Healthy Veggie Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Try this Healthy Veggie Lentil Shepherd's Pie recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Healthy Veggie Lentil Shepherd's Pie recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots chopped
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 lb bag of the little potatoes fingerling potatoes (or
- 1/3 upunsweetened soy or almond milk
- 1/2 tbsp earth balance
- 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup kale de-stemmed and finely chopped
- 2 cup mushrooms sliced
- 2 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
- 11/2-2 cups veggie broth
- 11/2 cups cooked green lentils (cooking instructions in note
- Carbohydrate 7.44979415922463 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.46526062999173 g
- Fiber 1.80329721670536 g
- Protein 1.68800456897597 g
- Saturated Fat 0.293909591259926 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (156g)
- Sodium 170.60634706437 mg
- Sugar 5.64649694251928 g
- Trans Fat 0.130520298297996 g
- Calories 46 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large pot, cover Creamer potatoes with a generous amount of cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes (or until tender.)
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- While the potatoes are boiling, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and kale. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and thyme. Continue sautéing until the vegetables are nearly tender.
- Evenly sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually and in small amounts, add the veggie broth to the vegetables using a whisk to incorporate the broth. Keep adding more broth until the consistency is a thin gravy.
- Add the corn, peas, and lentils. Simmer for 5 minutes (add more water if needed.)
- Pour veggie mixture into a large casserole dish.
- Spoon or pipe mashed potatoes evenly on top.
- Cover the casserole dish with a lid or foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the lid and broil for 2-5 minute until browned to your liking.
Traditional shepherd's pie relies on minced red meat, distinguishing it from cottage pie which historically used beef. Modern adaptations substitute legumes and root vegetables while maintaining the structural integrity of the original British casserole. Achieving textural contrast requires careful moisture management. Raw vegetables release water during baking, which can turn the starch layer into a paste if the broth is not properly reduced on the stovetop.
Mastering the Starch and Broth Emulsion
Building a stable gravy prevents the potato topping from sinking into the filling. Whisking unbleached all-purpose flour directly into the sautéed aromatics cooks out the raw grain taste within sixty seconds. Pouring cold vegetable broth gradually into the warm pan prevents lumps from forming. Simmering the mixture for five minutes thickens the liquid before the casserole goes into the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake the assembled dish covered for 25 minutes to heat the interior evenly.
- Remove the lid during the final 2 to 5 minutes under the broiler to crisp the potato peaks.
- Use fingerling potatoes for a starch profile that mashes smoothly without becoming gluey.
