Vegan and Gluten Free Shepherd’s Pie

Hello friends! With St. Patrick’s Day next week, my friends at McCormick challenged me to share an Irish-inspired recipe for this month’s partnership post. I already have a couple St. Patrick’s themed recipes here on the blog (my Healthy Shamrock Shake and Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread), so I was excited to add another to the mix. Introducing: Vegan and Gluten Free Shepherd’s Pie!

Savory and hearty but packed with veggies, this is a great comfort-food meal that’s less heavy/intense than a traditional meaty Shepherd’s Pie, since the “meat” is actually lentils! 🙂

This would be a great potluck or dinner party dish, or make it just for you! The leftovers are even better.

Also, feel free to mix it up and use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes in the topping – either would be good.

Making this dish takes place in a couple phases: the veggie/lentil filling, and the mashed potato topping. Start by sautéing your veggies and getting the lentils going.

And then take care of the mashed potatoes while the lentils are simmering.

When everything is cooked, put the lentil mixture in a pan:

And then layer the potatoes on top before popping it in the oven.

20 to 30 minutes later and you’re ready to rock.

Enjoy!

Vegan & Gluten Free Shepherd’s Pie

July 24, 2019

Savory and hearty but packed with veggies, this is a great comfort-food meal that’s less heavy/intense than a traditional meaty Shepherd’s Pie, since the “meat” is actually lentils! 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Yield

about 6

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Ingredients:

For the filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup dried black or green lentils
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth, low sodium if possible
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• salt to taste

For the topping

• 1 and 1/2 pounds potatoes (regular or sweet), peeled and diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• vegetable broth as needed
• salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté until tender, about 7-8 minutes.
3. Add the lentils, tomatoes, vegetable broth, smoked paprika, cumin, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
4. Meanwhile, make the mashed potatoes: Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Drain the potatoes and add the olive oil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mash with a potato masher or fork, adding a couple splashes of broth until the potatoes are creamy (but not watery). Season to taste with salt.
6. Pour the lentil mixture into a baking dish or pie pan. Spread the mashed potatoes on top, then bake for 20-30 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the mashed potatoes are slightly golden on top.

Did you make this recipe?

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Thank you to McCormick for sponsoring this post! For more ideas for better-for-you comfort food recipes, check out their website. Here’s their take on Shepherd’s Pie, which sounds delicious: Shepherd’s Pie with Cumin and Smashed Chickpeas.

If you missed my previous McCormick posts, check those out, too:

• Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole <— get your 90’s on
• Spiced Baked Apple Chips Recipe <— obsessed
• How to Add Flavor to Meals Without Salt or Sugar
• Lemon & Herb Fish Recipe
• Mexican Shrimp Salad Bowl <—great for spring
• Braised Chicken with Dried Plums, Olives & Capers <—LOVE
• How to Pickle Cucumbers Quickly at Home
• Gluten-Free Grilled Taco Wings