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Roasted Sweet Potatoes with French Lentils: A Vegan Thanksgiving Main

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Ingredients

Scale
  • Sweet potatoes, washed, trimmed, and cut in half
  • 8 ounces French green lentils
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for the baking sheets and sweet potatoes
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 6 small or 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon flaky salt, plus more for the sweet potatoes
  • A few generous grinds of black pepper, plus more for the sweet potatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.
  2. Brush the baking sheets with olive oil. Brush the cut halves of the sweet potatoes with olive oil and place them cut-side down on the sheets. Brush the skins with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on size, until very tender when pierced with a fork.
  3. While the sweet potatoes bake, put the lentils in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for about 15 minutes, then drain.
  4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, leeks, thyme, salt, and pepper and sauté until the onions are translucent.
  5. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the broth and tomato paste. Add the celery, carrots, and lentils, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Stir in the red wine vinegar.
  6. If making ahead, reheat the sweet potatoes and lentils before serving.
  7. Arrange the hot sweet potatoes cut-side up on a serving platter and top generously with the lentils. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve.

Notes

Make-Ahead Tips for Thanksgiving:

  • Lentils: Cook them up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat on the stove with a splash of broth to loosen them.
  • Sweet potatoes: Roast them a day ahead, refrigerate, then reheat cut-side up at 350ºF for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot through.
  • Day of: Reheat both while the turkey rests, then assemble on the platter just before serving.
  • Prep work: The onions, leeks, celery, and carrots can all be chopped a day or two ahead.

Find it online: https://mostlovelythings.com/vegan-thanksgiving-sweet-potatoes-french-lentils/