A hearty delicious dish featuring creamy mashed potatoes, what’s not to love! A classic Irish delicacy, Shepherd’s Pie is traditionally made with ground lamb. Most people substitute ground beef as it is easier to obtain or even ground turkey. Being vegetarian, I decided to go a step further and use lentils for my protein source. It’s delicious even if you’re not vegetarian and a great dish for “Meatless Monday” or any day really!
Lentil’s are an excellent source of protein and are also low in calories and fat and rich in iron and folate. My trick to making lentils extra flavorful is using broth instead of water and adding a bay leaf to the broth. I love to use Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base to make my broth.Use as little or as much of it as you’d like to get the perfect tailored flavor. It does contain a decent amount of sodium though, so use less salt when preparing the rest of your dish. You can purchase the broth here: https://amzn.to/2XRY1mQ
Lentils typically are made with a 3-1 ratio ( three broth/water, per 1 cup of lentils). Be sure to give your lentils a good rinse and comb through them for rocks and other debris.
You can use any types of lentils for this recipe, though I would recommend brown or green as they hold their shape best. Red and yellow tend to disintegrate and are typically better for soups and stews. These French Green Lentils are fantastic: https://amzn.to/2RUtSzy
Lentil’s Sheppard’s Pie pairs well with a mixed greens salad and fresh bread. A glass of red wine couldn’t hurt either! We hope you enjoy!
Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 1½ Cups Cooked Lentils Preferably green or brown
- ½ Cup Chopped Onion
- 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
- 1 ½ Cup Peas & Carrots and Corn Mix
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Cup Broth
- 2 Cups Parmesan, Cheddar or Mix
- 1 Tbsp Oregano
- 2 Tsp Parsley
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Mashed Potatoes
- 1½ Pounds Russet Potatoes
- ½-1 Cup Milk I used non-dairy/ Flax
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook your lentils, preferably with broth. Rinse and wash your lentils, combing through for rocks and other debris. Place in saucepan with broth ( approx 2 ½ cups) a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling add a bay leaf and reduce to low heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, depending on your type of lentils, or until most liquid is absorbed.
- Wash and peel your potatoes. Add to a sauce pan and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Drain water and mash potatoes. Add milk, butter, garlic, salt and pepper and stir until creamy. You can also use a food processor or immersion blender for extra creamy potatoes.
- Mix cheese into potatoes and set potatoes to the side. Preheat oven to 400°
- Place a large skillet on medium high heat and coat with olive oil. Add chopped onions and saute 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, lentils and mixed vegetables. Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper to pan and stir. Slowly add in 1 cup of broth.
- Turn down heat to medium low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Add lentil mixture to your 9×9 baking dish. Evenly spread mashed potatoes over lentils. If desired, sprinkle additional cheese over the top of the potatoes. Put in oven and cook for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
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