Lentil & Rice Shepherd’s Pie | GF
Vegan shepherd’s pie with green lentils and brown rice. This is a gluten free dish that can be enjoyed anytime of the year.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with ground red meat, which I replaced by a mix of lentils and brown rice. It is topped with mashed potatoes, and sometimes cheese.
I used green lentils, but you can use any type. Remember that cooking time may differ depending on the variety.
For the mashed potatoes, I used Russet potatoes that I peeled and boiled in water until cooked. Then, I mashed them in my stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and added some cooking water (or plant-based milk if you prefer) to loosen it up. Once I’ve reached the right consistency, I added the nutritional yeast, and seasoned with salt and pepper.
You can also replace half of the potatoes with yam, carrot, broccoli, etc, for a lighter version of the dish.
Vegan parmesan brings a nice salty, cheesy taste to the dish, and is very easy and fast to make as long as you have a food processor or a stand blender. I used Nora Cooks’ Recipe, which is a blend of nuts or seeds, nutritional yeast, and salt.
I sprinkled the vegan parmesan on top of the puree, before broiling for a couple of minutes.
How to store and reheat a shepherd’s pie
Vegan shepherd’s pie can be kept in the fridge for up to five days, and in the freezer for up to three months.
I like to reheat it in the oven, covered with aluminum foil, for 30 minutes at 350°F / 180°C (50 minutes if frozen). If you warm it up in the microwave oven, cover with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes with a fork.
What to eat with a shepherd’s pie
It doesn’t matter the season, I always like to eat my shepherd’s pie with something light and refreshing, like a salad: tomato, corn and cucumber during summer ; cabbage, beets, or leek during winter.
More vegan and gluten free main courses
Millet Bowl with Butternut Squash and Dried Cranberries
Quinoa Patties with Mushrooms and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Lentil & Rice Shepherd’s Pie
Equipment
- Stand or hand blender
- Baking dish
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry green lentils
- ½ cup brown rice
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ¼ yellow onion
- 1 tbsp white table wine
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 small carrot
- 1 celery stick
- 5 thyme stems with leaves
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- salt
- pepper
- 2-3 medium potatoes
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp vegan parmesan – see notes
Instructions
- Rinse the rice, and bring it to a boil with 1 ¼ cups of water. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes (until water is absorbed).
- Peel the potatoes and cut them in half. Put in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 30 minutes, until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife.Don't drain the potatoes as we'll use some of the water to make the mash potato.
- Peel and dice the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot ; rinse the lentils.
- In a pot, heat up the olive oil on medium heat, and saute the onion for a few minutes. De-glaze with the wine, and add the garlic and the celery. Cook for a couple more minutes.Add the carrot, thyme, lentils, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and simmer with a lid on for about 30 minutes, until lentils are cooked. Drain and remove the thyme stems.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F – 200°C.
- When the rice and the lentils are cooked, mix them together in a bowl. Blend half of it with a stand or hand blender. Put everything back together into the bowl, add the tomato paste, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper.
- Mash the potatoes with a fork, or in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and add some cooking water to loosen it up (or plant-based milk if you prefer).
- Grease your baking dish, spread the rice and lentil mixture evenly on the bottom, and the mashed potatoes on top. Draw lines with a fork.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 400°F – 200°C.Sprinkle with vegan parmesan, and broil for a couple more minutes.
Notes
I used green lentils, but you can use any type. Remember that cooking time may differ depending on the variety.
For the mash, I used Russet potatoes. You can also replace half of the potatoes with yam, carrots, broccoli, etc, for a lighter version of the dish.
Vegan parmesan brings a nice salty, cheesy taste to the dish, and is very easy and fast to make as long as you have a food processor or a stand blender. I used Nora Cooks’ Recipe, which is a blend of nuts or seeds, nutritional yeast, and salt.
Vegan shepherd’s pie can be kept in the fridge for up to five days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat it in the oven, covered with aluminum foil, for 30 minutes at 350°F / 180°C (50 minutes if frozen).
If you warm it up in the microwave oven, cover with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes with a fork.
Calories are per one serving (total calories for this recipe: 1829).