RECIPE: Vegan shepherd's pie

This 10-ingredient vegan shepherd's pie is made with fibre-rich lentils and adds nine plants to your plate. Topped with fluffy mashed potato, it’s hearty, satisfying, and so full of flavor that you won’t miss the meat.

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Ingredients

• 285 g potatoes

• 3-4 tbsp vegan butter

• 1 ⅓ g salt

• 1 ⅓ g pepper

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 x medium onion

• 2 x cloves garlic

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 ½ cup green, brown, or puy lentils

• 4 cups vegetable stock

• 2 tsp fresh thyme

• 10 oz peas

• 1 x carrot

• 100 g green beans

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Method

1. Slice any large potatoes in half, place in a large pot and fill with water until they’re just covered. Bring to a low boil on a medium-high heat. Then, generously salt, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes or until they slide off a knife very easily.

2. Once cooked, drain, add back to the pot to evaporate any remaining water, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Use a masher, pastry cutter, or large fork to mash until smooth. Add the desired amount of vegan butter (3–4 tbsp or adjust if altering batch size), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Loosely cover and set aside.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and lightly grease a baking dish (9 x 13 pan). Adjust the number or size of the dish if you’re altering the batch size.

4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until lightly browned and caramelized (about 5 minutes).

5. Add tomato purée (optional) and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Then add lentils, stock, and thyme and stir. Bring to a low boil. Then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Continue cooking until lentils are tender (35–40 minutes). Once tender, remove the lid and continue simmering uncovered, stirring frequently, to evaporate any excess liquid.

6. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the veggies, stir, and cover to meld the flavors together.

7. Optional: To thicken the mixture, add 2–3 tbsp mashed potatoes and stir. Alternatively, scoop out half of the mixture and whisk in 2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder and whisk. Return to the pan and whisk to thicken.

8. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Then, transfer it to your prepared oven-safe baking dish and carefully top it with mashed potatoes. Smooth down with a spoon or fork and season with another crack of pepper and a little sea salt.

9. Place on a baking sheet to catch overflow and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mash is lightly browned on top.

10. Let it cool briefly before serving. The longer it sits, the more it will thicken. Let cool completely before covering, and then store in the fridge for a few days. Reheats well in the microwave.

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