Description
A hearty, vegetarian twist on classic shepherd’s pie, featuring savory lentils and vegetables topped with a creamy sweet potato and Parmesan crust.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup milk or cream
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a pot, cook lentils according to package directions until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- While lentils cook, boil sweet potatoes in salted water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash with butter, milk, and half the Parmesan until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in cooked lentils, vegetable broth, tomato paste, thyme, and smoked paprika. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Add peas and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer lentil mixture to a baking dish. Spread sweet potato mash evenly over the top. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste.