Warming Sweet Potato Lentil Bowl

These warming Caramelized Sweet Potato Scallion Lentils are topped with a crisp scallion pancake and some cabbage slaw. Budget friendly, easy to make, and packed with protein and fiber.

Soup or salad? Why not both? And a scallion pancake on top? Yes, yes, and yes! Honestly, it’s the perfect combination and really hits all the flavor and texture notes I need in a full meal.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Lentils: This recipe is designed for the use of red lentils. I have not tried this with regular lentils, so I’m not sure how it would behave in this type of preparation. If you were to attempt with a different lentil I would recommend cooking it as instructed and adjusting with additional water as needed to cook the lentils through. Do note, with the change in lentils, this may have a different consistency overall from the original.
• Roasted Red Pepper: I used jarred roasted red peppers. If you don’t like the consistency, feel free to use one red bell pepper and dice then sauté with the onions.
• Vegetable Broth: I used Better Than Bouillon’s Vegetable Base and reconstituted it with water. Feel free to use boxed vegetable broth. The only thing I suggest is making sure you like the flavor of the broth you are using as it will influence the flavor for the overall dish.
• Sweet Potato: Try this with your favorite soft squash like butternut squash or acorn squash.
• Scallions: If you don’t have scallions, try this with shallots instead.
• Ginger: Fresh ginger is best, but you can also use pre-minced/grated ginger too for convenience.
• Garlic: This recipe is designed for the use of a whole bulb of garlic. If you don’t want to use garlic like this, feel free to add some jarred minced garlic along with the ginger to sauté in a pan.
• Onion: I used yellow onion, but feel free to use white or red onion as an alternative.
• Chilies: These are totally optional. I used some mild red chilies from the market, but you can leave these out if you are sensitive to spice.
• Mirin: This is a Japanese-style cooking wine that is available in a lot of grocery stores in their ethnic aisles. If unable to find, replace with a splash of vegetable broth instead.
• Spices: I used a combination of coriander and five spice. You can feel free to leave the five spice out and add a little more coriander or a pinch of cinnamon if desired.
• Miso Paste: I used yellow miso paste, but white miso paste can also work in this dish. If you don’t have miso paste, try adding a splash of soy sauce/tamari for that umami flavor instead.
• Cabbage: I used green cabbage for the slaw, this can also work with purple cabbage or thinly sliced brussels sprouts. For convenience if you don’t want to chop your cabbage, look for the bags of pre-shredded cabbage instead.
• Vinegar: I used rice vinegar for the cabbage. You can also use a splash of apple cider vinegar.
• Puff Pastry: I used vegan puff pastry. For reference, I used the one from the brand Jus-Rol, but you can also use the one from Pepperidge Farm which is a frozen option that is accidentally vegan.
• Sesame Products: I used both sesame seeds and sesame oil. If allergic to sesame, leave out the sesame seeds and use avocado oil. At the very end for crunch, top with some roasted pumpkin seeds instead.

How to Make Caramelized Sweet Potato Scallion Lentils

For the Lentils:

Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the sweet potato halves on top of a parchment lined baking tray. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Rub the potato to coat, then place cut side down on the tray.

Roast Garlic:

Place the garlic bulb on a small square of foil, then drizzle with a teaspoon of oil and pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic then place on the baking tray with the potato. Place in the oven on the bottom rack for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are soft then allow to cool.

Sauté Aromatics:

In a large skillet over medium low heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, add the onions with a pinch of salt and sauté until golden, about 4-5 minutes. Add the white portion of the scallions and chilies and continue to sauté for 2 minutes until softened. Stir in the ginger, coriander, and five spice and sauté again until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the mirin and stir it into the aromatics to deglaze the pan.

Simmer Lentils:

Add in the lentils, bell peppers and vegetable broth then stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and allow to cook for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through.

Blend Sweet Potato:

Scoop out the roasted sweet potato from its skin and add to a blender cup then squeeze in the roasted garlic cloves. Add the miso and 1 cup of water then blend the mixture until smooth.

Combine:

Add the blended mixture to the pot of lentils and stir to combine. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat.

For the Slaw:

To a bowl add the cabbage, a generous pinch of salt, 3 tbsp of the green portion of scallions from earlier, cilantro, sesame seeds, vinegar, syrup, and oil, then use your hands to massage the ingredients into the cabbage until softened.

For the Scallion Pancakes:

Place the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface then roll it out with a rolling pin to thin it out. Cut equal shaped pieces from the pastry (I used a large round cookie cutter). To half of the cut pastry pieces, sprinkle with the remaining scallions and sesame seeds over top. Take a plain piece of pastry and place it over top to cover the scallion covered piece. Use a rolling pin to press and thinly flatten the pieces together. Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, then add the pastry and cook for 2-3 minutes on both sides until golden. Remove from heat and repeat with any remaining pastries.

Frequently Asked Questions About Recipes

→ Can I use different types of lentils for this dish?

This preparation is specifically designed for red lentils, which cook quickly and break down to create a creamy texture. If using other lentil varieties, you'll need to adjust cooking time and may need additional liquid, though the final consistency will differ from the original.

→ What can I substitute for the scallion pancakes?

You can serve this with toasted bread, steamed rice, or store-bought frozen scallion pancakes cooked according to package directions. The key is adding a textural contrast to complement the creamy lentils.

→ How can I make this dish ahead of time?

Roast the sweet potatoes and garlic in advance and store them refrigerated. This significantly reduces active cooking time when you're ready to prepare the full dish. The lentil base also reheats well.

→ What vegetables work best for the slaw component?

Green or purple cabbage work perfectly, as do thinly sliced Brussels sprouts. For convenience, pre-shredded cabbage saves prep time. The key is choosing vegetables that will soften when massaged with salt and vinegar.

→ Can I adjust the spice level in this dish?

The mild red chilies are optional and can be omitted entirely for sensitive palates. You can also adjust the five spice quantity or substitute with a pinch of cinnamon for gentler warming flavors.

→ What makes this dish budget-friendly?

The base relies on affordable pantry staples like dried lentils, jarred roasted peppers, and frozen vegetables. Using Better Than Bouillon instead of boxed broth and incorporating convenience items helps keep costs down while maintaining flavor.