This Lentil Shepherd's Pie is so satisfying and savory. Vegetables in a rich gravy, topped with garlicky and buttery mashed potatoes. I'm not even vegetarian and this as quickly gone into our meal planning rotation! This can very easily be made both vegetarian or vegan (substitutions in recipe card). As much as I love good tasting food, I like things that are easy on the wallet just as much and this Lentil Shepherd's pie is only $.65 a serving. That's right, UNDER A DOLLAR!

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I am trying to do at least 1 vegetarian meal a week. You could call it meatless Monday, but to be perfectly honest- it probably won't always happen on Monday. I have several vegan friends and I personally LOVE vegetables. It's a fun challenge for me to make a vegetarian or vegan meal that my MEATLOVING husband likes and asks for again. (and trust me, it is a real  challenge).

For these meals, I don't want to use processed meat substitutes (like soy chicken or beefy crumbles). I am trying to get vegetables to taste great and still be as healthy as possible.

This recipe is PERFECT for meal planning and meal prepping. You can make a huge pan of this for just a few dollars, making it very cost effective for budget shopping and budget cooking.

 Keep all of the veggie pieces roughly the same size. This will help with an even cook and look nice in the finished process!

Putting the mashed potatoes on by the spoonful and then spreading seems to be the easiest method. If you add too much liquid to the potatoes (to make them easier to spread) they will be hard to serve after baking. I use the back side of a large metal serving spoon to smooth them out.

I mean, come on, how comforting is this???

Yield: 8

Author: Molly

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

This vegan or vegetarian shepherd's pie is so satisfying and savory. Vegetables in a rich gravy topped with garlicky and buttery mashed potatoes.

prep time: 25 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 0 H & 55 M

ingredients:

SAUTE FIRST

• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 C carrot, diced
• 1/2 C celery, diced

ADD SECOND

• 1 1/2 C corn
• 1/2 C peas
• 4 TB flour
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper

ADD THIRD

• 2 C vegetable broth
• 2 TB tomato paste
• 1 TB soy sauce
• 2 C cooked whole lentils

MASHED POTATOES

• 2 1/2 lbs peeled potatoes, quartered or cut into even chunks
• 1/2 C vegetable broth
• 1/4-1/2 C milk (or plant based milk)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 TB butter or plant based alternative
• 1/4 C parmesan cheese (or 1 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast)
• salt and pepper to taste

instructions:

How to cook Lentil Shepherd's Pie

For the filling

1. On medium, saute the onions, carrots, and celery in 2 TB of olive oil. Saute for 10 minute until vegetables are soft.
2. Add in the corn and peas. Stir. Add all remaining ingredients (flour and spices) from the ADD SECOND step. Stir until all flour is coating the vegetables.
3. Add broth and stir until you start to see the sauce thicken. Add in remaining ingredients from the ADD THIRD section (corn, peas, soy sauce, tomato paste, and lentils).
4. Simmer for about 4 minutes, or until filling is a thick consistency.

Mashed Potatoes

1. Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and return to the pot.
2. Add in butter, broth, and milk. Mash with a potato masher or electric beater.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients. Salt to taste

Assembling and baking

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Pour filling into a 9x13 pan, spreading evenly.
3. Add spoonfuls of mashed potato to cover the top, then spread smooth with the back of a large serving spoon.
4. Drizzle top with a little olive oil, sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. This will help it stay together when you dish it out.

Calories
249

Fat (grams)
5

Sat. Fat (grams)
0

Carbs (grams)
41

Fiber (grams)
9

Net carbs
0

Sugar (grams)
6

Protein (grams)
12

Sodium (milligrams)
0

Cholesterol (grams)
0.00

All nutrition facts are an estimate based on ingredients used while testing the recipe. For more accurate facts, enter in your own ingredients using an online calculator.

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I remember the first time I had Mujadara. I was at my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant Mamoun's with my friend T, who was in town visiting. She had this dish back home and suggested we order it. When it arrived all I could smell was perfectly fried onion and garlic. (Only my favorite savory combination.)

I've since had it at several other restaurants but nothing has come close. I found a recipe online that I had been making on the stove top. It's great, but now that I have my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, I needed to try and convert it! This took minimal time to prepare and was so  tasty. I enjoyed this with some Middle Eastern Moroccan Stew, which you can also whip up in your pressure cooker before (or at the same time if you have two)!

A really important note about this recipe: Make sure your lentils have a similar cook time to the brown rice. Split lentils will not work and will end up being mush. I had some Black Beluga Lentils, but there are many other varieties that you can find at many stores My brown rice water ratio is 1:1 and for whole lentils is 1:2.


First I started by sautéing some onion, lots of onion! I heated up about 1/3C of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sautéed the onions for about 13 minutes. The trick is, you really need to brown these to get the flavor out. When they start to caramelize is when the magic happens. When they are done, add your garlic and keep frying for a few more minutes. Then move all of your onion-y goodness to a bowl to put back in later.

I took my rinsed lentils and rice and put them in my pressure cooker with a little more EVOO. Stir-fry for a few minutes to get some of that moisture out. Add your water or stock and a little Salt and Pepper. Cook for 15 minutes on Manual and allow for 5 minutes of NPR, then switch to Quick Release. This keeps your brown rice a little nutty and not over cooked.

This is what it will look like when you're done. Set to Saute, add your onion and garlic mixture back in and stir. Just a minute or two should get rid of an extra moisture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh Parsley and Enjoy!

Mujadara (pressure cooker)

serves 4 as a side dish

• 1 C brown rice
• 1/2 C whole lentils (a variety that takes about 40 minutes to cook)
• 2 C water or stock (scant if a lot of moisture is left in your rinsed rice and lentils)
• 1 large onion, sliced thin 
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 C plus 1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• fresh parsley for serving

Directions

set your pressure cooker to sauté and add 1/3C EVOO. When oil is hot, add your sliced onions and some salt and pepper. Sauté between 10-15 minutes. This will depend on how hot your pressure cooker gets and how thin you sliced your onions. When they are well browned, add your garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. Remove and keep in a bowl to add back in later.

Rinse your lentils and rice in a fine mesh strainer. I like to dab mine with a towel or paper towel to get out some more of the moisture. Add 1TB of EVOO to your pressure cooker (still on sauté) and stir-fry for a few more minutes to get some moisture out. Add your water or stock, lock your lid in place, and set to manual for 15 minutes. When your timer goes off, allow for 5 minutes of NPR, then quick release. 

Add back in your onion and garlic mixture and season with Salt and Pepper to taste. I serve this topped with fresh parsley and sometimes a squeeze of lemon.

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