Lola’s Kitchen is a feature on Lola’s Reviews where I talk about all things related to food, cooking and baking. These posts can be recipe posts or more discussion type posts about food. I love cooking and spend some time in the kitchen almost every day, so I wanted to give it a place on my blog as well. The banner for this feature is designed by Michelle from Limabean Design.
As soon as I came across the recipe of Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie I knew I had to give it a try. And after making it once, I had to make it again two weeks later. I thought it would be nice to share the recipe with you.
This recipe is based on Minimalist Baker their 1 Hour Vegan Shepherd’s Pie recipe. I am a big fan of their blog, I recommend you stop by and take a look around.
Ingredients
- Potatoes – around 6
- Red bell pepper – 1
- Onion – 1
- Lentils – 265 gram/ 1 1/2 cup
- Carrots – around 6 small ones
- Green Beans –
- Frozen Green Peas – 1 cup
- Corn – 140 gram/ 3/4 cup
- Vegetarian minced meat (optional)
- Water – 4 cups
- Vegetable low salt Bouillon cubes – 2
- Butter – 20 gram/ 3-4 tablespoons
- Milk – 50 ml/ 1/2 cup
- Garlic – 4-6 cloves
- Thyme (fresh or dried) – 2 tablespoons
- Cornstarch – 3 tablespoons
- Salt (optional)
- Pepper (optional)
- Paprika Powder – 2 teaspoons
- Olive Oil
The Paprika powder is the secret ingredient that gives this dish it’s deep brown color. This recipe feeds about 6 people and takes 1,5 hours to prepare if you have fresh veggies that you still have to slice and dice. I tried this recipe with and without vegetarian minced meat and I preferred it with, vegetarian meat always has this weird structure that absorbs a lot of fluid and the overall sauce structure was better with it, but I am not sure if they sell vegetarian meat everywhere, so it can be made without it as well.
Method
- Peel the potatoes and then dice them in small pieces. Then boil for 25 minutes.
- In the meantime slice and dice the veggies and the garlic.
- Put the onion and garlic in a pan and bake for a few minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Then add the paprika, carrots and green beans. Followed by the Vegetable stock (water + bouillon cubes) and the thyme. Then cook for about 15 minutes.
- When the potatoes are done cooking, drain them and make the mashed potatoes. Add the milk and butter and mash them. Add some salt and pepper. Then add the lid to the pan and put aside.
- When the veggies have cooked for 15 minutes you can add the rest of the veggies, lentils, corn and green peas (and vegetarian minced meat if you use that). Then add the paprika powder and stir well. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Add some cornstarch mixed with some water to make the sauce thicker.
- Now it’s time to combine this all! Lightly grease an oven safe baking dish with butter. Make sure to use a large baking dish. First add the vegetable sauce, you might not want to add everything. I usually keep about one till two cups of sauce separate as else the mashed potatoes don’t fit. Add the mashed potatoes on top and use a spoon to make sure to top is a bit even. It’s not a problem if some sauce gets mixed with the mashed potatoes.
- Put in the oven on 200 degrees Celsius/ 380 Fahrenheit for 30 minutes and then eat!
Or if you want to save some time, just try and get the mashed potatoes and sauce ready at the same time and just serve together instead of putting it in the oven, that’s what usually do.
Pictures
Sliced and diced potatoes
Boiling the potatoes
Sliced and diced veggies
Bake the onion
Add the first batch of veggies
Add broth and thyme
Ready to Mash?
Mashed potatoes
Sauce with all the veggies added
After adding the cornstarch
Grease the baking dish
Put the sauce in the baking dish
Add the mashed potatoes on top
Even the top
How it looks after the oven
Variation Tips
- Vegan Shepherd’s pie. Use vegan butter and no milk for the mashed potatoes. Or see Minimalist Baker their 1 Hour Vegan Shepherd’s Pie recipe recipe.
- Meaty Shepherd’s pie. Add minced meat instead of vegetarian minced meat.
Roughly, it’s the equivalent of what we call in France a “hachis parmentier” – my mother used to cook it a lot when I was a kid, this dish tastes like childhood to me 🙂
Red Iza recently posted…Hottie of the week
Oh that sounds so fancy in French! I don’t think we have a dutch equivalent of this dish and the first time I tried it was when I made it myself. It’s so good, I am going to make it again next week!
Shepherd’s Pie is such a cozy dish. It was one of the few ways my mom used up leftovers that I loved. I haven’t had it in years. I’ll have to give your recipe a go, Lola. I love how all the vegetables look so colorful in your pan.
Sophia Rose recently posted…Of Silk and Steam by Bec McMaster #Review #Giveaway #Excerpt
Yeah it’s perfect for winter, because it’s so cozy. Although ofcourse you can read it in every season. That’s a smart idea to use leftovers for this dish. I hope you give it a try! I had heard about this dish a few tiems, but only gave it a try after seeing it on that blog.
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Mmmm! I love Shepherd’s Pie! I’ll definitely have to try this!
S. J. Pajonas recently posted…Shhh… Listen To The Gods
Me too! It’s such a yummy and rich dish!
I love vegetarian shepherds pie. I actually had a lentil one for St. Patrick’s Day this year.
Kristin recently posted…Spring Cleaning
I love lentils as part of Shepherd’s pie, although I like to add some other veggies as well, I love how colourfull it looks with multiple veggies.
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
I like vegetarian good & this looks like something I would like – thank you for sharing x
Benish recently posted…Feminist Reflections Reflections #7: Books in my TBR.♥
I am a vegetarian so I mostly share vegetarian recipes, although I do include a meat option for those who prefer that. I hope you give this one a try! It’s really good!
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Vegetarian shepherd’s pie?!? I didn’t think that was possible. *haha* It looks delicious though. I still haven’t made the curry dish…perhaps I’ll get that made this week. Thanks for sharing, Lola. 🙂
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Release Blitz & Giveaway ~ Coda ~ CD Reiss
Everything is possible to change into a vegetarian version, that’s what I learned from years of beign a vegetarian, although it’s never exactly the same as with meat ofcourse. In most cases adding more veggies or vega meat works quite well and I’ve adapted quite some recipes form meat version to vega, although it’s a joy finding recipes that are already vegetarian and it’s one of the reasons I love cooking indian food as they hardly ever use meat.
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
That looks so freaking delicious. I wish I had the patience to cook meals like this one, and I’m glad it turned out well for you!
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence recently posted…Indulgence Insider #24 – I LOVE TWITTER
It was really good. I cook every day, so you kinda get used to it then. A year or two ago I wouldn’t have believed I would be able to cook meals like this.
Lola recently posted…Sunday Post #118