Shepherd's pie with sweet potato crust

2 mins to read

A vegetarian and low-GI spin on a classic dish the whole family will love!

Lentils are surprisingly meaty and they really come to life in this dish! The humble lentil absorbs flavours so well and can very easily be used in replacement of beef mince in most recipes.

Not only are they easy to cook and high in essential nutrients like protein, iron and dietary fibre.

Substituting potato for sweet potato also lowers the overall GI of the dish and increases the amount of vitamin A and potassium.

This dish can be cooked in two small oven-safe dishes or one large oven-safe dish, either way – we guarantee there will be plenty of leftovers ready for another meal.

Serves - 8
Prep time - 20 minutes
Cook time - 45 minutes
Gluten Free
Nut Free
Vegetarian*

If you're after a vegan and dairy free option substitute the milk for your favourite plant-based milk alternative.

Shepherd's pie with sweet potato crust served with green peas

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 celery stalks, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 zucchini, finely diced
1 cup mushrooms, finely diced
3 x 400g canned lentils, drained
2 x 400g can diced tomatoes
2 cups low-salt vegetable stock
2 tsp dried Italian herbs
4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce*
4 medium sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
½ cup milk
2 cups frozen peas, steamed (1 cup now, 1 cup later)

*Traditional Worcestershire sauce is made with anchovies. Vegetarian options are available at your local supermarket, check the label to find one that is suitable.

How to make

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan-forced,

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over a medium heat in a large pot. Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes or until translucent.

3. Add celery, carrot, zucchini and mushrooms to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add lentils, tomatoes, stock, herbs and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low, simmer for 20 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened.

4. Meanwhile, boil sweet potato until tender. Drain and mash together with milk and remaining oil. Set aside.

5. Transfer lentil mixture into 2 x 8L baking dishes or 1 x 16L baking dish. Place sweet potato mash over the top and roughen top with a fork. Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until potato has cooked.

6. Allow shepherd’s pie to cool for 5 minutes before serving alongside steamed peas.

Notes

To freeze the remainder of the pie, set aside to cool for 1-2 hours. Cover the baking dish with one layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to three months
To thaw the dish, it is best left to defrost in the refrigerator overnight
To reheat the dish, preheat oven to 180°/160°C (fan forced). Remove aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Cover the tray with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Whilst the pie is re-heating, boil the remaining 1 cup of frozen peas