Main Meals

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

  1. Drain and rinse lentils. Set aside.
  2. In a large pan, fry onion and garlic in oil until tender.
  3. Add celery and carrots and cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally.
  4. Add tomato paste, passata, water, stock cubed, bay leaf, harder vegetables and lentils. Mix well and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Pre-heat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan forced.
  6. Meanwhile cook sweet potatoes until soft.
  7. Mash sweet potatoes with remaining topping ingredients until soft.
  8. When lentil mix is cooked, remove from heat and add any faster cooking vegetables, parsley, salt and pepper.
  9. Pour the lentil mix into a casserole dish and top with sweet potato.
  10. 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