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Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

A hearty vegetarian Irish dish filled with lentils, mushrooms, carrots, and peas topped with mashed potatoes and baked.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Irish
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

Lentils

  • 1 cup lentils rinsed and picked over for stones
  • 1 handful sundried tomatoes coarsely chopped
  • 2 whole bay leafs
  • ½ tbsp thyme
  • ½ tbsp salt
  • 3 cups vegetable stock

Mashed Potatoes

  • 8 large starchy potatoes Russet or Yukon
  • ½ tbsp salt
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1½ tbsp chives finely chopped

Shepherd's Pie Filling

  • 1 yellow onion peeled and chopped
  • 3 carrots peeled and chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • ½ bulb garlic smashed and minced
  • 1 birds eye chili minced
  • 2 cups cremini mushrooms quartered
  • 1 cup frozen green peas thawed
  • 1½ tsp thyme
  • 1½ tsp rosemary
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp soy sauce
  • 2½ cups prepared lentils and stock

Instructions
 

Prepare Lentils

  • Rinse lentils and pick over for any pebbles.
    Add lentils, coarsely chopped sundried tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and vegetable stock to the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
    Reduce heat to a simmer over medium heat and allow lentils to cook until tender (not mushy).  Depending on the type of lentils it can take 25 minutes – 1 hour.
    Pick out the bay leaf and set the lentils aside. 

Prepare Mashed Potatoes

  • Scrub potatoes clean, potato eyes cut out, and cube into 1” chunks (I’m a peel-on sort of girl).
    Add cubed potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water and a generous pinch of salt.
    Bring potatoes and water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. 
    Cook for 15-20 minutes. When you can stick a fork in them and they slide off, they are ready.
    Drain potatoes in a colander.
    Heat milk and butter in a small pot over medium-low heat until butter is melted. 
    Add the drained potatoes back to the potato pot and mash with a potato masher or handheld mixture.  Add the milk/ butter liquid in and continue to mash.  You want them fluffy not runny. 
    Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
    Fold in chopped chives.
    Set aside.

Prepare Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie Filling

  • Prep mirepoix:  Peel and chop onion, carrot, and celery.
    Mince garlic and chili (fresh chili is a preference because we like heat).
    Quarter Mushrooms.
    Thaw peas at room temperature.
  • Once lentils are nearly cooked, heat olive oil in a large oven-proof pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop.
  • Add mirepoix and sauté for several minutes.
  • Stir in garlic, chili, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add mushrooms, red wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt, cover, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.
  • Pre-heat oven to 180?/375?.
  • Add the cooked lentils with their liquid and peas into the pan and mix thoroughly.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble and Bake

  • Remove the lentil-filled pan from heat and spoon mashed potatoes on top.**
  • Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the potato peaks turn golden brown and the juices are bubbling on the outside of the pan.
  • Serve and enjoy with a fresh green salad.
  • **If you are preparing this to be frozen and cooking later - stop here. Allow to cool, then cover and freeze.
Keyword casserole, lentils, vegetarian