There is nothing saying comfort more than a hearty stew with potato mash. Comforting, filling and packed with nutrients, this vegan Shepherd’s Pie is the fall dish that we dream of making every weekend. It is a great dish to please the whole family, because it has texture, gorgeous colours and taste delicious. It is made with beets and lentils, and has a layer of dairy-free fluffy potato mash. Plus, it comes together without too much of an effort and without special kitchen skills – a hearty dish, perfect for the family gatherings, created to impress!
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN SHEPHERD’S PIE
Making a vegan shepherd’s pie involves two big steps – prepping the lentil and veggie-packed layer and prepping the potato mash. It might sound pretty complicated, but actually isn’t at all – you just need to organise the steps and everything will come together smoothly and without spending too much time in the kitchen. Here are the simple steps making the vegan shepherd’s pie without efforts:
- Rinse, peel and dice the vegetables for the pink layer – beets, carrots, sweet potato, yellow onion, garlic and bell pepper.
- Prepare the spices – grated ginger, paprika, turmeric, rosemary.
- Prepare the cooked lentils – remove from can, rinse well and drain.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them in cubes, for the yellow layer.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and prepare a baking dish.
- Prepare a pot for boiling the potatoes, and a pot for cooking the rest of vegetables and lentils.
- Boil the potatoes until very well cooked, drain and set aside.
- While the potatoes are boiling, cook the vegetables for the pink layer for 15 minutes stirring frequently, then simmer them with diced tomatoes and vegetable broth for 10 minutes.
- Add the lentils to the cooked vegetables, add the spices, mix to combine, transfer them into the baking dish.
- Prepare the potatoes mash, spread in a thick layer on top of the vegetables and lentils, and cook for 30 minutes, until well cooked.
WHAT VEGETABLES GO WITH SHEPHERD’S PIE
It pretty much depends on your preference for the dish texture. I don’t like to get a mushy mixture, so I always combine veggies that keep their shape when cooked with leafed vegetables like spinach or root veggies like sweet potatoes that cook really tender, almost like a puree. For our version of Shepherd’s pie, I used beets for texture and to get a beautiful, intense pink colour, bell pepper, onion, garlic and carrots for an intense base taste, sweet potato for creaminess. You can also add mushrooms for a meaty texture, beans, chickpeas or peas.
Looking for more inspiring vegetarian dishes for your Thanksgiving dinner? Try our Moroccan Inspired Sweet Potato and Chickpea Stew with Spinach, our Curried Cauliflower Rice with Coconut Milk, or our Wild Rice and Portobello Soup.
Did you try this recipe? Post your photo and tag us #helloveggieblog on Instagram so we can share it with our community.
Vegan Shepherd's Pie with Beet and Lentils
Comforting, filling and gorgeous coloured, this vegan Shepherd's pie recipe is made with beets and lentils, plus a fluffy layer of dairy-free potato mash, making an impressive dish for the Thankgiving table.
Ingredients
- 2 medium beets peeled, cut into small cubes
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled, cut into small cubes
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups cooked lentils
- 3 lb potatoes peeled, cut into cubes
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 cup plant milk of choice unsweetened, warm
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and prepare a large baking dish.
-
Add the cubed potatoes into a pot, cover with water and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until very well cooked. Drain well.
-
While the potatoes are boiling, prepare the rest of the vegetables.
-
Heat the avocado oil into a large pot, and add the carrot, onion, bell pepper, half of the minced garlic amount, sweet potato and beet. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
-
Add the spices, vegetable broth and diced tomatoes, mix and bring to boil over medium heat. Turn the heat to low again and simmer for 10 minutes.
-
Season with salt and pepper and transfer into the baking dish.
-
Mash the cooked potatoes with a fork, add the garlic, coconut oil and warm plant milk, and mix well with a wooden spoon to obtain a fluffy puree.
-
Top the pink vegetable mix with the potato mash, and spread it into a thick layer.
-
Cook for 30 minutes, until golden.
-
Remove from the oven and serve warm as it is, or next to a salad.
8