SHEPHERD’S PIE
Shepherd’s Pie is so underrated. It’s a whole meal in a pie slice! How can it get any better than that? Now, I am not a big fan of pie crust, but Shepherd’s Pie is one of those recipes I am willing to endure pie crust for. Yes, I love it that much! So, of course, I am adding it to the April Recipe Collection. It’s hearty, delicious, and easy to make. Perfect for Easter dinner or any other dinner for that matter.
If you are not familiar with Shepherd’s Pie, it is a meat pie with a layer of ground beef and mixed vegetable followed by a layer of mashed potatoes topped with cheddar cheese. It pretty much meat and potatoes in a pie, lol. Of course, I swapped out the ground beef and cheese with a little plant-based magic: some lentils, a few crushed walnuts, and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
This recipe makes two Shepherd’s Pies. Yes – two! Each pie serves about 4-6. If you don’t need two pies, don’t worry; they freeze well. These pies will last up to 5 days in the fridge and a month in the freezer. It’s the perfect dinner recipe whether you are hosting a big gathering or a couple of small family dinners.
NOTE: This post includes affiliate links. When you purchase an item using a link, we make a small commission that helps us run this site at no additional cost to you.
A FEW TIPS FOR THIS RECIPE.
There are so many ways to customize your Shepherd’s Pie. Here are a few tips to help customize this recipe for your liking:
Mixing Lentils: I used red and green lentils for this recipe. Both red and green lentils are high in protein and are a great alternative to meat. Mixing the two provides a good balance of texture for the pie filling. If you are not a fan of the lentil mix, try crumbled tempeh. No boiling is needed. Just saute with garlic and onion, then season.
Walnuts: I also added walnuts to the pie filling for more texture. While I do love a walnut and lentil blend, the walnuts are optional. You don’t need it for the filling. If you are allergic to walnuts, swap them for garbanzo beans. You will get a similar texture effect.
Change Up the Flavor: Change the traditional Shepherd’s Pie flavor with a Southwestern twist. Use black beans (mashed and whole), corn kernels, red pepper, and carrots for the filling. Top with mashed sweet potatoes seasoned with chipotle. Garnish with a little cilantro and guacamole.
Helpful tools.
Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2/3 C. white onion – diced
- Pinch of salt & pepper to taste
- 4 ½ C. Water
- ½ C. red lentils
- 1 C. green lentils
- 2 Tsp + 2 Tsp vegetable broth base
- 2 Tsp ground cumin
- ½ Tsp paprika
- 1½ Tsp onion powder
- 1½ Tsp garlic powder
- 3 Tbsp liquid aminos
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 C. walnuts – crushed
- 1 bag of frozen mixed carrots, green beans, and corn – 12 oz
- 2 Pre-made deep dish crust
- Mashed potatoes
- Nutritional yeast to taste
Instructions
- Heat saucepan over medium heat, add oil, minced garlic, and onion—a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until onions are almost transparent.
- Add water, lentils, seasonings, and liquid aminos to a saucepan. Cook covered for 10 minutes. Most of the water should be gone.
- Reduce heat to low. Add in walnuts and mixed vegetables. Cook for another 5 minutes until the vegetables have thawed.
- Preheat the oven to 400—cook pie crusts for 10 minutes.
- Remove crusts, add lentil mixture. Top with mashed potatoes. Then sprinkle nutritional yeast on top. Add as much or little as you’d like.
- Bake for another 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
