Vegetarian shepherd’s pie with spiced lentils
Vegetarian shepherd’s pie with spiced lentils
This vegetarian recipe for spiced lentil shepherd's pie is a great vegan version of a classic. It's ready in 1 hour and is enough to feed the whole family
Ingredients
- coconut oil for frying
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tsp chilli flakes plus 2 pinches
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp garam masala plus 1 pinch
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 200 g green lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 600 ml vegetable stock
- a bunch coriander chopped
- 4 parsnips peeled and quartered lengthways
- 4 (about 600g) floury potatoes peeled and chopped
Instructions
- Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in a large pan and fry the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic, chilli, cumin and garam masala, and fry for another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato purée, green lentils, bay leaf and lots of seasoning. Add the stock, bring to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Add a splash of water if the lentils are sticking. Stir in the coriander, and a pinch more chilli flakes if you like.
- Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Trim and discard the woody middles from the parsnips and roughly chop the rest. Cook the potatoes and parsnips in boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes, until both are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain, leave to steam dry for a minute, then mash well.
- Add a pinch of garam masala, a pinch of chilli flakes and 1 tsp coconut oil, mix well, then season. Put the lentils into an ovenproof baking dish, cover with the mash, smoothing over with a fork. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and the top is lightly golden. Scatter over more coriander to serve, if you like.