Vegan Lentil Sweet Potato Pie (Printable Version)
A comforting baked dish blending lentils with creamy mashed sweet potatoes and rich vegetables.
# What You Need:
→ Filling
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 cups cooked green or brown lentils
08 - 1 cup frozen peas
09 - 1 cup vegetable broth
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)
12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Sweet Potato Mash
16 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
18 - 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
19 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion and minced garlic for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent.
04 - Add diced carrots, celery, and red bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in cooked lentils, frozen peas, vegetable broth, tomato paste, soy sauce or tamari, dried thyme, rosemary, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Mash the drained sweet potatoes with olive oil or vegan butter, plant-based milk, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
07 - Transfer the lentil and vegetable mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Evenly spread the sweet potato mash over the top.
08 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the topping is lightly golden. Optionally, broil for 2 to 3 minutes to enhance browning, watching carefully to prevent burning.
09 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving to set.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- It tastes like pure comfort without any of the heaviness that usually follows.
- Lentils pack more protein and fiber than you'd expect, so you stay satisfied for hours.
- The sweet potato topping is naturally creamy and rich, no tricks needed.
- You can make it ahead and reheat it, which means stress-free entertaining.
02 -
- Don't skip draining the sweet potatoes thoroughly or your mash will be watery and won't spread properly over the filling.
- The tomato paste needs to cook with the oil for a minute before you add the broth, which deepens its flavor instead of making it taste tinny.
- If your filling is still too thin after 12 minutes of simmering, let it keep going until it thickens; a loose filling makes the pie soggy.
03 -
- Toast your dried herbs briefly in the dry pan before adding oil to bloom their flavors and deepen their taste.
- If the sweet potato mash seems too thick to spread, add plant-based milk one tablespoon at a time rather than all at once, so you don't overshoot into gluey territory.