Lentil and Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Lentils and finely diced vegetables, baked beneath a soft sweet potato topping. No added salt, and fully plant-based.
- prep
- 20 min
- cook
- 45 min
- total
- 1 h 5 min
- serves
- 6
- level
- medium
This swaps the usual ground meat for lentils, cooked soft with finely diced vegetables and topped with mashed sweet potato instead of the usual white potato.
It is a genuinely good plant-based main for a toddler rotation, not just a substitute recipe, and the sweet potato topping adds its own mild sweetness without needing anything added.
If your little one is still earlier in the journey, start with our Baby's First Foods guide.
Part of our 40 toddler meal ideas list.
method
Boil the sweet potato cubes until completely soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash with 1 tbsp of the olive oil until smooth.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
Heat the remaining oil in a pot, and cook the onion, carrot and celery for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened.
Add the lentils, stock, tomato paste and thyme if using. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are completely soft and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Spoon the lentil mixture into a baking dish, and top with the mashed sweet potato, spreading it evenly to the edges.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the top is lightly set.
Let it cool to just warm before serving.
chef's tips
- Rinse the lentils well before cooking, and check they are genuinely soft all the way through before building the pie; undercooked lentils are firmer than a toddler needs to deal with.
- Dice the carrot and celery small and let them cook fully soft in the lentil mixture, rather than relying on the short bake at the end to finish cooking them.
- No added salt is needed. The tomato paste and thyme bring enough savory depth on their own.
- This is a good vegetarian main for a toddler meal rotation, and it freezes well in individual portions.