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Vegan sweet potato shepherd's pie made with lentils and veggies.
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Currently, I'm deep in an elimination diet which you can read about here. Which basically means I'm really limited on what I can eat. I even cut out white potatoes which is just...sad. I miss them. This Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie has been a total staple for me. It's simple and made with healthy but satisfying ingredients. Cozy and comforting without the guilt!
When I was growing up, my mom or stepdad used to make shepherd's pie all the time. Beef, corn, and mashed potatoes topped off with cheese. I won't pretend like I didn't think it was delicious. It was one of my favorite meals!
With some modifications, we can still enjoy the foods we loved before we were vegan or on a healthy lifestyle journey. Lentils are often a perfect substitute for beef. They take on flavor really well and are high in protein - 1 cup of lentils has about 18 grams of protein. You could also top this recipe with your favorite vegan cheese, but I usually leave it off.
Want to use white potatoes instead of sweet potatoes? Go for it. That's how my husband likes his shepherd's pie. You'll just need to add some veggie stock or almond milk when you're mashing because white potatoes are more dense than sweet potatoes.
The method for this recipe is pretty simple. You'll need two pots - a large one for the sweet potatoes, and medium pot for the lentils and veggies - and a casserole dish. First, peel and cut the potatoes. Let them simmer until tender. In the other pot, saute the carrots for a bit and then add the lentils. Once the lentils are tender, add the peas and corn, and cook for 5 more minutes. Mix in the seasonings, then add the lentils to a 3-quart casserole dish. Top with the sweet potatoes and spread them out evenly.
Bake it, and serve as is or with some chopped salad.
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled
- salt and pepper to taste
Lentil/Veggie Layer
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 3-4 tablespoon vegetable stock
- 1 cup dry, brown lentils
- 3 cups water
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- ¾ cup frozen corn
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce *
- pepper to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Halve the peeled sweet potatoes lengthwise, then cut into slices about 1 inch thick.
- Place the sweet potato slices in a large pot and cover with about 1-2 inches of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on medium-low and cook until fork-tender (about 10 mins.) Drain.
- Mash the sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher. Season with salt & pepper.
- While the potatoes are cooking, saute the carrots in vegetable stock in a medium-sized pot. Add in lentils and water. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer for 15 minutes or until just tender.
- Stir the peas and corn into the pot of lentils, cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Season the lentil mixture with the soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and vegan Worcestershire sauce. Add pepper and salt to taste.
- Pre-heat oven to 425F degrees.
- Spread the lentils out evenly in a 3-quart casserole dish.
- Dollop the mashed sweet potatoes on top and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
