This easy vegetable shepherd’s pie is the perfect recipe to share with your friends and family. It also makes for a great leftover to text the next day!
What is in this shepherd’s pie?
Brown lentils
Brown lentils are the key ingredient in the filling of this vegetable shepherd’s pie. The great news is that this recipe only requires one cup of brown lentils. Lentils are a great alternative to meat. They are easily accessible and cheaper in price. This makes this dish not only budget friendly but also a great recipe for a meatless Monday dinner.
Mashed potatoes
The mashed potatoes are really easy to make. It only requires three ingredients including potatoes, soya cream and dairy free cheese. You can definitely substitute both of these ingredients for regular cream or cheese. This forms a creamy mashed potato layer that complements the vegetable pie filling really well.
Vegetables
This recipe is loaded with easily accessible vegetables including onions, carrot and celery. This is a great way to sneak in those extra servings of vegetables, especially if you have children.
Seasoning
Perhaps the herbs and seasoning plays the role in making this shepherd’s pie delicious. The primary herb I use is rosemary because it really complements the other ingredients. I also use these Massel stock cubes as an additional flavour but if you don’t have this on hand, don’t worry.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you like or make this recipe? I’d love to know! Please leave a comment below or tag #fiveelementswithanna on instagram.
Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie with Lentils
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Rice bran oil
- 2 large brown onion finely diced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Celery stalk finely diced
- 2 medium Carrots finely diced
- 1 cup Peas fresh or frozen
- 2 cups Dry brown lentil soaked in cold water for 20 minutes
- 2 tsp Rosemary
- 1/2 tsp Coarse pepper
- 3 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Paprika powder
- 2 Tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 Bouillon cube
- 550 ml Water
- 1.5 kg Potatoes
- 100 ml Soya cream
- 100 grams Dairy free cheese
- 1 Tbsp Tapioca starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160 C.
- Add the oil to a large pot and heat on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook for minutes until it begins to caramelize. Add the garlic and stir for a minute.
- Take the pot off the element and add the paprika powder, rosemary and black pepper. The reason you need to take the pot off the heat is so that the paprika doesn’t burn – this is a trick I learnt from my mum. Stir well.
- Place the pot back on the stove and lower the heat. Add the celery, carrot, peas and lentils and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree, vegetable stock and water bring it to a boil. One the lentils are boiling reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are soft. This takes approximately 20 minutes, but keep an eye out on the lentils.
- While the lentils are cooking, peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Place the potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook until they are soft (approx 15 minutes). Strain the potatoes but make sure to reserve the water. Mash the potatoes add the soy cream and the olive oil. Stir until it all becomes creamy but thick. If it feel to thick add more dairy-free milk.
- By this time the lentils should have finished cooking. Mix the tapioca starch with 2 tablespoons of water, mix well and add to the lentils. Stir well and cook for another minute.
- Assemble the pie in a baking dish. Place the filling at the bottom and add the mashed potato on the top.
- Bake until the mashed potato turns slightly gold in colour (about 20 minutes).
More recipes
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I loved your idea to create a vegetable shepherd’s pie. Shepherd’s pie is one of my very favorite meals. It’s such a wonderful comfort food!