Perhaps more than a vegan shepherd’s pie I should have called it vegetable pie since there is no meat. This is a very popular dish in England and the name means shepherd’s casserole: it consists of a base of minced meat and vegetables covered with a simple potato puree that forms a crust in the oven. Very similar is the cottage pie which instead is made with beef. I replaced the minced meat with a healthier and lighter ingredient: lentils, thus creating a vegan and gluten-free casserole. Alternatively, you can also use soy granules or ready-made vegetable mince. But with lentils, it’s delicious and also very digestible. Peas are usually added too, but I forgot them: if you want, go ahead and add them, considering the extra Weight Watchers points.
Usually, this casserole is made in a large baking dish, but I used individual serving dishes for various reasons. My oven doesn’t work well at low temperatures, so I needed to use the air fryer, which is too small for a baking dish. I chose individual portions so the WW points are easier to count. But not only that: we will also have more potato crust to enjoy! Let’s see how to prepare this vegan shepherd’s pie…
I also suggest some other recipes with lentils:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven, Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, New Year
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz dried lentils (or 10.5 oz of cooked lentils)
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 carrot
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 leaf bay
- 7 oz mushrooms (any type will do)
- 1 oz tomato paste
- to taste salt
- 17.5 oz potatoes
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 0.4 cup soy milk (unsweetened or other plant milk)
- to taste nutmeg
- to taste salt
- Total points = 20 WW points
- Points per serving = 5 WW points
Tools
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Pot
- Pan
- Potato Masher
- Wooden Spoon
- Ramekins
- Air Fryer
Steps
First, boil the lentils for about half an hour in plenty of water. Cooking time depends on the brand, so follow the instructions on the package. Drain them, reserving a cup of cooking water, and set aside.
Clean and chop all the vegetables: mince the garlic and dice the onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms.
In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, celery, and carrot with the bay leaf for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms and a bit of salt. Stir well, and once the mushrooms have reduced, add the tomato paste and lentils. Let it simmer, using some lentil cooking water when needed. After about 15 minutes, our vegan shepherd’s pie filling will be ready: make sure it’s not too dry, as it will continue to cook in the oven.
Now you need to make simple mashed potatoes. To save time, peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces. Place them in a pot and cover with slightly salted cold water. Boil them for about twenty minutes, checking with a fork if they are cooked.
Drain the potatoes and put them back in the pot, add a bit more salt, nutmeg, nutritional yeast, and soy milk, and mash them into a smooth, creamy puree. If it’s too dry, add a splash more milk. Adjust the salt if necessary.
Divide the filling among the 4 ramekins. Do the same for the mashed potatoes, then smooth the surface, sealing the potatoes well to the edges of the ramekins. Use a fork to scratch the surface of the puree: this will create a better crust.
Place 2 ramekins in the air fryer basket and cook at 320°F for 15 minutes, then at 390°F for another 8 minutes or until golden.
Let cool for a few minutes, then serve either directly in the ramekins or unmolding everything with a spoon, being careful not to burn yourself.
And here are our vegan shepherd’s pies ready to be enjoyed, hot of course. Really good, and I who ate the originals when I lived in London was satisfied with this light and vegan version.
Here you can see it unmolded from the ramekin, for 5 Weight Watchers points it’s really a lot to eat! But they are so good: here at home, they were very much appreciated and will certainly be on the table this Christmas or maybe at New Year’s to honor the tradition in a different way. Try them too and let me know if you liked them!
Storage
You can also prepare both the filling and the mashed potatoes in advance and even pour everything into the ramekins. In fact, I cooked two and covered the other two with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. I cooked them 3 days later and they were still perfect.
I didn’t freeze them, but I’m sure they can be frozen and then slightly thawed and cooked for a little longer.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is nutritional yeast?
In this recipe, you will also find nutritional yeast, which is a deactivated yeast rich in vitamin B12. It’s widely used in vegan cooking as it gives dishes a cheese-like flavor. To learn more, read here: Nutritional Yeast: What it is, how to use it and why!
Can I also use the oven?
Definitely! In fact, in the oven, you can use more ramekins or directly a larger baking dish, doubling or even tripling the quantities. For baking, I couldn’t try, but I believe you will need to bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes and then grill the surface.
