Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Author: 
Recipe type: casserole, comfort food
Cuisine: vegetarian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
Here's a comfort food, healthy casserole that's also vegetarian. Heaps of mashed potatoes top lentils, mushrooms and vegetables... it's easy and delicious.
Ingredients
  • 1-1/4 cup dried lentils, cooked until done, but not mushy
  • 8 medium/large yellow potatoes, unpeeled, cut into large chunks
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • 3 Tbs grass-fed organic butter
  • 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 med onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 portabella mushroom caps, cut into small dice
  • ½ cup green peas, cooked (I took the easy way out and bought them from a salad bar)
  • ½ cup organic corn, cooked (this came from the salad bar too)
  • leaves from 2 large thyme sprigs
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ¼ tsp chipotle chili powder
  • ½ cup tomato sauce (homemade, jarred, or canned)
  • 2 sticks of raw Huang Qi (an optional Chinese herb)
  • 1 stick of raw Dang Shen (an optional Chinese herb)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Boil the potatoes along with any Chinese herbs you are using in a large pot of salted water. Cook until the potatoes are soft. Drain the potatoes and discard the herbs.
  3. Mash the hot potatoes together with the butter and salt and pepper to taste. You can do this by hand or with a food processor (I used the processor).
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
  5. Saute the onions, garlic, and mushrooms for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the veggies are softened.
  6. Add the cooked lentils, peas, corn, spices, and tomato sauce. Stir, cooking, for about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Spoon the lentil mixture into a 9x9-inch baking pan. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top.
  8. Place the casserole in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the inside is hot and bubbly and the top starts to brown. If your casserole dish is overflowing (like mine was), you may want to put something under the dish to catch any oozing filling.
  9. Enjoy!
Recipe by Kitchen of Youth at https://kitchenofyouth.com/vegetarian-shepherds-pie/