Lentils-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Prep. Time
30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Servings
4-6 plates
Difficulty
Challenging
Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, dairy-free, egg-free
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.
The Latest Bite
No-Bake Pistachio Ice Cream Cake
I love ice-cream cakes, and it is so hard to find vegan ones in stores, so I knew at some point I'd want to try and whip a recipe up, but one thing that's always a factor for me is whether or not it'll be a time-consuming project or not. If I need to use my mixer, food processor or oven, it means I need to plan for more dishes and more time spent on this, and that's where I sometimes hold off on exploring and developing new recipes. I was not only aiming for an easy-to-make recipe here, but also one that requires very few ingredients and as allergen-friendly as possible. This makes it a store-in-the-freezer dessert for when I have unexpected guests, or when we are on the road and want an indulgent treat.
Made primarily from raw pistachio butter, coconut cream and almond flour, this easy no-bake cake is elemental and holds texture and flavor impressively. Compliments are guaranteed!