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This Lentil Sweet Potato Bowls recipe is simple to throw together and the perfect autumnal ish that everyone will love. It’s got plant based protein from the lentils and lots of fiber! Perfect for meal prep too!
Love veggie bowls? You need to try our Whipped Feta Veggie Bowls as well as our Warm Lentil Salad and our Roasted Potato Chickpea Bowls.
Why you’ll love these nutrient dense veggie bowls!
I’ve been on a big veggie bowl kick the past year and it’s become one of my favorite meals to make. I’m not a huge salad person because I almost always crave a warm meal but that’s where veggie bowls come in handy. They’re basically salad that’s all been cooked and warmed and I love them so much!
Here is what’s to love about these veggie bowls:
- Protein-packed. 2 cans of lentils plus the tahini sauce makes these bowls filling and not just a big pile of veggies.
- *Mostly* hands-off. the veggies roast while you massage the kale and make the simple dressing.
- Great for meal-prep. all the components of this meal keep well in the fridge, so lunches are as easy as assemble and drizzle with the dressing.
- The most delicious sauce. the sauce is sweet, tangy, and creamy so it’s vegan if you skip the optional sour cream or yogurt.
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
- Sweet Potatoes – 2 medium/ large sweet potatoes are perfect for this recipe. As desired, you could easily swap this for regular potatoes or even butternut squash.
- Cauliflower – A large head of cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces.
- Kale – This is technically optional but I love what it adds to the recipe! We’re not cooking it at all but instead massaging it with a little oil and lemon juice to break down the rough cell walls and make it nice and soft.
- Lentils – I’m using canned lentils. I’m new to use the canned version and I really love the ease of it! That being said, you can also cook your own lentils.
- A sauce – we’re making a creamy tahini dijon sauce that pairs perfectly with this recipe BUT as desired, you could use any sauce/ dressing that you prefer!
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you :)
- Roast the veggies. On a large baking tray (or 2 trays as needed so that the veggies are not overcrowded), add on the cauliflower and sweet potatoes.. Drizzle the veggies with olive oil and sprinkle on the spices. Toss so that everything is covered in oil. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Massage the kale. Massage the kale by placing it in a large bowl and then drizzling on the olive oil and lemon juice. Using your hands, massage the kale for 2 minutes until it’s much softer and more tender.
- Make the dressing. Make the dressing by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup.
- Add the lentils. Toss the lentils onto the baking tray and roast for 20 more minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t crowd the pan. Use two trays if needed so the veggies roast and brown instead of steaming.
- Cut everything a similar size. Evenly sized sweet potatoes and cauliflower finish at the same time.
- Add the lentils halfway. They get lightly crisp at the edges without drying out.
- Don’t skip the kale massage. Two minutes makes raw kale much softer and easier to eat.
- Thin the dressing as needed. Tahini thickens in the fridge, so whisk in a splash of water before using leftovers.
Roasted Sweet Potato Lentil Bowls
Ingredients
For the Maple Dijon Dressing:
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 2 tbs maple syrup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- Optional for creaminess: 2 tbs of sour cream or greek yogurt
- Splash of water as needed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the veggies:
- 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 2 cups)
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
- 2 cans of lentils, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 bunch of kale
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- On a large baking tray (or 2 trays as needed so that the veggies are not overcrowded), add on the cauliflower and sweet potatoes.. Drizzle the veggies with olive oil and sprinkle on the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Toss so that everything is covered in oil.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing halfway, until lightly browned.
- Toss the lentils onto the baking tray and roast for 20 more minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, massage the kale by placing it in a large bowl and then drizzling on the olive oil and lemon juice. Using your hands, massage the kale for 2 minutes until it’s much softer and more tender.
- Make the dressing by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup.
- Assemble the bowls by dividing the veggies/ lentils + kale evenly among 4 bowls. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy!
Notes
Store the roasted veggies and lentils, kale, and dressing in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the veggies and lentils in the oven or microwave, or enjoy them cold.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
