Shepherd’s pie with sweet potato mash
A plant based shepherd's pie filled with lentils, vegan mince and topped with a creamy sweet potato mash. A comforting and filling meal for any home cook to try - vegan or not!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the topping
- 650 g sweet potatoes (approximately 2 large potatoes) peeled and chopped into large chunks
- 25 g dairy free margarine
- 4 tablespoons oat/almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Good pinch of nutmeg
- 10 g breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
For the filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 brown onion finely chopped
- 1 carrot diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 200 g vegan mince
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 100 mls red wine
- 1/2 vegetable stock cube in 550mls boiled water
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 200 g tinned green lentils drained and rinsed
- 200 g chopped tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large saucepan sauté the onion, garlic and carrot for 5 minutes over a moderate heat.
- Add the tomato purée, vegan mince, herbs, paprika and cook for a further minute.
- Pour in the wine and allow to reduce over a couple of minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and soy sauce. Add the green lentils, tinned tomatoes and bay leaf and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan boil the potatoes until softened, approximately 15 minutes.
- Pre heat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C / gas 6.
- Drain the potatoes and mash along with the milk, margarine, nutmeg and cinnamon.
- Return to the mince. Season generously with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaf. Spread the mince and lentil mix into a rectangular casserole dish. Spread half the mashed potato over the top and smooth into an even layer. Then spread the remaining mash and use a fork to form soft peaks. Scatter over the breadcrumb and nutritional yeast.
- Cook in the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Then place under a hot grill for 3-5 minutes to allow the top to brown and crispen.
Notes
To reheat the shepherd’s pie place in an oven proof dish, cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes at 180 fan. For one portion reheat for 15 minutes.
To minimise food waste double up on the recipe and make two shepherd's pies. Freeze one and save for the following week's dinner.