Vegan Lentil Sheperds Pie Recipe Tutorial

lentils

🥗Healthier: green peas

💰Cheaper: canned beans

Green peas add protein while canned beans are often less expensive.

nut milk

🥗Healthier: oat milk

💰Cheaper: water + cornstarch

Oat milk is creamier, while the alternative is budget-friendly.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil offers health benefits, while canola oil is cost-effective.

potatoes

🥗Healthier: sweet potatoes

💰Cheaper: cauliflower

Sweet potatoes provide more nutrients, while cauliflower is low-cost and low-carb.

Make the Lentil Filling. Chop up the onions. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium to high heat until hot. Add the onions with a couple pinches of salt and sauté for 8-10 minutes, or until most of the onions are browned. Stir occasionally to prevent burning, but not too often so that they can brown. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Add the vegetable broth, along with the lentils, bay leaves, tomato paste and paprika. Stir to combine and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a rapid simmer, and simmer until the lentils are just tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 minutes.

Turn the heat to low. Add the tahini, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well incorporated. Taste for seasonings, adding a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Make the Mashed Potato Topping. Peel the potatoes and chop them into cubes. Then chop the cauliflower into large florets. Place the potatoes and cauliflower florets in a large saucepan and add just enough water to cover. Add 1 teaspoons salt and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook until both potatoes and cauliflower are fork-tender and are very soft when poked, about 15 minutes. Thoroughly drain the potatoes and cauliflower in a colander.

Transfer them to a large bowl. Add in the softened vegan butter, salt, pepper and coconut milk. You can mash everything together using a blender.

Assemble the Shepherd’s Pie. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Transfer it to a large baking dish. Smooth the Lentil Filling out. Then, spoon and carefully spread out the Mashed Potato Topping on top, covering the whole surface. For more flavor, drizzle the top with olive oil and some extra pinches of salt and pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the lentil filling starts to bubble up. Remove from the oven and turn on your oven’s broiler. Place the pan under the broiler for a few minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens