Lentil Shepherd's Pie with Carrot Mash

Pure vegan comfort food. This lentil shepherd's pie is packed with so many veggies and the texture of the red adzuki beans may trick your non-vegan table guest into believing they are eating minced meat.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: Dinner

Servings: 2

Calories: 441kcal

Ingredients

For the mash

4 cups carrot sliced
2 small potato chopped

For the lentil stew

1/2 cup dried lentils/beans rinsed (we used a mix of mung and aduki beans)
3/4 cup onion chopped
1 cup bell pepper (capsicum, any color) chopped (we used yellow bell pepper)
1 cup eggplant chopped
1 cup tomato diced
2 cups spinach shredded
2 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger (1 inch = 1 tbsp fresh grated = 1 tsp powder)
1 tsp turmeric powder use fresh if possible (1 inch = 1 tbsp fresh grated = 1 tsp powder)
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tsp dried rosemary
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1.5 cup water
1/2 cup Panko/breadcrumbs (GF if needed)

Instructions

In a large (oven-safe) pot, heat cooking oil over medium heat (I used my Dutch oven for this). Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add garlic, ginger, fresh turmeric (if using), and bell pepper. Cook for 2 minutes more. Stir regularly.
Stir in eggplant and cook for 5 minutes more.
Then add tomatoes, water, and lentils. Give it a good stir, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until beans/lentils are soft. Stir occasionally. Add water if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Last 5 minutes, add spinach.
Meanwhile, heat a pot of water. Cook potatoes and carrots until tender. Drain and mash when ready, season with nutmeg, black pepper, and sea salt to taste. Add a little water or milk if needed.
If you used a normal cooking pot, add lentil stew to an oven-safe dish first, then top with carrot mash. Add panko on top and grill in the oven for 10 minutes or until slightly browned.

Notes