Vegan Shepherd's Pie
Source: Chelsea - Victae.com6
15 minutes
40 minutes
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie is comfort food at its absolute best- does anyone not like a big serving of hot mashed potatoes? A thick layer of mashed potatoes over a wholesome mushroom, lentil, and veggie sauce will please even the pickiest meat-eater! Bonus: Vegan Shepherd’s Pie is even better the next day. Awesome as leftovers means it’s a great option for Sunday meal prepping too.
Ingredients
What (your ingredients):
1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 8-oz. package mushrooms, diced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 large carrots, diced
1 28-oz. container plum tomatoes
2 bay leaves
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup lentils
4 cups mashed potatoes (I used instant to save loads of time!)
Directions
How (your directions):
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and salt and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add paprika and thyme and sauté for 1 minute.
Add mushrooms and carrots, sautéing for 3-4 minutes.
Add plum tomatoes and crush into pieces using a potato masher. Add bay leaves, peas, and lentils.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
Pour sauce into large casserole dish and dollop mashed potatoes on top. Spread mashed potatoes into even layer, then make ridges in mashed potatoes by dragging a fork across the top.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Serve hot with parsley and a drizzle of good olive oil.
Enjoy!
Why (the science): Lentils are an incredible source of plant protein! It makes an excellent substitute for ground beef in recipes like Shepherd’s Pie or spaghetti Bolognese, because it mirrors the texture and color of ground beef seamlessly.