Healthy Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

The classic Sheperd’s Pie is a staple cool-weather comfort food dish, and has the potential to be healty if the ingredients are chosen carefully. For example, using lean meats instead of high fat ones for the filling, and whole potatos instead of instant mashed potatoes for the top.

This recipe goes a step further. With a few tweaks, we can create an nutritionally superior dish, without sacrificing flavor and coziness. Suitable for vegans too!

Here is how to do it.

Ingredients

Serves 6

Recommended: 10×10 inch (25×25 cm) deep baking dish

• 5 large sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup of dried French (Puy) Green Lentils, or 1 (8oz) can lentils
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tasp low sodium soy saice
• 1 ts dried oregano
• 1 ts dried basil
• 1/2 ts dried thyme
• 2 cup vegetable broth, or water + boullon
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 1 cup matchstick or shredded carrots
• 2 tbsp flour
• 6 tbsp plant-based protein powder (hemp suggested). Optional for higher protein.
• 1/4 cup plant-based butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
• 1/2 ts salt
• 1/4 ts ground cinnamon
• 1/4 ts ground black pepper

Instructions

1. These two steps can be done in advance:
   • If using dried lentils: soak the lentils for at least 8 hours. Cook the lentils for about 25 minutes. Green Puy lentils keep their shape and will not soften too much.
   • Cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave, about 8 minutes on high power but this will depend on the microwave wattage.
2. Preheat oven to 400F.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add onion and cook until soft (about 5 minutes).
4. Add garlic, mushrooms and cooked or canned lentils. Stir to combine. Cook until mushrooms soften (about 7 minutes).
5. Add tomato paste, soy sauce, oregaono, basil, thyme and broth. Stir to combine. Shimmer for abut 10 minutes. Add the green beans and carrots, shimmer until they soften.
6. Add the flour and keep shimmering until the filling thickens.
7. Add the protein powder if using. Mix well.
8. While the filling cooks, prepare the sweet potato topping:
   • Peel and mash the sweet potatos in a large bowl.
   • Add butter, milk, salt, cinnamon and paper. Mix well.
9. Scoop the lentil filling into the baking dish. Top with the sweet potato mash.
10. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are golden.
11. Enjoy warm. This makes an excellent special-ocassion dish.