Vegan Shepherd's Pie

I'm always looking for a healthier twist on comfort foods. My British heritage has ingrained a love of meat and potatoes in me. I love a good shepherd's pie but it's not exactly figure friendly. A friend suggested trying it with lentils and kale instead of meat and I thought it sounded so good. Kale and lentils are both full of fiber and iron. I thought I'd switch out the traditional seasoning for ones that paired well with lentils. I also mixed yams and gold potatoes for additional flavor and color. This recipe is also gluten free as a nod to the friend who suggested it. I used corn starch as a thickener instead of flour. Corn starch has twice the thickening power of flour and doesn't cloud your dish like flour does. Vegan can be delicious!

This recipe takes a bit of prep and will go more smoothly if you have all your ingredients prepared and collected before you start cooking. This idea is known as mise en place, French for "putting in place." This way, you won't have to stop during the cooking process to gather and prepare things.

You'll need:

1 cup green lentils

1 large yam, peeled

3 medium gold potatoes

1 head of kale, chopped

3 cloves of garlic; 1 whole, two minced

3 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 cups vegetable broth

splash soy, rice or almond milk

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoons chili powder

salt and pepper

Printable Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add lentils and 3 cups vegetable broth of a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30-40 minutes or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

I left the skins on the gold potatoes because they are thin, and I like them. You're welcome to peel those as well, if that's what you prefer. Chop yam and potatoes into 1" cubes. Add to a large stock pot of salted water along with whole garlic clove. Boil over medium high heat 30-40 minutes or until soft. Drain and mash all together with splash of milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While those boil, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add carrots and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir in minced garlic and spices. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining vegetable broth and corn starch until dissolved. Add to skillet and stir in kale. Cook until kale is wilted. Stir in prepared lentils.

Grease a large baking dish with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. Spread the lentil mixture in an even layer on the bottom and top with potatoes.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

You could, of course, make this un-vegan and use butter and dairy milk in the process and stir in some cheese. But those also add fat and calories. This is a hearty, filling meal that has lots of vitamins and heart healthy fiber. It's not quite the same as meaty, gravy filled Shepherd's pie, but still flavorful and satisfying. Enjoy!