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Lentil Loaf 'Cupcakes'
with mashed potatoes / lemony green beans

Active: 45 Total: 60

A little something fun for April Fools' Day. Don't bite into these 'cupcakes' thinking you'll get something sweet; they're made with a savory lentil mixture and topped with mashed potatoes.
Smarts #1: In these mini lentil loaves we used Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs, which include salt and other dried herbs. If you’re not using seasoned breadcrumbs, be sure to add salt to the meat mixture (about ½ tsp salt for 4 servings).
Smarts #2: For that fun ‘cupcake’ look, pipe mashed potatoes on top of the lentil loaves using a piping bag or any plastic storage bag with the corner cut off. Feel free to skip that step and just serve the mashed potatoes on the side.

Tags
Proteins
Cuisines

Ingredients

Metric
Servings:
4
Lentil Loaf 'Cupcakes':
  • Onions, medium and red - 1/2 , finely diced
  • Carrots - 2 , finely diced
  • Garlic - 1 clove , finely diced
  • Thyme, fresh leaves - 2 tsp
  • Butter - 2 Tbsp
  • Eggs - 2
  • Lentils, cooked - 2 1/2 cups (use pre-cooked lentils or if cooking from dried, use half the amount of dried and prepare according to package directions)
  • Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup
  • Flour, all-purpose - 1 Tbsp
  • Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
  • Tomatoes, cherry, for garnish (opt) - 6
Mashed Potatoes:
  • Potatoes, russet - 1 1/2 lbs , peeled and cubed
  • Sour cream - 3 Tbsp (sub plain or Greek yogurt)
  • Butter - 3 Tbsp
Lemony Green Beans:
  • Green beans - 1 lb , trimmed
  • Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
  • Red pepper flakes (opt) - 1/4 tsp
  • Lemon juice - 2 tsp

Prep

  1. Green beans / Onions / Carrots / Garlic / Thyme - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating first.) Prep as directed. (Be sure that the onions, carrots, and garlic are very finely chopped; if you prefer not to do this by hand, use a food processor to chop them into small pea-sized pieces.) Store green beans in one container. Combine onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme leaves in another container. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  2. Saute vegetables - Heat butter (portion for lentil loaves) in a skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until everything is tender, 4 to 7 minutes. Season with some salt. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)

  3. Make lentil mixture - Whisk eggs and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine lentils, breadcrumbs, flour, and black pepper. Use a fork to gently mash the lentils and combine all of the ingredients. Fold in the whisked eggs and sauteed vegetables. (Can be done 1 day ahead)

  4. Potatoes - Peel and cube potatoes. If prepping ahead, transfer to a saucepan with water to prevent browning.

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Make

  1. Heat oven to 350F / 177C degrees.

  2. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or brush with some oil.

  3. Divide lentil mixture between spaces in the muffin tin, filling them all the way to the top and gently shaping the meatloaf to round them on the surface. 

  4. Bake lentil loaves until golden brown on top and a thermometer inserted in the middle registers 155F / 68C degrees, 16 to 22 minutes.

  5. Next, toss green beans with oil, red pepper flakes, and some salt and pepper. Spread out on a sheet pan and transfer to oven with lentil loaves. Roast green beans until tender and lightly browned, shaking the pan halfway through, 18 to 22 minutes.

  6. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Season water generously with some salt. Cover and bring to a boil.

  7. Remove lid from potatoes and simmer until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, ~15 minutes.

  8. Drain potatoes and let sit in a colander for ~5 minutes to allow steam to escape (this creates creamier potatoes vs. liquidy potatoes).

  9. Use a masher to mash potatoes with sour cream, butter (portion for mashed potatoes), and some salt. (Note: If you want to pipe some of mashed potatoes onto the meatloaf for that ‘cupcake’ look, the mashed potatoes need to be extra smooth and creamy. Add some milk, stock, or extra sour cream until they reach a light, spreadable consistency.)

  10. Optional step: If you want to pipe some of the mashed potatoes onto the lentil loaves, transfer about ⅓ of the mashed potatoes to a piping bag or plastic bag. When the lentil loaves comes out of the oven, snip the end off the piping bag and pipe the mashed potatoes onto each individual 'cupcake'. Top with a cherry tomato.

  11. Squeeze lemon juice over green beans.

  12. Serve lentil loaves with green beans and any extra mashed potatoes on the side. Enjoy!


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