Vegetarian Shepherds Pie

Note: I was sent a review copy of A Return to Ireland by Judith McLoughlin in order to make this Vegetarian Shepherds Pie. Opinions are mine alone.

You may have noticed I have quite a few Irish (and Irish-American) recipes on this blog. I truly love traditional Irish cooking; it is pure comfort food to me.

But Irish food has come a long way from just traditional meat and potatoes, and Judith McLoughlin’s A Return to Ireland (paid link) showcases some beautiful modern interpretations of classic Irish cooking.

As a Shepherd’s Pie fanatic, I was intrigued by a recipe within the cookbook for a meatless version that substitutes a mixture of lentils and mushroom for the traditional ground beef or lamb, and then enhances the traditional mashed potato topping with a mixture of other mashed root vegetables.

The result is a wonderfully hearty and delicious Vegetarian Shepherds Pie!

Ingredients (serves 6):

• Vegetable Base
  • 6 tablespoons butter (substitute olive oil to make vegan / dairy free)
  • 1 (8 oz) container sliced mushrooms
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 1 leek, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
  • 2 1/2 cups green lentils
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Mashed Topping
  • 2/3 lbs celery root, peeled and chopped
  • 2/3 lbs parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 2/3 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 4 tablespoons butter (or olive oil to make vegan / dairy free)
  • 1 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

To make the vegetarian shepherds pie, start by making the vegetable base. Add 4 tablespoons butter to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When melted, add in your mushrooms and cook until they release all their liquid and the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once melted, add in your chopped onions and leeks. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent.

Add in your garlic and celery. Cook, stirring, until they are fragrant. (Note: I don’t like the texture of celery so I keep it in big pieces so I can remove it easily.)

Stir in your lentils, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Fill the pot with the vegetable broth and carefully stir to combine.

Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and let simmer for 30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid. Stir in your reserved mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Remove your bay leaf and discard. (I also remove the celery at this stage.)

While waiting for the lentils to cook, work on the topping for your Vegetarian Shepherds Pie. Peel your celery root, parsnips, and carrots and cut into small pieces.

Add to a large pot filled with cold water, then bring the pot to a boil.

Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender. Drain and mash (I prefer to use a potato ricer – paid link.)

Add the mashed vegetables back to the large pot along with the salt, Greek yogurt, and butter.

Let the butter melt, then stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (paid link). Spoon the lentil mixture into the dish, spreading evenly.

Top with the root vegetable topping, spreading evenly.

Add to your preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

This was really satisfying. I am not going to pretend this tastes like a traditional Shepherd’s Pie, but that’s not really the intention. It is comforting and hearty, and the root vegetable topping adds nice flavor to the overall dish.

A Return to Ireland (paid link) is filled with crave worthy recipes and truly stunning photos so I highly recommend picking up your own copy!

Print

Vegetarian Shepherds Pie

A vegetarian take on the Irish classic, made with a lentil mushroom base and root vegetable mashed topping

Course Main Course

Keyword Shepherd's Pie, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Kaitlin @ I Can Cook That

Ingredients

Vegetable Base

• 6 tablespoons butter substitute olive oil to make vegan / dairy free
• 1 8 oz container sliced mushrooms
• 2 medium onions chopped
• 1 leek chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 3 ribs celery finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos to make gluten free
• 2 1/2 cups green lentils
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mashed Topping

• 2/3 lbs celery root peeled and chopped
• 2/3 lbs parsnips peeled and chopped
• 2/3 lbs carrots peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil to make vegan / dairy free
• 1 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

• To make the vegetarian shepherds pie, start by making the vegetable base. Add 4 tablespoons butter to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When melted, add in your mushrooms and cook until they release all their liquid and the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once melted, add in your chopped onions and leeks. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent.
• Add in your garlic and celery. Cook, stirring, until they are fragrant.
• Stir in your lentils, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Fill the pot with the vegetable broth and carefully stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and let simmer for 30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid. Stir in your reserved mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Remove your bay leaf and discard.
• While waiting for the lentils to cook, peel your celery root, parsnips, and carrots and cut into small pieces.
• Add to a large pot filled with cold water, then bring the pot to a boil.
• Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender. Drain and mash.
• Add the mashed vegetables back to the large pot along with the salt, Greek yogurt, and butter.
• Let the butter melt, then stir until all ingredients are well combined.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Spoon the lentil mixture into the dish, spreading evenly.
• Top with the root vegetable topping, spreading evenly.
• Add to your preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

If you make this recipe, share a photo on Instagram and tag me @icancookthat!

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