Lentils take the place of ground meat and vegan butter adds creaminess to the mashed potatoes in this easy vegan shepherd’s pie recipe. If you want to cut down on the cooking time, use precooked lentils and omit most of the vegetable broth, adding some in only if the mixture seems dry.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups chopped fresh button mushrooms
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper, divided
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Directions
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onions, carrots and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, lentils, thyme, rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, place potatoes in another large pot; add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Add vegan butter and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; mash with a potato masher until smooth.
Step 3
Transfer the lentil mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, spreading them over the lentil mixture in an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake until lightly browned and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Switch oven to broil (do not remove the casserole from the oven); broil until the top is golden, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chives.
Tips
To make ahead: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: about 2 cups Per Serving: 463 calories; protein 17.8g; carbohydrates 72.5g; dietary fiber 16.7g; sugars 12.5g; fat 12.2g; saturated fat 3g; vitamin a iu 4731.5IU; vitamin c 24.2mg; folate 283.6mcg; calcium 65.5mg; iron 6.8mg; magnesium 90.7mg; potassium 1413.7mg; sodium 655.9mg; thiamin 0.4mg. Exchanges:
3 1/2 starch, 2 1/2 fat, 2 vegetable, 1 1/2 lean protein
