Vegan Lentil Cottage Pie

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus I have been shopping at my local farm shop and it has made realise how much I love fresh fruit and vegetables. Our local farm shop tries to stock fruit and vegetables from the local area. Obviiously there are a lot of fruit and vegetables that have to be flown or brought in from other parts of the world. However I always find a good selection of local veggies.

So while I was shopping last week I was inspired to make a Lentil Cottage pie. I probably should name it after the shop I bought the vegetables in but I don’t think my readers would understand the title. So instead it’s just a Vegan Lentil Cottage Pie, but it’s a delicious pie. Well worth a try.

Do you enjoy eating lentils and what’s your favourite way to cook them? Let me know in the comments below and please don’t forget to like and follow me.

Serves 4

Equipment needed

• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Vegetable peeler
• Slow cooker
• Large pan
• Stirring spoon
• Teaspoon
• Tablespoon
• Baking dish
• Saucepan
• Colander
• Potato Masher

Ingredients

• Potatoes x 1kg
• Onions x 1 large
• Garlic x 2 cloves
• Tomatoes x 2 400g tins
• Vegetable stock x 500ml
• Butternut squash x 1 small
• Red pepper x 1 large
• Courgette x 1 large
• Dried mixed herbs x 1 tsp
• Tomato puree x 2 tbsp
• Tamari x 2 tbsp
• Brown rice flour x 2 tbsp
• Red lentils x 300g
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• Oat milk (Or a milk of your choice)
• Nutritional yeast x 4 tbsp or cheese if you aren’t vegan (optional)

Method for the slow cooker

• Start by peeling and chopping the onion, garlic and butternut squash.
• Peel and slice the courgette.
• Then remove the core and slice the red pepper.
• Put all of these vegetables into the slow cooker pot.
• Next pour over the vegetable stock and tomatoes.
• Then the herbs du provence, tomato puree, brown rice flour and tamari.
• Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
• Mix in the red lentils.
• Stir all the ingredients together.
• Finally turn the slow cooker onto low for eight hours or high for four hours.
• Thirty minutes before the end of the cooking time preheat the oven to 180°.
• Then peel and chop the sweet potato into 2 cm cubes.
• Put the cubes into a colander and put a saucepan of water on the hob.
• Put the potatoes into a large saucepan of water.
• Put on a high heat and bring to the boil.
• Turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.
• Put a fork in and if it falls off the potatoes are cooked.
• Once they are cooked mash the potatoes with the milk, olive oil and nutritional yeast or cheese.
• Now remove the lentil mixture from the slow cooker and put into the baking dish.
• Spread the mash potato evenly on top and put it in the oven for about 25 – 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and serve with my homemade baked beans or green beans.
• Then enjoy.

Method for the hob

• Start by peeling and chopping the onion, garlic and butternut squash.
• Slice the courgette and then core and slice the red pepper.
• Put the large pan on a medium to high heat.
• Fry the onions once the pan is hot enough until they are translucent/see through.
• Add in the garlic and fry for a further few minutes.
• Then add in the rest of the vegetables and fry for a further two – five minutes or until they start to soften.
• Sprinkle over the brown rice flour and add in the tomato puree.
• Continue to fry for a further minute or so.
• Now add in the lentils and stir all of the ingredients together.
• Pour in the tomatoes and the vegetable stock.
• Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for about 30 minutes.
• While the vegetables, tomatoes and stock are simmering add in the tasmari and herbs du provence.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Then leave with a loose lid on the top of the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and chop in 2 inch cubes.
• Put the potatoes into a large saucepan of water.
• Put on a high heat and bring to the boil.
• Turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.
• Put a fork in and if it falls off the sweet potatoes are cooked.
• Once they are cooked mash the potatoes with the milk and olive oil.
• Now remove the lentil mixture from the hob and put into the baking dish.
• Spread the mash potato evenly on top and put it in the oven for about 25 – 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and serve with my homemade baked beans or green beans.
• Enjoy.

Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie was a big hit in our house. My husband Howard and son Ted really enjoyed this meal. No one noticed that there wasn’t any meat in it and plates were cleaned. All of the ingredients in this dish are freezable. So you could make double and put it into the freezer for another occasion. Plus you could also add meat to this dish. I think minced turkey or chicken would taste great or you could also use bone broth to give the dish a meatier flavour. However you decide to eat this dish, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx