Cozy, nourishing and oh so filling, these lentil stuffed sweet potatoes are seasoned with red curry paste for just a bit of heat to offset the sweetness of the spuds. Makes an incredible special occasion veggie side or a balanced, plant-based comfort food dinner on its own!
I’m not sure there is anything more comforting than a baked sweet potato…it’s the kind of cozy meal that I crave pretty much all the time in the cooler months.
Which is pretty genius, given that sweet potatoes are so incredibly high in vitamin A carotenoids which support our immune system and skin in exactly the season we need it most. It’s kind of like nature planned this, isn’t it?? Maybe this is why us dietitians are always talking about eating with the seasons
But more importantly, let’s talk about how as soon as it’s dark by 5PM I crave comfort food yet I’m not into a major effort. Absolutely rude that I’m expected to cook when my body thinks it’s bedtime ha ha. Which is where these surprisingly easy lentil stuffed sweet potatoes come in!
Yes, it takes a while for the potatoes to bake…but this whole meal is like 20 minutes of hands on time with just a handful of ingredients so you can relax and do other things while the sweet potatoes are roasting. Like put your pyjamas on.
Looking for more low effort, high reward plant-based recipes? Grab a copy of my latest cookbook Plant Magic!
Everything you need to know to make these epic lentil stuffed sweet potatoes
I have to admit I went on a bit of a journey with this recipe. As a recipe developer, sometimes I start with one idea and another one pops up in its place. The original flavour profile I was imagining just wasn’t doing it for me. And then I remembered: red curry paste!
Red curry paste is SO flavourful, you can make a craveable meal without a whole drawer of spices – it’s a move I used for my carrot, lentil + ginger soup – and the little bit of spice really does a nice job of balancing out the sweetness of the spuds. Is it just me or are they getting even sweeter?
Make it your own: If you find orange sweet potatoes too sweet, you could totally substitute yellow or even purple sweet potatoes for a boost of longevity-promoting anthocyanins.
Hot Tip: use full fat coconut milk here. It’s essential for flavour!
These naturally vegan and gluten free stuffed sweet potatoes would be great for a potluck or book club dish. If you want to serve a crowd, I would just slice the spuds in half for eight servings! You could also roast 8 small sweet potatoes instead.
Curious about nutrition? In addition to being absolutely jam-packed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory plant compounds, each serving has about 10g of fibre and 12g protein. If you want to boost it as a main dish, just double the lentils…or add veggie ground to the lentil mixture.
More veggie sides with main dish energy:
- Vegan Stuffed Peppers with Beyond Meat
- Winter Panzanella Salad with Kale and Roasted Squash
- Vegan Stuffing with Kale and Pecan
- Swiss Chard and White Bean Gratin
- Saucy Lentil-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Sweet + Spicy Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes 2 inches diameter, 6-8 inches long
- 10 ounce package frozen spinach thawed, or fresh chopped field spinach
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for spuds
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced into very thin half moons
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 14 ounce can lentils rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils
- vegan butter for serving
Instructions
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Place spinach on the counter to thaw before you prep. Preheat oven to 425℉ (220℃). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Wash sweet potatoes and use a fork to prick them all over. Rub them with a tiny drizzle of oil. Bake for 40-50 minutes until tender.
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Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup water and cook for 5 minutes more until onions are fully softened and glossy.
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Add red curry paste and coconut milk. Stir for 30 seconds, then add salt, lentils, and spinach. Simmer 10 min until saucy.
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Taste and adjust curry paste or salt if needed. Tasting flat? Add a squeeze of lime or a tiny splash of rice vinegar. Turn off heat.
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When sweet potatoes are ready, cut open lengthwise, add a bit of butter and top with lentil mixture.
The post Sweet + Spicy Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes appeared first on Desiree Nielsen.
