Vegetarian shepherd's pie with lentil filling

Vegetarian shepherd's pie with lentil filling: a creamy potato topping, lentils, carrot, leek, thyme and tomato purée – hearty, satisfying and easy for every day.

At a glance

• Serves 3
• Prep time: 20 min
• Cooking time: 40 min
• Total time: 60 min
• Calories: 480 kcal per serving
• Protein: 18 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Carbs: 65 g

Ingredients

• 800 g potatoes
• 50 ml butter
• 150 g lentils
• 2 carrots
• 1 leek
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 400 ml vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

Method

You’ll need: oven · frying pan · saucepan · baking dish · chopping board · knife · sieve · wooden spoon

1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into pieces and boil in salted water until tender. Trim the carrot and leek and slice finely.
2. Prepare the lentils according to the packet instructions. Heat a little olive oil or ghee in a wide frying pan and gently soften the carrot and leek.
3. Stir in the tomato purée and fry briefly. Add the lentils, vegetable stock, thyme and soy sauce and simmer until the filling is thick and creamy.
4. Drain the cooked potatoes and mash them with the butter until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon the lentil filling into a baking dish and spread the mashed potato over the top. Bake at 200 °C (180 °C fan) for 15–20 min, until the top is lightly golden brown.
6. Leave to rest briefly and serve hot. A green salad or steamed veg goes well with it.

Good to know

A bake like this is instant comfort food. Warm, hearty and not heavy. Just right when you want something simple and really cosy.

Swaps

Butter → ghee (usually slightly fewer milk solids) | Lentils → Puy-style lentils (often stay a little firmer) | Soy sauce → tamari (often wheat-free) | Potatoes → sweet potatoes (more beta-carotene, a slightly sweeter note)

Allergens

Contains milk from the butter and soya from the soy sauce; you can partly adapt it with tamari and ghee. Usually suits children well with mild seasoning, and during pregnancy it's no concern when well cooked and made with pasteurised butter or ghee. Contains: gluten (soy sauce).