Vegan shepherds pie with chive mash

I know, I know, it’s impossible to have a vegan shepherds pie… I mean the whole point of the title is that it’s usually made with lamb!  But when we want yummy old-style comfort food vegan-ified, it’s at least helpful to go with the old name 🙂

And I officially love shepherds pie – such a wonderful, hearty, filling meal for a blustery autumn or winter day…

This is flavourful and satisfying, full of wonderful ingredients your body will love.  There is quite a long list of ingredients but don’t let it put you off!   It brings with it a lovely rich depth of flavour that will keep you coming back for more.  I can’t wait to make it again!

Print Recipe

Vegan shepherds pie

Course

Main Dishes

Cuisine

Healthy, Vegan

Servings

people

Ingredients

filling

• 2 tbsp odourless/mild coconut oil
• 2 onions diced
• 3 large sticks celery (or 4 smaller ones) diced
• 2 carrots diced small
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 250 grams mushrooms thickly sliced (chestnut mushrooms or larger ones will add more flavour, white smaller mushrooms will be lighter)
• 3 tbsp rice flour
• 1 medium to large courgette finely grated
• 400 ml boiling water
• 1/2 cup passata or tinned or chopped tomatoes
• 2 400g tins green lentils drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tbsp concentrated tart cherry juice see note
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup optional
• 1 to 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp dried parsley or fresh
• 1 tsp dried thyme or fresh

chivey mash

• 900 grams potatoes approx, depending on how hungry your family or guests are!
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• salt and pepper to taste

Course Main Dishes Cuisine Healthy, Vegan Servings people Ingredients filling 2 tbsp odourless/mild coconut oil 2 onions diced 3 large sticks celery (or 4 smaller ones) diced 2 carrots diced small 2 cloves garlic crushed 250 grams mushrooms thickly sliced (chestnut mushrooms or larger ones will add more flavour, white smaller mushrooms will be lighter) 3 tbsp rice flour 1 medium to large courgette finely grated 400 ml boiling water 1/2 cup passata or tinned or chopped tomatoes 2 400g tins green lentils drained and rinsed 2 tbsp tomato puree 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice 1 tbsp concentrated tart cherry juice see note 1/2 tbsp maple syrup optional 1 to 1 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp ground turmeric 1 tbsp dried parsley or fresh 1 tsp dried thyme or fresh chivey mash 900 grams potatoes approx, depending on how hungry your family or guests are! 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Chop, dice or grate all your veggies (this is my eldest girl helping to chop - beautiful!)

   
2. melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions, celery and carrots for 4 minutes.
3. Add the crushed garlic and mushrooms and fry for a further 3 minutes.
4. Measure in the rice flour and stir to coat all the vegetables for a minute or so.
5. Add the grated courgette and fry for another 2 minutes.
6. Now put it all the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce looks too thin then leave the lid off for the last 10 minutes, or if it gets too dry then add a little more boiling water.
7. While the filling is cooking warm your pie dish in the oven and preheat your grill.
8. Meanwhile, boil your potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes (adjust cooking times according to how big the chunks of potato are and make sure they're nice and soft for mashing).
9. Once the potatoes are soft then drain off most of the water, reserving a little to mash into the potatoes. Mash well!
10. If you have fresh chives then cut these up and add them to the mash - they add a great flavour and look lovely too! Add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Take your preheated pie dish and ladle in your lentil veggie filling. Top with the mashed potato and press into place using a fork - the ridges this gives go lovely and crispy under the grill.

    
12. Grill for just a few minutes until the topping is lightly browned. Serve and enjoy!

    

Recipe Notes

I know concentrated tart cherry juice is an unusual ingredient to have so here are a few options for substitutes: port / red wine / cranberry sauce / unsweetened cranberry juice.  Or if you have none of these then feel free to leave it out!

This is brilliant served with a green vegetable of your choice – broccoli, green beans… mmmm…