Scooping Shepherd's Pie from the dish. |
Lentil & Veggie Shepherd's Pie
Stir together filling***:
1 teaspoon Onion Powder (not Onion Salt!)2 tsp fresh garlic
The layer of lentils and veggies - before the potatoes are added. I use a 2 quart rectangular dish for this one. |
4 cups cooked brown lentils, drained *
2 Tablespoons dry red wine
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons seasoning blend (I use Mrs. Dash Table Blend)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (12 oz) bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed and pressed dry
Spread in oiled 2 quart casserole
Top with mashed potatoes **:
Boil 3 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoons Vegan Margarine, such as Earth Balance (or use oil) (may be omitted, but texture of potatoes will change slightly)
Stir in
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Soy Milk or other non-dairy milk
Then gently stir in (do not whip)
2 ¼ cups potato flakes
Spread potatoes over top of lentils. Score with fork for decoration if desired
Sprinkle top with
Garlic Salt
Bake, 400 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes, till light golden brown on top.
Serve with Salad, bread, pickles, etc.
** I know what you're thinking! INSTANT POTATOES?! Of course you CAN make real mashed potatoes from scratch if you have the time and inclination. I don't ; ) But, I find that when there is a thin layer of potatoes over a nice layer of lentils, the potatoes blend and are disguised pretty well.
About Freezing this dish: There are two good methods to freeze this dish.
First, make a batch or two of the filling (I like to make one for today, one for later) and freeze the filling. On cooking day, thaw filling thoroughly, and top with potatoes & bake. This means you can do an entree as easily as preparing a pot of potatoes. This has the added advantage of not tying up one of your baking dishes.
The second method is to assemble the whole dish in your casserole dish, potatoes and all. Generally it is a bad idea to freeze potatoes, but since these are mashed potatoes AND they will be baked, it can be done successfully (the oven-baking takes away any watery texture from freezing). In that case, wrap it securely before freezing (I use Glad Press and Seal wrap) and write baking directions on top. Carefully consider what type of casserole dish to use, as glass casserole dishes do have some inherent risks - you may wish to use a dish of a different material. Thaw in fridge 24 hours. Baking time may need to be increased (about 20-30 minutes if a few ice crystals are still present when you start baking.
I edited this recipe in November 2013.
The original filling directions were these, for those who like the previous method:
Saute ***
1 cup chopped onion2 tsp fresh garlic
The layer of lentils and veggies - before the potatoes are added. I use a 2 quart rectangular dish for this one. |
2 (4oz) cans mushrooms, drained
4 cups cooked brown lentils, drained *
2 Tablespoons dry red wine
2 Tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 teaspoons seasoning blend (I use Mrs. Dash Table Blend)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt to taste (1 ½ to 2 teaspoons, approx) (If you use regular soy sauce and salt may be reduced or omitted)
1 (12 oz) bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed and pressed dry
Spread in oiled 2 quart casserole
This is being shared on Lil Suburban Homestead and Healthy Vegan Friday
Wow! This looks fabulous! I need to try it. Thanks for posting it!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for your kind comment on my blog!
Thank you! We love it at our house.
DeleteI really enjoy your blog : )
That looks really good! I like lentils and I LOVE shepherds pie! Thank you so much for sharing a tried and true recipe from your household! Also so glad you linked this fab recipe to "The Ole Saturday Homesteading Trading Post" blog hop this week! http://www.lilsuburbanhomestead.com/2013/03/08/the-ole-saturday-homesteading-trading-post-ed-no-41/
ReplyDeleteThanks! I really appreciate you hosting : )
DeleteI've never made Shepperd's pie before but I have always wanted to - esp vegan :) I don't know why - maybe because I thought it was too complicated - but perhaps one of these days I will jump ALL-IN! :)
ReplyDeleteLOOKS GREAT!
Oh, I remember after I gave birth to Hannah, it was during the Sts. Peter and Paul fast and my mom and dad came to visit...mom made a delicious vegan shepherds pie! ♥ Thank you for posting this. I actually never made one!!! It looks so good. And my girls LOVE the homemade alphabet soup, too (from your previous post), I'll have to make it again soon!
ReplyDeleteSo glad y'all are enjoying the soup! It's fun!
DeleteAnd hope you like the Shepherd's Pie (I'm guessing that you'll make your potatoes from scratch, tho - you're much better at that sort of thing than I am! : )
We are going to be eating more meatless meals and this looks like a good one. Thanks!
ReplyDelete