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Quinoa & Red Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

55 min

Main

These stuffed sweet potatoes are warm and comforting, and the balsamic tahini drizzle overtop is easily the best part, making it invitingly creamy and rich.

Stuffed potatoes

Total

55 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

45 min

Contains

Soy symbol

soy

Sesame symbol

sesame

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Gluten symbol

gluten

Free from

Peanut symbol

peanut

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Ingredients

  • 4
    medium sweet potatoes
  • 1 tsp (5 mL)
    olive oil
  • 1
    medium onion, chopped
  • 2
    cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp (2 g)
    curry powder
  • ½ tsp
    ground cumin
  • ½ tsp
    ground coriander
  • ½ cup (102 g)
    dry red lentils, rinsed
  • ½ cup (85 g)
    uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups (480 mL)
    water
  • ½
    vegetable bouillon cube
  • 1 tsp (5 mL)
    sambal oelek (optional)
  • ½
    medium broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
  • 1
    red bell pepper, chopped

Dressing

Optional garnish

  • sliced green onion

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (210°C). Pierce each sweet potato 8 - 10 times with a fork in several locations. Transfer to a baking tray. Roast until tender, about 45 - 55 minutes.
  2. Add the oil to a large pot on high heat. When hot, add the onions, cooking for 5 minutes. Add splashes of water as needed to de-glaze the pan.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Then add the curry powder, cumin, and coriander. Stir for 30 - 60 seconds to toast the spices.
  5. Then add the lentils, quinoa, water, bouillon cube, and sambal. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook partially covered for 10 minutes.
  6. Then add the broccoli and bell pepper. Stir, cover fully with the lid, and cook for 5 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, mix all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
  8. When the cooked sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them lengthwise and gently squeeze open. Use a fork to mash the inside to make room for the fillings on top.
  9. Scoop the lentil and quinoa mixture into the "pockets" of the sweet potato. Drizzle the sauce generously over top, and enjoy!

Storage

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Plate method

The Plate Method is a visual tool that helps us ensure our dietary needs are on track. Touch the image below to see how this recipe measures up.

Grains & Starches 55%

medium sweet potato

uncooked quinoa

Proteins 15%

dry red lentils

tahini

Fruits & Veggies 30%

medium onion

clove garlic

medium broccoli

red bell pepper

Calcium
No significant sources of calcium
Fat

olive oil

tahini

Nutrition info

We believe that focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. If you require specific nutrition information due to a medical condition, please consult with a dietitian or physician. The nutritional information provided is composed with the utmost care. However, we cannot guarantee the correctness of the displayed values, see also our disclaimer.

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Discussion & Rating

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Mathilde Willems - March 8, 2024, 8:16 p.m.

Absolutely delicious!! The sweetness of the potatoes, the delightful tahini sauce, and the combination of quinoa/lentils with broccoli/bell pepper create an incredible blend of flavors and textures! What a mouthwatering combination!!

PUL Team - March 9, 2024, 1:20 a.m.

Yayy we're so thrilled that the sweet potatoes were enjoyed, Mathilde! Thank you 🤩


Maria - Feb. 26, 2024, 9:59 p.m.

Really good! Maybe my sweet potatoes were too small but I had too much filling left over, so the next day I made sweet potato fries in the air fryer and put the filling and dressing on top and it was just as tasty.

PUL Team - Feb. 27, 2024, 10:08 p.m.

Love the modification to use the air fryer, Maria! Thanks for sharing your experience with the sweet potatoes 🤗


Kara - Feb. 20, 2024, 10:16 p.m.

Would frozen broccoli work in place of fresh? Love your blog!

PUL Team - Feb. 21, 2024, 2:22 a.m.

Hey Kara, frozen broccoli can certainly be used if you'd like :)


Lucy - Feb. 13, 2024, 3:31 p.m.

I usually like PUL recipes, but this was a total miss.

PUL Team - Feb. 14, 2024, 4:58 a.m.

Hey Lucy, aw we're sad to hear this! Did you substitute any of the ingredients? We'd love to hear what you didn't like (such as the taste or texture?) It's super appreciated to help us improve 🙌


Melanie - Feb. 11, 2024, 8:05 p.m.

This is so good, we loved it! The flavors are very well-balanced, yum! :)
When we make it again, we will swap step 0 and step 1 so the potato can start softening during our prep of the veggies. Now we had to wait 30 minutes while the filling and dressing were already done... (and they looked very good, so it was hard! :p )


Nike Unverhau - Feb. 3, 2024, 4:06 p.m.

We made this for new years for 6 people and it was a relatively easy but really fancy looking meal! The sweetnees of the potatoes really comes out when baking them in the oven like this, the filling was really tasty as well and the tahin sauce gave it a great finish. I would definitely recommend:) another time i just made the filling and that was great as a quick dinner as well and you only need one pot! :)

PUL Team - Feb. 4, 2024, 3:43 a.m.

That sounds like a delightful, Nike! We're so happy the recipe was part of the festivities as well 🤗


Gobona Lizzie Tau - Jan. 5, 2024, 7:26 p.m.

Tried this recipe and I absolutely loved it. I used baby marrow instead of broccoli and kidney beans in place of red lentils (what I had in hand) and it turned out so amazing!


Emma - Dec. 22, 2023, 1:02 p.m.

Absolutely love it. It’s our Christmas meal


Paula - Dec. 12, 2023, 12:37 a.m.

This dish has amazing mild flavors that sing with the sweet potato in a way I had not imagined. I will make this one again! Very delicious and filling too.

PUL Team - Dec. 12, 2023, 8:36 a.m.

We're so happy that the sweet potato was enjoyed, Paula, thank you!


Jenny Baborak - Dec. 9, 2023, 1:29 p.m.

Nutritionally and tastly balanced. Amazing! 😍 Didn't have quinoa in my pantry so swaped for buckwheat but worked wonderfully as well 👍😊

PUL Team - Dec. 9, 2023, 11:57 p.m.

Buckwheat is a lovely idea, Jenny! So happy the sweet potato was enjoyed 🙂


Catarina Sabino - Nov. 9, 2023, 9:11 p.m.

It is the second time that I have done this recepie and I really love it! The combination of the sweet potato, stuffing and dressing it is just amazing! I soak the lentils and quinoa, but not sure if they just should been rinsed. Thank you.

PUL Team - Nov. 10, 2023, 3:57 p.m.

Hey Catarina, we're so glad the stuffed sweet potato is being enjoyed! You can soak the lentils and quinoa if you'd like. Soaking helps make some nutrients easier to absorb and speeds up cooking time 😊


lydia perelman - Oct. 31, 2023, 9:47 p.m.

Hi!
Can the Quinoa & Red Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes be Frozen?

Lydia de Montréal
Merci

PUL Team - Nov. 1, 2023, 2:01 a.m.

Hey Lydia! In our experience, defrosted sweet potatoes don't keep their form so well, so we haven't tried freezing this one. We wouldn't recommend it, but we do let us know how it goes if you give it a try :)


Rosanne - Oct. 4, 2023, 7:48 p.m.

Very tasty


Dalisha Shingler - Sept. 29, 2023, 1:04 a.m.

It was a great, cozy dinner!


Katalin Sánta - Sept. 21, 2023, 8:22 p.m.

I really loved it!


Erin Janda - Sept. 7, 2023, 1:38 a.m.

Really good and creative combination of flavors. The sweet potato is the perfect base for the filling and dressing.


Justine Marchand - July 30, 2023, 12:18 a.m.

A nice meal that feels healthy and delivers on flavour. We had to sun peanut butter for tahini and it was really tasty.


Sarah Herring - July 19, 2023, 1:22 a.m.

So delicious. I didn’t have curry powder so I used Garam masala instead and I added a tablespoon of maple syrup to the dressing. It paired WONDERFULLY with the potato and complimented the creaminess of the tahini

PUL Team - July 22, 2023, 3:06 a.m.

Yayy so happy to hear, Sarah, thank you 😃


Elise - July 10, 2023, 6:37 a.m.

Delicious plant based dish! I think I bought too big potatoes so that the dish was reallllly consistent. But so good that we ate the next day too!
Thank you so much PUL!

PUL Team - July 12, 2023, 10:20 p.m.

Thanks for sharing your experience with it, Elise! In case it helps, we use medium sizes potatoes which are around 130 grams each 🤗

Elise - July 16, 2023, 2:13 p.m.

Ok, Thank you!


Sarah - May 3, 2023, 10:53 a.m.

Holy moly, this is delicious! So filling, and my kids loved it. The dressing is sweet, salty, creamy and moreish.


Jamie - April 26, 2023, 2:41 a.m.

I’m in the process of making this recipe now and the filling tasted so good! The only thing I think would be helpful would be designating the amount of punctures for the potato exactly. I just took mine out of the oven and they weren’t quite ready yet! I was looking at another recipe that said to puncture at least 10 times on all sides, so I realize I didn’t puncture enough. Just a thought! Can’t wait to eat!

PUL Team - April 26, 2023, 3:37 a.m.

Hey there, Jamie, thanks for the feedback! We've updated the directions to include this information 🤓 Thanks so much for helping us improve what we do, and we hope you enjoyed the recipe 🤗


Lisette - April 25, 2023, 7:59 p.m.

Looks delicious and definitely something I'm going to make one day! What tahini do you recommend using for the dressing? White or brown? I'm too lazy to make my own tahini ;)

PUL Team - April 26, 2023, 12:51 a.m.

Hey Lisette! Either white or brown tahini can work, but perhaps white tahini is a safe bet to start with 😃 It depends on your personal preferences and what's accessible too though.

White tahini is made from hulled sesame seeds, which have a milder and sweeter flavour compared to brown tahini which some people find too bitter. Brown tahini is made from unhulled sesame seeds and has a more intense and nuttier flavour.


Sue - April 23, 2023, 6:12 p.m.

Incredibly good! As always, your recipe was delicious! I steamed my sweet potatoes in my instant pot and did a mix of red lentils and black lentils because I didn't quite have a full 1/2 cup of red. Can't wait for lunch this week. Definitely will be putting this meal in my rotation. Thanks!

PUL Team - April 24, 2023, 5:01 a.m.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the recipe, Sue, it means so much 🤩


Bar - April 18, 2023, 8:40 p.m.

Amazing! Nutritious and sooo tasty


Rianne - April 17, 2023, 5:10 p.m.

I make this practically every week. It's easy and super healthy, we love it!


Diane - Feb. 27, 2023, 3:50 a.m.

You are so creative! We had this for dinner tonight and loved it. I'll be making this again. It's even something we can serve to company. Thank you so much.

PUL Team - Feb. 28, 2023, 6:23 a.m.

Woop woop! It means so much - Diane 🤗


Martunia - Feb. 22, 2023, 7:43 a.m.

I made this the other night and I found its just easier to spoon out the potato flesh from the peel and lay out the quinoa atop. Otherwise, a very good way to get eating that quinoa (not a fan, personally).

PUL Team - Feb. 23, 2023, 12:26 a.m.

A lovely idea as well, Martunia, thank you 🙂


Lillith Walker - Jan. 25, 2023, 8:36 p.m.

This was truly AMAZING and we agreed that it must be kept in frequent rotation! The only change I made was to add a tiny touch of maple syrup to the dressing as our tahini was a bit bitter. The spices were perfectly balanced and the combination of red lentils and quinoa made the dish robust. Thanks PUL for yet another wonderful dinner!

PUL Team - Jan. 26, 2023, 6:13 a.m.

Oh, Lillith, thank you for the glowing review! So happy the stuffed sweet potatoes were enjoyed ☺️


Elke - Dec. 11, 2022, 6:41 p.m.

Simply delicious!


Vanja - Oct. 20, 2022, 3:27 p.m.

Wow, this was one good meal! I was very surprised, since I didn’t expect the filling to match so perfectly with the sweet potatoes. It was such a good and delicious meal.
I also tried it with a yogurt dressing instead of the tahini dressing, which I even like a tiny bit more! Nevertheless, this is such a great meal. So, thank you a lot! 🥰

PUL Team - Oct. 21, 2022, 5:20 a.m.

Aw we're so glad to hear, Vanja, and the yogurt sauce sounds delicious 😃


Alana - Oct. 13, 2022, 2:15 a.m.

Excellent creation. The sweet potatoes soothe my sugar cravings & qunioa are great source of protein. Definitely worth the try!

PUL Team - Oct. 13, 2022, 6:25 a.m.

So glad it's being enjoyed, Alana, it means so much!


Rylie - July 11, 2022, 7:38 p.m.

This recipe is so filling and hearty! My family and I often struggle to find healthy vegan recipes that are substantial enough to keep us on a healthy diet but Pick Up Limes never disappoints. Their recipes are so incredibly crucial in our daily lives. Thank you Pick Up Limes for all you do!

PUL Team - July 12, 2022, 4:32 p.m.

You're too kind, Rylie! We're so happy to hear the PUL recipes are being enjoyed 🥰


Keli - June 9, 2022, 7:50 p.m.

Delicious! I’ll make this again and actually use the recommended sauce. I was out of tahini and balsamic vinegar so I substituted peanut butter, sesame oil, and apple cider vinegar. I also added some Agave.

PUL Team - June 10, 2022, 9:43 p.m.

Hey, Keli, thank you for taking the time to share your experience with this one! We hope you enjoy it with the sauce 😃


Melody - March 10, 2022, 3:10 a.m.

This was absolutely delicious. I sautéed the pepper with the onion and used spinach. Definitely will make again. I also shared the recipe.

PUL Team - March 11, 2022, 1:13 a.m.

So happy to hear, Melody, thank you! Do let us know if you have any other feedback 😃


Wanda - Feb. 16, 2022, 11:03 a.m.

I am not overly comfortable in the kitchen but I just cooked this recipe and found it simple and delicious. I don't eat bell pepper because they don't agree with me so swapped in zucchini. I am also not a huge fan of tahini, only using minimal amounts in hummus, however I was pleasantly surprised with the dressing too. Will definitely be making this dish on repeat. Thank you so much!

PUL Team - Feb. 16, 2022, 10:08 p.m.

Thank you for sharing the modifications, Wanda, it means so much that the recipe was enjoyed!


Sabeena Shaikh - Feb. 1, 2022, 1:35 a.m.

So pleasantly surprised! I was looking for a recipe to use up my sweet potatoes and I’m so glad I gave this one a chance! PUL never disappoints me. The only change I made was to swap the red lentils for green ones (all I had in my pantry) and baby spinach instead of broccoli. It tasted amazing! Do not skimp on the dressing. It really is the best part!

PUL Team - Feb. 1, 2022, 4:10 a.m.

Hey Sabeena, it means so much! Love the substitutions too :D


Emeline - Jan. 14, 2022, 8:39 a.m.

Thank you for this recipe, really easy and delicious, perfect for weekday dinner. I'll definitively do it again. It was my first time cooking with tahini, and I will try this dressing recipe with other salads. I didn't have broccoli on hand so I used baby spinach.

PUL Team - Jan. 14, 2022, 5:23 p.m.

Ooo so fun to be experimenting, Emeline - we're so glad it was enjoyed!


Marceline - Dec. 29, 2021, 11:13 p.m.

Amazing recipe ! Great comfort food while being packed with veggies and good stuff! Loved how easy and efficient the whole process was :) Will definitely become a staple recipe from now on <3

PUL Team - Dec. 30, 2021, 5:46 a.m.

Oh so lovely to hear, Marceline, thanks a bunch for sharing ✨


Charlotte - Dec. 16, 2021, 7:46 p.m.

Ever since I tried my first stuffed sweet potato they have been one of my go-to easy meal ideas. I really love the filling in this recipe and the dressing is so incredibly good as it pairs perfectly with all the other flavours! Tahini dressings are one of my faves! We come back to this recipe again and again particularly in fall/winter.

PUL Team - Dec. 17, 2021, 1:30 a.m.

We're so thrilled to hear, Charlotte, we love tahini dressings too 😍


Djenana - Sept. 16, 2021, 4:13 p.m.

I just made this for lunch today and it was delicious!! So fulfilling and super easy. Even my 10 month old loved it ( ofcourse without salt :) )


Alina - Sept. 14, 2021, 10:01 p.m.

Thank you so much for this one!
For two years my mom has tried many, many new vegan recipes for when I come visit. This one is her absolute favorite. It's one of the meals we both make at least every other week.
And my mom didn't even like sweet potato to begin with :D

PUL Team - Sept. 15, 2021, 2:03 a.m.

Oh, Alina, we appreciate this so much! So happy you and your mom are enjoying this one 😊


Kati - July 23, 2021, 9:15 a.m.

I looove this recipe so much! I was never a fan of sweet potatoes, but my fiancée likes them, so I was looking for a recipe, that I might like and here it is! I've cooked this over and over for the past 2 years and still like it. Especially as it is also perfect for meal prep. :)) Loads of love to PUL ♥️


Caitlin - July 19, 2021, 5:20 p.m.

This recipe is honestly such a family favorite and we have been making it on repeat for the past couple of months. It is always so delicious, easy and filling, and I always get asked to make it! Highly recommended! Thank you so much for the recipe, Sadia!

PUL Team - July 20, 2021, 3:26 p.m.

So happy your family is enjoying this one, Caitlin! Thanks for sharing with us 😃


Lisa - July 11, 2021, 11 p.m.

Incredibly delicious recipe. Can highly recommend it!
Sometimes we use millets instead of quinoa which works super well.
Definitely a go to dish for us.

Thanks so much for all your recipes. You made the transition to go fully plant-based for me and my partner super easy.

PUL Team - July 16, 2021, 2:46 p.m.

Aww we're so honoured that PUL was able to play a role in your plant-based journey, Lisa! Thank you for the kind words, it means so much 🌻


Erin - July 9, 2021, 7:56 p.m.

This recipe is a fall and winter favorite of mine!


Sarah - July 3, 2021, 9:13 a.m.

Thank you very much for sharing! We had it with bulgur instead of quinoa and some mushrooms at the side. It was awesome :)

PUL Team - July 3, 2021, 9:46 p.m.

We're so glad you're enjoying the recipe, Sarah, thank you!


Germaine - July 3, 2021, 8:04 a.m.

Just wanted to quickly thank you here for all the delicious recipes(especially this one!) you have shared with us! I’ve been trying to get into cooking recently, and your videos and website have been an immense help : ) I love that your recipes are always easy to follow and you use pretty accessible ingredients! You’ve defintley encouraged me to include more plant-based meals in my diet!

PUL Team - July 3, 2021, 9:43 p.m.

Oh, Germaine, this means so much to hear! Thank you for the lovely feedback and for your support 💖


Petra - April 27, 2021, 7:22 p.m.

It definitely tastes better with the sweet potato than with normal ones (we only had one in the pantry...). First I thought that I messed up the measurements with the sauce there was so much of it but se used it all up! Swapped the pepper for some oyster mushrooms and it was phenomenal. Our son (9m) enjoyed it too :)

PUL Team - April 27, 2021, 9:17 p.m.

Nice substitute, Petra! Glad your little one enjoyed it too 🤗


Nohya - April 25, 2021, 11:51 a.m.

I made it with rice instead of quinoa (because I didn't have it) and it was really delicious! Thanks again for all your awesome recipes!

PUL Team - April 26, 2021, 6:21 a.m.

A lovely idea, Nohya! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 😊


Lynn - April 17, 2021, 2:14 a.m.

Really delicious! Added a little chopped kale at the end. I also did a couple of large baked potatoes for the picky eater who doesn't like sweet potatoes.

PUL Team - April 19, 2021, 2:43 a.m.

Ooh all lovely ideas, Lynn! So happy you enjoyed the recipe :D