Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

🥘 Ingredients

Potatoes

• Yukon gold potatoes (or other thin-skinned potatoes)
  40 oz

Lentils

• dried lentils (black beluga or French green; not split)
  1 c
• cooked lentils
  2.5 c

Filling

• ghee
  2 tbsp
• onion (diced)
  1 large
• garlic (roughly chopped)
  4 cloves
• carrot (diced)
  2 c
• celery (diced)
  2 c
• kosher salt
  1 tsp
• ground cumin
  1 tsp
• ground coriander
  1 tsp
• dried fenugreek leaves
  2 tsp
• garam masala
  2 tsp
• vegetable broth
  1 c

Gravy

• ghee (or olive oil)
  2 tbsp
• kosher salt
• garam masala
• vegetable broth
  1.25 c
• cumin seeds
  1 tsp
• fennel seeds
  1 tsp
• all-purpose flour (gluten-free flour works)
  3 tbsp
• frozen peas
  1 c
• black pepper

Mash & Assemble

• ghee
  4 tbsp
• kosher salt
  1 tsp
• black pepper
  1/2 tsp
• plain yogurt
  1/2 c
• milk (or half-and-half / cream)
  1/2 c
• yellow curry powder
  1-2 tsp
• scallions (or chives or cilantro)

🍳 Cookware

• oven
• large pot
• 10-12 inch ovenproof skillet
• small pot

1. 📝

   Start the potatoes and lentils together (or cook the lentils ahead). 1 cup dried lentils yields about 2½ cups cooked. About 75 minutes end to end if you multitask; closer to an hour with lentils already cooked. Dairy-free: see Vegan Shepherd's Pie.

2. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Potatoes

1. 1

   Leave the skins on. Cut Yukon gold potatoes into 1-inch slices and place in a large pot . Cover with 1 inch of salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer over medium-low, cover, and cook until very tender, about ⏱️ 20-25 minutes .

   Yukon gold potatoes: 40 oz (or other thin-skinned potatoes)

Lentils

1. 1

   At the same time, cook dried lentils in salted boiling water like pasta until al dente, about ⏱️ 20-25 minutes , then drain. You need about cooked lentils .

   dried lentils: 1 c (black beluga or French green; not split), cooked lentils: 2.5 c

Filling

1. 1

   In a 10-12 inch ovenproof skillet or wide shallow Dutch oven, heat ghee over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until softened, about ⏱️ 2-3 minutes .

   ghee: 2 tbsp, onion: 1 large (diced)
2. 2

   Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about ⏱️ 2 minutes . Add carrot and celery ; cook until softened, about ⏱️ 5-7 minutes .

   garlic: 4 cloves (roughly chopped), carrot: 2 c (diced), celery: 2 c (diced)
3. 3

   Add kosher salt , ground cumin , ground coriander , dried fenugreek leaves , and garam masala ; stir to coat.

   kosher salt: 1 tsp, ground cumin: 1 tsp, ground coriander: 1 tsp, dried fenugreek leaves: 2 tsp, garam masala: 2 tsp
4. 4

   Add vegetable broth . Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook over medium-low until the carrots are tender, about ⏱️ 7-8 minutes .

   vegetable broth: 1 c

Gravy

1. 1

   While the filling simmers, in a small pot over medium heat, simmer cumin seeds and fennel seeds in the remaining ghee until fragrant and golden.

   cumin seeds: 1 tsp, fennel seeds: 1 tsp, ghee: 2 tbsp (or olive oil)
2. 2

   Add all-purpose flour , whisking and toasting for ⏱️ 1 minute . Gradually whisk in warm remaining vegetable broth . Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened.

   all-purpose flour: 3 tbsp (gluten-free flour works), vegetable broth: 1.25 c
3. 3

   Add the gravy to the filling along with frozen peas and the drained lentils. Mix to combine. Taste and adjust kosher salt , black pepper , and more garam masala if needed. The filling should be a thick, saucy stew — add a splash of broth if dry, or simmer off excess liquid if too watery (if too wet, the mashed potatoes will sink).

   frozen peas: 1 c, kosher salt, black pepper, garam masala

Mash & Assemble

1. 1

   Drain the potatoes (save some hot potato water), return to the pot, and mash with the remaining ghee , plain yogurt , and milk . Loosen with warm potato water if needed. Season with kosher salt , black pepper , and yellow curry powder . Mash until light and fluffy.

   ghee: 4 tbsp, plain yogurt: 1/2 c, milk: 1/2 c (or half-and-half / cream), kosher salt: 1 tsp, black pepper: 1/2 tsp, yellow curry powder: 1-2 tsp
2. 2

   Keep the filling in the skillet. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the stew in big dollops, fill the gaps with smaller spoonfuls, and spread carefully like frosting so the filling stays underneath.
3. 3

   Bake uncovered at 350°F until the potatoes are golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges, about ⏱️ 20-25 minutes . Optionally brown under the broiler for ⏱️ 1-2 minutes , watching closely. Garnish with scallions if desired. Serve hot.

   scallions (or chives or cilantro)