Lentils-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Name: Lentils-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4-6 plates
Ingredients: 6 small sweet potatoes (halved lengthwise); 1 basket champignon mushrooms, chopped; 1 white onion, chopped; 100 g / 3.5 oz green lentils, pre-cooked or canned (drained); 1 tbsp sweet paprika; 1 tbsp garlic salt; 1 tbsp dried parsley; 2 tbsp olive oil (for sweet potatoes); 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying); Optional topping: vegan yogurt + 1 grated garlic clove + pinch of salt + squeeze of lemon

Prep. Time

30 min

Cook Time

45 min

Servings

4-6 plates

Difficulty

Challenging

Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, dairy-free, egg-free

Oven

Cooking required:

Allergens:

I always try to keep creativity up and come up with new ideas of how to use legumes in everyday recipes, to keep the food nourishing as it is tasty. Lentils are my go-to—they’re filling, inexpensive, and take on flavor beautifully. In this dish, I paired them with caramelized onion and mushrooms for depth, then tucked everything into baked sweet potatoes and topped it with a garlicky vegan yogurt sauce. It works perfectly for when hosting or for family dinner. It doesn't qualify as a one pot meal, because you do make the ingredients separately, but they all come together into this one dish that serves you with all you need in a meal - protein, carbs, fiber and flavor.

Ingredients

6 small sweet potatoes (halved lengthwise)

1 basket champignon mushrooms, chopped

1 white onion, chopped

100 g / 3.5 oz green lentils, pre-cooked or canned (drained)

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp garlic salt

1 tbsp dried parsley

2 tbsp olive oil (for sweet potatoes)

2 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying)

Optional topping: vegan yogurt + 1 grated garlic clove + pinch of salt + squeeze of lemon

Instructions

Heat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Line a tray with parchment paper.
Halve sweet potatoes lengthwise (keep the peel on), and brush with 2 tbsp olive oil and a light sprinkle of garlic salt.
Place cut-side up, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 45-60 min until tender.
While they bake, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a medium-large sauce pan over medium-high heat.
Add onion; cook 4–5 min until translucent and lightly golden.
Add mushrooms; cook 6–8 min until they release liquid and it evaporates. Let them get a bit browned.
Stir in lentils, sweet paprika, garlic salt (to taste), and dried parsley. Cook 2–3 min, stirring, to warm through and coat in spices. If it looks dry, add a splash of water to loosen.
Taste and adjust seasoning (more garlic salt or paprika as needed).
When the sweet potatoes are tender, gently mash the centers with a fork to make a little well.
Spoon the lentil–mushroom mixture into the sweet potato halves.
Top with garlicky vegan yogurt, or combine it in the mixture as a flavorful 'binder'. Serve hot and/or keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Using canned lentils? Rinse and drain well.
Meal prep: bake potatoes ahead; reheat and stuff right before serving.
For extra richness, drizzle with a bit more olive oil before serving.
For a soy- and nut-free recipe, make sure to pick plant-based yogurt that is labeled as free of these allergens.

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