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Sweet potato and lentils recipe

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Hearty and wholesome, this sweet potato and lentil dish is great for babies from around 6 months* or you can shape into balls, bake and serve as a finger food. This is a great weaning recipe for batch-cooking – store in the fridge or freeze for future meals. See method

Makes 250g purée or 12 finger food balls
Takes from 35 mins, plus cooling
Freezable
Vegan
Vegetarian
Gluten-free
Dairy-free

Ingredients

80g red lentils
400g sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp olive oil

If you don't have red lentils, you can try using green lentils instead

Method

Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil and rinse the red lentils well in a sieve under cold water. Boil the lentils for 25 mins until completely tender, then drain and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan filled with 4cm of boiling water over a medium high heat until simmering.
Heat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Put the sweet potato into a steaming basket or heatproof sieve that fits into the circumference of the saucepan and place into the pan. Put a lid on and steam for 12-15 mins. It’s ready when it’s squashable between your forefinger and thumb.
Blitz the sweet potato and lentils together to a purée or allow to cool for 15 mins, then mash with a potato masher and form into 12 balls the size of golf balls.
Place the balls on a baking tray lined with nonstick baking paper and bake for 20-25 mins until lightly golden and a crust has started to form. Allow to cool completely before serving. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Tips:

Cook some extra lentils and use them to bulk up sauces or ragus for older babies (or adults!). You can also serve the sweet potato purée on its own or add the lentils if you like.
Add 25g finely grated Cheddar cheese to the sweet potato and lentil mixture, if you like, for extra flavour, protein and calcium.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

Freeze the purée in an ice cube tray and stir into sauces for older babies or simply defrost and reheat until piping hot before allowing to cool. Freeze the balls on a baking tray wrapped in clingfilm and foil for up to a month, then defrost and reheat in the microwave until piping hot, before allowing to cool. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

See more Baby weaning recipes

*This recipe is appropriate for babies at the first stage of weaning, from around 6 months of age. Textures should be smooth to begin with then mashed or lumpy as your baby progresses through this stage. Soft finger foods can be offered at start of complementary feeding. When weaning your baby, introduce allergenic foods one at a time and not before 6 months.