Vegan Baked Potato

4.84 from 6 votes

Savory and delicious, lentil and tahini-loaded vegan baked potatoes are healthy yet satisfying. Every bit will melt in your mouth. Serve as a side dish or an entree,

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Vegan

Servings: Servings

Calories: 346kcal

Author: Kathy Carmichael

Ingredients

POTATOES/LENTILS

4 medium baking potatoes
1 large white onion 1-½ cups diced
1 cup cooked brown lentils any color lentil will work
2 cloves garlic minced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms portobello mushrooms or mushrooms of choice
Vegetable Broth to avoid vegetables sticking in the pan

TAHINI DRESSING

¼ cup tahini paste
Juice of 1 lemon a really big juicy one
½ teaspoon of salt or to taste
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of ground cumin seeds
½ cup water
1 clove garlic

Instructions

POTATOES

Choose 1 of the 4 methods for cooking the potatoes provided in the notes below.

TAHINI DRESSING

Add all ingredients to a blender
TIP: Add the water before the tahini so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the blender
Set aside

SAUTE

Sauté onion and garlic until onions are translucent
Add a little water or vegetable broth if any sticking occurs
Add lentils, mushrooms, and heat cook slightly with onions
Remove from heat

LOAD THE BAKED POTATO

Slice an opening lengthwise on the top of the potato (DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH)
Then cut the opposite way, several times across the width of the potato
Repeat with the other potatoes
Add spoonfuls of the lentil, mushroom, and onion mixture over the top of each potato.

SERVE

Drizzle with Tahini dressing
Sprinkle with chopped parsley

Notes

Cook the potatoes using one of these methods:

THE SLOW COOKER (CROCKPOT):

I am old school and love my crockpot, for those who know me. And what I love most about my crockpot is I can spend 5 minutes getting it ready, and then I walk away.

Also, if you meal prep, you don't take up space in your oven while cooking other yummy vegan treats!

Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt and debris (of course, we want to eat the skin)
Then, poke holes in each sweet potato with a sharp knife, so our potatoes don't implode.
Next, wrap each potato in foil, toss them in the slow cooker, and walk away for 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low.

THE OVEN:

First, pre-heat the oven to 445 degrees
Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt and debris (of course, we want to eat the skin)
Then, poke holes in each potato with a sharp knife, so our potatoes don't implode.
I always use a silicone mat and place the potatoes on a baking pan to avoid a sticky mess in the oven.
Next, bake them for 45-50 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.

INSTANT POT:

Although I own an Instant Pot, I barely use it. I can't get the timing down regarding how long it will take to depressurize, etc. Because I rely a lot on timing, I often do not use the Instant Pot, but I know how to bake potatoes.

Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt and debris (of course, we want to eat the skin)
Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot.
Using a steamer basket, place the sweet potatoes inside the basket
Secure the lid and turn the valve to seal.
Manually turn the Instant Pot on HIGH.
And set the timer for 15 minutes.
Again, this is not my forte, but I estimate around 10 additional minutes for the Instant Pot to depressurize.

THE MICROWAVE:

Despite the controversy of using a microwave, potatoes can be cooked in the microwave oven. Without a doubt, most people use microwaves, so here are directions on how to make a perfect potato in the microwave.

Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt and debris (of course, we want to eat the skin)
Then, poke holes in each sweet potato with a sharp knife, so your potatoes don't explode.
Place potatoes on a microwave-safe plate, and cook on high for 5 minutes.
Depending on the size of the potato, additionally, cook in 30-second increments until the potato is fork-tender.

Even though I prefer the crockpot, you choose the method that makes sense with your schedule. Regardless of how you decide to cook your potatoes, they will last 3-4 days covered in the refrigerator.

Nutrition