Vegetarian casserole

A Mediterranean one-pot stew with peppers, courgettes, lentils, sweet smoked paprika and thyme

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp cumin

1 tbsp dried thyme

3 medium carrots, sliced (about 200g)

2 medium sticks celery, finely sliced (about 120g)

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

2 x 400g tins tomatoes or peeled cherry tomatoes

250ml vegetable stock cube (we used 1 Knorr vegetable stock pot)

2 courgettes, sliced thickly (about 300g)

2 sprigs fresh thyme

250g cooked lentils (we used Merchant Gourmet ready-to-eat Puy lentils)

Method

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onions and cook gently for 5 – 10 mins until softened.

Add the garlic, spices, dried thyme, carrots, celery and peppers and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, stock, courgettes and fresh thyme and cook for 20 - 25 minutes.

Take out the thyme sprigs. Stir in the lentils and bring back to a simmer. Serve with wild and white basmati rice, mash or quinoa.