Bring on the comfort food
Shepherd’s pie is a warm and cozy comfort food dish that I love to make in the winter. And although there are a few steps, it’s pretty straightforward. It’s also a great makeahead dish that stores well in the fridge or the freezer.
A shepherd’s pie is typically made with lamb, but I’ve gone ahead and made this pie veggie friendly using a can of brown lentils and veggie ground. The best way to enjoy this main dish is with a side of steamed greens or a simple green salad.
Veggie shepherd’s pie Makes:
For the mashed potatoes:
4 servings 2 large russet potatoes (baking potatoes), peeled and cut into quarters
2 teaspoons salt
⅓ cup dairy-free unsweetened milk
1 ½ tablespoons vegan butter
For the filling:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (½ teaspoon dried) 340 grams veggies ground round 2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup red wine
½ cup water
1 can brown lentils, drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ to ½ cup vegan shredded cheddar cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large pot, bring potatoes and enough water to cover by 1-inch to a boil over high heat. Cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain potatoes in a colander and transfer back to the large pot. Allow them to steam dry for 5 minutes. Mash with vegan butter, then stir in the plant-based milk until smooth. Cover and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add oil, onions, carrots, celery and thyme. Cook, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add veggie ground round, break up until crumbly, cook and stir until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. 4. Stir in tomato paste, cook and stir for 1 minute, then sprinkle in the flour, cook and stir for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with red wine, lifting up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan; cook until the wine has mostly evaporated. Stir in water, lentils, soy sauce, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Remove from heat.
5. Cover the filling with scoops of mashed potato and spread until smooth; sprinkle with vegan cheese if using. Bake for 30 minutes. If you want to brown the top, turn on your broiler and broil until golden, about 5 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.