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Vegetarian Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

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Vegetarian Lentil Shepherd's Pie makes for a rich, hearty and comforting family dinner recipe, easy to make and packed with flavors.
  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Savory
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Vegetarian Lentil Shepherd’s Pie makes for a rich, hearty and comforting family dinner recipe, easy to make and packed with flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

For the lentil stew:

  • 1 large onion, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 medium celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup (200g) black beluga lentils*, uncooked, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup (12 cl) red wine
  • 3 to 3 1/2 cups (about 70 to 80 cl) vegetable broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the mashed potatoes:

  • 3 pounds (1.3 kg) yukon gold potatoes
  • 34 Tablespoons butter
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the lentil stew:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or heavy pot over medium heat, and once hot add the onions and cook until translucent. Throw in diced carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are soft and tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring often.
  2. Pour the red wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates. Add lentils and cover with 3 cups vegetable broth to begin with. Add bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes until lentils are cooked through but not mushy, stirring from time to time. While cooking, add more vegetable broth as needed, little by little, to loosen the sauce whenever it is looking dry.
  3. Once lentils are cooked, remove the herbs and whisk in the tomato paste. Add salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.

For the mashed potatoes:

  1. While the lentils are cooking, place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water until they’re just covered. Bring to a low boil on medium high heat, the reduce heat, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. Drain the water, let cool for a few minutes until you can handle potatoes, and then peel the skin off.
  2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mash the potatoes using a potato masher or a fork. Add butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

For assembling:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with oil or butter.
  2. Transfer the lentil mixture to the bottom of the prepared dish, making sure there is not too much juice left to the stew, then spread the mashed potatoes over in an even layer.
  3. Bake for 10 minutes, then broil until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes or less. Sprinkle with thyme and serve immediately.

Notes

* Alternatively you could use green or brown lentils.