Yin/Yang Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Get the best of both worlds - a savory garlic mash OR a sweet potato mash topping - when you can't decide which or want to delight everybody at a holiday table!

Vegan Cooking Level: Intermediate

Shepherd’s Pie Lentil Filling Ingredients

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, shredded

2 stalks celery, diced

½ square box mushrooms, diced

1 diced sweet potato

2 c. frozen veggie mix (corn, carrot, green beans)

3/4 cup regular brown or green lentils

⅓ cup regular white rice

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes (and their liquid)

2 cups veggie broth

3 tbsp. tamari

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. poultry seasoning/spice mix

1 tsp. paprika (regular)

½ tsp. dried thyme (or 2 tbsp. fresh)

½ tsp. salt & pepper

2 tbsp. corn starch + 2 tbsp. water, mixed sep.

YOUR CHOICE Mashed Potato Toppings:

Sweet Potato Mash Topping

2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced in 1/2-inch slices

2-3 tbsp brown sugar

¼ cup veggie broth, heated

¼ cup UNSWEETENED UNFLAVORED plant milk, heated

OR

White/Gold Potato Garlic Mash Topping

2-3 large baking or equivalent yukon gold potatoes

3-4 cloves garlic, whole, peeled

¼ cup veggie broth, heated

¼ cup UNSWEETENED UNFLAVORED plant milk, heated

OR

½ of each if you want to make YIN/YANG STYLE!

How To

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Turn your Instant Pot on Saute and place ALL ingredients for the Shepherd’s Pie Lentil Base in your Instant Pot one by one. For Stove top, saute onions, mushrooms, celery, garlic for 5 minutes until softened, then add the rest of the base ingredients, except the corn starch.

Step 2: Turn off Saute on your Instant Pot and set your IP to manual and 8 minutes and allow for a 10 min natural release. For stove top, set heat to a gentle simmer until the base is nearly cooked through and softened about 20-30 minutes (there will still be some “bite” left to the lentils, rice and other veggies.) For both, add half the cornstarch & water mixture and gently fold in to thicken any liquids left at the bottom of the pot a bit. Add the rest if you need it.

Step 3: While the lentil filling is cooking, prepare your choice of potatoes by peeling, slicing into ½” round slices and covering in a pot with water on the stove top. For garlic white or gold mashed potatoes, add garlic cloves. Boil potatoes 20 min or so until fork tender all the way through. Drain and add back to the pot along with additional ingredients listed above for your specific mash choices and mash until smooth.

Step 4: In a 9-inch pie plate, add cooked lentil filling to the top rim of the pie plate. Spread desired mash on top and make it pretty! Line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper, tin foil or a silpat and place your filled pie plate on top and place into the oven, uncovered for 30 minutes, or until edges are browned and you see a few bubbles coming up to the surface. Serve hot.

Serves about 4-5 as a main dish, more as a side. Keeps well in the fridge and slices beautifully when cold, for several days and reheats easily (when thawed) in the microwave or the oven.

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