Vegan Lentil Sweet Potato Pie (Printer-friendly)
A hearty, plant-based twist featuring savory lentils and vegetables topped with creamy sweet potato mash.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Sweet Potato Mash
01 - 3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
03 - 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ Lentil Filling
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 2 medium carrots, diced
10 - 2 celery stalks, diced
11 - 1 cup mushrooms, diced
12 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
13 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
14 - 1.5 cups cooked brown or green lentils, drained
15 - 1 cup vegetable broth
16 - 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
17 - 1 tsp dried thyme
18 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
19 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
20 - 1 cup frozen peas
21 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Place chopped sweet potatoes into a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain and return to pot.
03 - Add olive oil or vegan butter, plant-based milk, salt, and pepper to the potatoes. Mash thoroughly until smooth and set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion and minced garlic for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
05 - Add diced carrots, celery, mushrooms, and red bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
06 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add lentils, vegetable broth, soy sauce, thyme, rosemary, and smoked paprika. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture thickens. Stir in frozen peas and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
07 - Evenly spread the lentil filling in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with sweet potato mash, smoothing the surface.
08 - Bake for 20 minutes until the top is slightly golden. Optionally, broil for an additional 2 to 3 minutes for enhanced color.
09 - Allow the dish to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes like the coziest dinner you remember, but without any of the guilt afterward.
- The lentils give you real substance and protein, so nobody's left hungry an hour later.
- One dish, one oven, minimal cleanup—perfect for nights when you want comfort food without the chaos.
02 -
- Don't skip mashing the sweet potatoes while they're hot; cold potatoes resist mashing and you'll end up with chunks no matter how hard you try.
- The lentil filling needs to simmer long enough to thicken; if it's still watery when you spread it in the baking dish, it'll make your sweet potato layer soggy.
- Frozen peas go in at the very end so they stay bright and slightly firm instead of turning to mush.
03 -
- If your sweet potato mash seems too thick, loosen it with a splash more plant-based milk rather than just pushing harder with the masher.
- Taste the lentil filling before it goes in the dish; this is your only chance to adjust salt and spice.
- Let the finished pie cool for those five minutes even though it's tempting to dive in—it sets up better and is less likely to fall apart on the plate.