Soul-Hugging Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Plant Over Processed by Andrea Hannemann

PREP TIME: 45 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES • SERVES 6

This hearty plant-based casserole dish is a crowd-pleaser in my house. This is comfort food of the healthy variety, with protein-packed lentils and plenty of fiber and flavor. Oh, and who doesn’t love a one-dish recipe for quick cleanup?

Ingredients:

• 3 medium russet potatoes

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter or extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 4 medium carrots, finely diced

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 3 cups cooked brown or green lentils

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose or gluten-free flour

• 2 teaspoons tomato paste

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

2. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.

3. Remove the lid, lower the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until you can easily smash a potato with a fork. Drain well.

4. In the same saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium-low heat and mix in the plant milk. Return the potatoes to the saucepan and mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

5. While the potatoes simmer, prepare the filling. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and carrots and cook until the onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for an additional 1 minute. 

6. Add the cooked lentils, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the turmeric, and cumin and stir well. Add the flour, tomato paste, vegetable stock, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and thyme and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat, add the peas, and stir to combine.

7. Spread the filling evenly into an 11 × 7-inch baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, spreading them evenly to the edges of the dish and forking across the top so you have some rough edges that will crisp up in the oven.

8. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the potatoes just begin to brown. To crisp the top, turn the oven to broil and broil for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

From PLANT OVER PROCESSED by Andrea Hannemann Copyright © 2020 by Andrea Hannemann. Reprinted by permission of Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.