This lentil and sweet potato cottage pie is a nutritious and comforting meal that works in every season. The filling combines lentils with carrots, onion, celery, pepper, and spices to create a rich base that’s full of flavor. This is topped off with a creamy, golden-baked sweet potato mash.

Fall is the perfect time to make this dish, as sweet potatoes are just coming into season. Using seasonal produce means fresher flavor and more nutrients per portion. Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber, vitamin A, and antioxidants, and bring natural sweetness to balance out the savory lentil filling. Lentils, meanwhile, provide a generous dose of plant protein, making this pie satisfying and nourishing without any need for meat.

The recipe comes from We Cook Plants by Sarah Bentley and Made in Hackney. It’s easy to assemble and ideal for family meals and batch cooking. It bakes into a bubbling dish with a golden crust, ready to serve straight from the oven. Pair it with leafy greens or a crisp salad to round out the plate and add even more nutrients.

Making the lentil and sweet potato cottage pie

A bubbling lentil base with golden sweet potato mash on top – this plant-based cottage pie is pure comfort food with a protein boost.

lentil and sweet potato cottage pie served with stir-fried greens

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Duration1 15

Servings

Ingredients

For the filling

1 large red onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 red pepper
4 cloves garlic
200 g dried green or brown lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 liter vegetable stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons vegan Worcester sauce
2 tablespoons smooth tahini
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
200 g frozen peas
Sea salt and black pepper

For the sweet potato topping

750 g sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
3 tablespoons B12-enriched nutritional yeast
Stir-fried greens or side salad to serve

Instructions

For the filling, let’s prepare the ingredients first.

Dice the onion, carrots and celery.
Deseed and dice the red pepper.
Finely slice the garlic.
Rinse the lentils in a sieve/fine-mesh strainer under cold water.

Then

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, red pepper and garlic and sauté for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
Add the lentils, sun-dried tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, dried oregano and smoked paprika to the pan.
Stir well to combine, then turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low-medium, cover with a lid and simmer for about 30–35 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the mixture has thickened.
Stir in the Worcester sauce, tahini, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and frozen peas. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
While the filling is simmering, make the topping. Peel and chop your sweet potatoes into small cubes, about 1.5cm/5⁄8in across. Place the chopped sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water.
Cover the pan and bring to the boil on a high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15–20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender. You can test them with a fork.
Drain the sweet potatoes and return them to the pot.
Add the olive oil or vegan butter and nutritional yeast. Mash until smooth and creamy.
Season the mashed sweet potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Now assemble the cottage pie.
Spread the lentil and vegetable filling evenly in a large ovenproof dish. Spoon the mashed sweet potatoes over the top of the filling, spreading out evenly.
Bake for about 20–25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Enjoy with stir-fried greens or a salad on the side.

Recipes republished with permission from We Cook Plants, by Sarah Bentley & Made in Hackney (Watkins Media, Nourish Books). Publication date: October 2025. £30.00 Hardback. Main Food Photography copyright © Sarah Doig. Reportage photography copyright © Marcus Duran. Available to preorder now.