Description
This mushroom lentil shepherd’s pie is a warm, hearty, and comforting vegan dinner idea. Soft and creamy mashed potatoes top flavorful, hearty mushrooms and lentils for a healthy and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Shepherd's Pie Filling
- 1 cup (180 g) dried brown lentils
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup diced carrots (about 3)
- 8 oz (226 g) mushrooms, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour (or brown rice flour)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tamari (or low-sodium soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 cups (280 g) frozen peas
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 1/2 pounds (1151 g) Gold Yukon potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1- 1 3/4 cup (240-414 ml) unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Add the dry lentils, 3 cups of water, and 2 bay leaves to a pot, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 20-25 minutes. The lentils should be tender when done. Drain the lentils, remove the bay leaves, and set the lentils aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200 °C).
- While the lentils are cooking, start the potatoes. Add the potatoes to a pot, cover with water, and salt generously. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes and add them back to their pot. Set them aside, covered to steam until ready to mash. I wait to mash the potatoes until I finish the shepherd’s pie filling.
- Preheat a large non-stick sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat.
- Add the red onion, carrots, and mushrooms, and a pinch of salt, then cook for about 7-10 minutes (or until the carrots have softened and the mushrooms have released their liquid and reduced in size). For oil-free cooking, add a tablespoon or two of water at a time if the veggies start to stick and prevent burning. (Or cook the veggies in a neutral-tasting oil).
- Add the minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. For oil-free cooking, add water as needed to deglaze.
- Then add the vegetable broth and deglaze the pan, scraping off any cooked-on bits with a wooden spoon.
- Add the drained cooked lentils, diced tomatoes, tamari, balsamic vinegar, and salt (to taste) to the vegetable mixture.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, uncovered, or until the mixture has thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in frozen peas and thaw.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- When ready to mash the potatoes, add the dairy-free milk, nutritional yeast, and salt (to taste). Start with 1 cup of milk and mash it into the potatoes. Depending on your desired consistency and how much liquid the potatoes need, add more milk if needed.
- Scoop the vegetable mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish into an even layer, then top with mashed potatoes and spread out into an even layer. Use the back of a fork to make ridges in the potatoes.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. To brown the top more, broil for about 5 minutes.
Notes
For oil-free cooking, keep a glass of water or a squirt bottle with water nearby.
To thicken the veggie/flour mixture, there should be some liquid left, but also see the bottom of the pan when you spoon the mixture to the side.
Drain the potatoes well, and don’t skip steaming the potatoes in the pot. This helps to prevent watery mashed potatoes.
Make sure the potatoes are warm when spreading them on the lentil mushroom mixture. Cold mashed potatoes are harder to spread.
The mashed potatoes should be thin enough to spread but not runny and not too wet.
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: English, American
