Dr Mobeus
Lentil and Bacon Pasta Bake
This lentil and bacon pasta bake is proper comfort food for less than a quid per portion. The smoky bacon gives the tomato sauce a rich depth, while the green lentils add protein and texture that makes it genuinely filling. The crispy cheese and breadcrumb topping takes it from a basic weeknight dinner to something you would happily serve to guests.
Total cost: £3.20 (£0.80 per portion) – Serves 4 people. Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 35 mins
Lentil and Bacon Pasta Bake
A hearty pasta bake combining smoky bacon with tender green lentils in a tomato sauce, topped with crispy breadcrumbs. Comfort food that costs under a pound per portion.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 8 minutes, then drain - it will finish cooking in the oven.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the bacon for 4 minutes until starting to crisp, then add the onion and cook for another 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic and oregano, stir for 1 minute, then pour in the chopped tomatoes and drained lentils. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix the cooked pasta into the sauce, then transfer everything to a baking dish.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with the grated cheese and dried herbs, then scatter evenly over the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the topping is golden and crispy. Serve straight from the dish.
Tips and Variations
Swap the bacon for chopped sausages if you have some to use up. Any hard cheese works for the topping – parmesan, gruyere or even budget mild cheddar all do the job. Make a double batch and freeze one before baking for a ready-made dinner next week.
Is it cheaper to make this from scratch? Use our Cook vs Buy Calculator to compare the real cost of homemade vs shop-bought.
