Shepherd’s Pie is British Classic comfort food at its absolute best.
It has been one of my favorite dishes. My grandmother used to cook it on Saturdays and I used to love to taste the meat and the smash potatoes while she was assembling the layers. Oh, the little things in life that gets you excited!
Fun fact: the term Cottage Pie came about long before Shepherd’s in 1870. It was around that time that the poorer people of Britain, people who lived in cottages in the country, started using potatoes as an everyday food. Originally, a pie made with any kind of meat and mashed potato was called a “cottage pie”. In modern British English, the dish is usually called “cottage pie” if it is made with beef. If it is made with lamb it is usually called “shepherd’s pie”.
This recipe is technically a shepherdless pie, because it has no meat. The classic Shepherd’s pie is basically a meat pie with a crust of mashed potato, commonly made with beef.
This is a twist on a classic: a simple, healthy, meat-free shepherd’s pie packed with protein and vegetables.
Basics: Sweet potato, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, celery, lentils, tomatoes, garlic, onions, thyme, rosemary and lemon.
Total time: 1h
Author: Honest Onion
Recipe type: Lunch & Dinner
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- Non-dairy milk and/or butter
- 1 onion
- 3 celery sticks
- 2 carrots
- 250gr chestnut mushrooms (we used larged flat)
- 1 1/2 cups lentils
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 100gr spinach
- 2 tsp thyme
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- Flat-leaf parsley
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Nutmeg
- Salt & pepper
Steps:
- Place a pot of water over high heat with salt and let it boil.
- Peel and chop all the sweet potatoes into small chunks, add it to the pot and let them boil for at least 15-20 minutes, until soft.
- When the sweet potatoes are soft all the way through, remove them from the heat and drain the water. Mash with a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add a splash of non-dairy milk and/or non-dairy butter. Set aside.
- Place a large pan over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil, add the garlic and onion and let it cook until soft.
- Add the chopped the carrots, mushrooms and celery. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes or until soft.
- Add the spinach, canned tomatoes and lentils.
- Season with salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest and let it cook for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350º F).
- Add the lentil filling to a roasting tray pan and top with a layer of sweet potatoes.
- Bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes.
- Serve with fresh chopped parsley.
A definite warm and comforting treat.
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Enjoy!
xx
Honest Onion 