Vegan Shepherd's Pie

5 from 11 votes

This hearty vegan shepherd's pie is made with a base of savory lentils simmered up with a touch of whiskey and topped off with a crust of creamy garlic mashed potatoes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American, British

Servings:

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Alissa

Ingredients

For the Lentil Base

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned and chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup whiskey
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 cup dried brown lentils
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Garlic Mashed potatoes

1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
½ cup unflavored non-dairy milk, plus more as needed
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegan butter (olive oil works too)
Salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Lentil Base

Coat the bottom of a medium saucepan with olive oil and place over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the onion, leek, carrots, and garlic. Sweat the veggies until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the whiskey and thyme. Raise the heat and and bring the liquid to a simmer.
Continue simmering until most of whisky has evaporated, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in vegetable broth and lentils, then raise the heat and bring the liquid back to a simmer.
Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 25-30 minutes. Stir the pot occasionally and add a bit of water if it reduces too much. Remove from heat and drain any excess liquid when done cooking.
Remove the pot from heat and drain any excess liquid when done cooking.
Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, liquid smoke and peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the Mashed Potatoes

While the lentils simmer, place potatoes into a large pot and cover them with water.
Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat and boil the potatoes until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not overcook the potatoes.
Remove the pot from heat and drain the potatoes into a colander.
Return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with a potato masher. Stir in the milk, garlic and butter. You can add more milk if needed to reach your desired consistency, but you want to keep the potatoes relatively thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the Shepherd's Pie

Preheat the oven to 400º. Transfer the lentil mixture to an 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish or deep dish 9-inch pie plate. Gently press down into a uniform layer with a spoon or spatula.
Top the lentil mixture with mashed potatoes, smoothing them out all the way to the edges to create a seal.
Bake the pie until brown spots form on top, about 30 minutes.
Remove it from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

This dish firms up as it sits, so it'll be a soft casserole straight from the oven, and a very sliceable pie after a few hours in the fridge.

Nutrition