Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 8; Divide leftovers into portion sizes and freeze for later, or alternatively make 2 smaller pies and freeze on for later

Method
- Drain and rinse lentils. Set aside.
- In a large pan, fry onion and garlic in oil until tender.
- Add celery and carrots and cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add tomato paste, passata, water, stock cubed, bay leaf, harder vegetables and lentils. Mix well and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan forced.
- Meanwhile cook sweet potatoes until soft.
- Mash sweet potatoes with remaining topping ingredients until soft.
- When lentil mix is cooked, remove from heat and add any faster cooking vegetables, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Pour the lentil mix into a casserole dish and top with sweet potato.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and serve hot.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups dried brown lentils (soaked for 6 hours or overnight)
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 1/4 Cup tomato paste
- 1 700g passata
- 1/2 Cup water (if sauce thickens too much, add more during cooking)
- 2 Massel vegetable stock cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- 600g finely chopped vegetables
- 1/2 Cup finely chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Topping
- 1.5kg sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 Cup almond milk
- 30g butter or oil
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste