Shepherd’s Pie [V E G A N]

About a year ago my parents both did genealogy tests. Much to our surprise, we have a lot of British lineage in our ancestry. Naturally, there is where Shepherd’s Pie comes in.

Looking back, it’s not the surprising – but it was not what we had expected! That inspired me to make this dish – a UK classic with a twist. Super hearty and filling, perfect for a cold winter evening. Bonus: it contains no meat or dairy. Yep – a VEGAN shepherd’s pie. This dish is so simple and tasty, you have to give it a try!

While this dish does not have any animal byproducts, it packs so much flavor that you would never know!

The key to developing that deep flavor is two part. The first is using a good quality vegetable broth. If you can make it yourself, that is ideal. Otherwise, there are several great brands you can purchase at the store.

The second key part of this dish is allowing everything to actually caramelize. When you are adding the tomato paste, make sure you let it really start to brown and fond. That is where the flavor lies, and what will create the deep base, which is similar to what meat does to a dish.

A traditional Shepherd’s Pie contains some sort of meat mince, generally beef or lamb. We pack the protein on this dish and give it some additional texture with the addition of lentils.

Give it a try for yourself, sound off in the comments what you think!

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

About a year ago my parents both did genealogy tests. Much to our surprise, we have a lot of British ancestry. That inspired me to make this dish – a UK classic with a twist. Super hearty and filling, perfect for a cold winter evening. Bonus: it contains no meat or dairy. Yep – a VEGAN shepherd’s pie. This dish is so simple and tasty, you have to give it a try!

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

Filling

• 1 1/2 cup lentils
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion diced
• 2 cups frozen “school lunch” veg carrots peas, corn – fresh is ok too!
• 1 cup diced mushrooms
• 2 medium stalks of celery diced
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 2-3 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• S&P to taste plus your favorite seasoning blend I use something similar to Italian seasoning

Mashed Potatoes

• 4 potatoes peeled and chopped
• 4 tbsp of vegan butter*
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/4 cup plain plant milk unsweetened
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 365 degrees. Add diced potatoes to large pot and begin boiling.
• Add lentils to a pot of water (approx 4 cups water per cup lentils. Add two bay leaves. Bring to boil before covering and simmering for 25 minutes (or until soft).
• While lentils cook, begin working on veggie filling. In a heavy cast iron skillet coated with oil, add onion and celery. Cook until onion becomes translucent and celery starts to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Add in the mixed veg, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes on medium low heat.
• Add flour and allow it to coat all the vegetables. Add in tomato paste and allow to caramelize.
• Add vegetable broth and lentils. Stir. Add favorite seasonings. Simmer for about 10 minutes as sauce thickens. Add more or less liquid/flour if necessary.
• Once filling has thickened, carefully layer mashed potatoes on top – using the back of a spoon to smooth the top. If you’re feeling fancy, use a fork to make a design on the top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with dried parsley.
• Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until the potatoes have browned to your liking.
• This freezes pretty well and also can keeps excellent in the fridge for a few days of leftovers!