfort food, done properly.

Serves 6 & takes 45 minutes to cook

Ingredients

• 3 large aubergines, tops removed and cut lengthways into thin slices (we do about 5-6 per aubergine)

• 1 onion, peeled and diced

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced

• 1 teaspoon of paprika

• 2x 400g cans of tinned tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons of harissa paste

• 2 tablespoons of thick balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon of tahini

• 1x 400g can of green lentils, drained

• Handful of basil leaves, chopped

• 60g grated veggie-style parmesan cheese

• 200-250g grated mozzarella (or more if you want it extra cheesy)

• Olive oil

• Salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C, fan setting.

2. Place aubergine slices into a large baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cook the aubergines for 20 minutes until they start to become soft.

3. While the aubergines are cooking, make the sauce by placing a large pan over a medium heat and adding a drizzle of olive oil. Once warm, add the chopped onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes until the onion begins to soften.

4. At this point, mix through the paprika and cook for a few seconds before adding the tinned tomatoes, harissa paste, balsamic vinegar, tahini and drained lentils. Mix well and leave to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the aubergines finish cooking.

5. Once the aubergines have finished cooking and the sauce has turned thick and delicious, turn down the heat and stir the grated parmesan and chopped basil through the sauce.

6. Assemble the bake by adding a layer of the sauce to the bottom of a deep baking dish or casserole dish (we use a 26cm casserole dish). Top with slices of aubergine, followed by grated mozzarella. Continue to do this two more times more until you have three layers of each and the top is covered in grated mozzarella.

7. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until everything is cooked through and delicious, we then like to put the oven up to 200C, grill and finish the top for a final 5 minutes before serving.