Red lentil koftes with couscous
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Martin Poole
Red lentil koftes with couscous
Recipe by So Vegan
‘Our plant-based twist on the classic Middle Eastern kofte uses red lentils, oats and spices, which we bake and then serve on a bed of zesty giant couscous. Yum!’ say Roxy and Ben, the couple behind So Vegan
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
474Kcal
Fat
5gr
Saturates
1gr
Carbs
80gr
Sugars
5gr
Fibre
7gr
Protein
24gr
Salt
0.1gr
So Vegan
Roxy and Ben, the couple behind So Vegan, have amassed a huge following with their fuss-free vegan recipes. As well as a recipe app, the couple have released two cookbooks, One Pot Vegan and So Vegan in 5
See more of So Vegan ’s recipes
So Vegan
Roxy and Ben, the couple behind So Vegan, have amassed a huge following with their fuss-free vegan recipes. As well as a recipe app, the couple have released two cookbooks, One Pot Vegan and So Vegan in 5
See more of So Vegan ’s recipes
Ingredients
- 170g red lentils
- 300ml vegan vegetable stock (made using 1⁄2 stock pot or cube)
- 50g oats
- 1⁄2 x 30g pack parsley, leaves chopped
- 1⁄2 red onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1⁄2 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
To serve
- 250g giant couscous
- 1⁄2 x 30g pack mint, leaves roughly chopped, plus extra leaves to garnish
- 1 lemon
- 250g vegan yogurt (we use a soya-based one)
- 1⁄2 cucumber, 5cm diced finely, the rest cut into rough chunks
Step by step
Get ahead
Shape the koftes the day before and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Bake for 20-25 minutes until piping hot.
- Tip the lentils into a sieve and rinse. Transfer them to a saucepan, add the stock and bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 18-20 minutes, covered, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Allow to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6 and line a large baking tray with baking paper or a reusable liner.
- Add the oats to a food processor and blend until they have mostly broken down. Transfer to a large mixing bowl with the parsley, red onion, garlic, cumin, chilli flakes, tomato purée and some seasoning. Add the cooked lentils and mix everything together.
- To create the koftes, shape the mixture into 12 round patties and add to the baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the giant couscous to a pan of boiling salted water. Bring back to the boil, then simmer for 6-8 minutes or until cooked. Drain any excess water and transfer the couscous to a bowl. Add the chopped mint and juice from half the lemon to the bowl. Stir and season to taste. Slice the remaining lemon half into wedges.
- Combine the yogurt with the diced cucumber in a bowl and season.
-
Serve the lentil koftes with the minty couscous and lemon wedges. Spoon on the yogurt and scatter over the cucumber chunks and mint leaves.Kitchen tipUse regular couscous if you prefer; simply add 250ml of hot stock, cover and leave for 5-10 mins, then fluff with a fork.
