This vegan shepherd's pie is a modern, plant based version of the classic - a rich mushroom and lentil base, topped with creamy mashed potato and pumpkin. Total cold weather comfort food.
Add the onions and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper, and cook for an additional minute.
1 medium yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 small sprig of rosemary leaves, 2 sage leaves, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Add the red wine and stir to release any spices stuck to the bottom of the pan.
60 ml dry red wine**
Add the vegetable broth and increase the heat to high to bring to a rolling boil. Add the lentils and reduce the heat to medium-low, then simmer for 20-25 minutes, covered, or until the lentils are cooked. Make the topping in the meantime.
625 ml vegetable broth, 150 grams brown lentils
Taste and season if needed. Whisk the arrowroot powder into the 2 tablespoons of water and then stir it in to the filling. It should thicken immediately. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2 teaspoons arrowroot*** powder + 2 tablespoons water
Pumpkin and Potato Topping
Peel the pumpkin if necessary and cut it into small chunks, about 4 cm (1.5 inches). Wash and chop the potatoes to the same size.
1/2 large hokkaido pumpkin, 500 grams potatoes
Place both into a medium pot, cover with water, and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer, covered, until the vegetables can be easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
Drain the water, reserving a cupful, and let the potatoes and pumpkin dry in the pot for a few minutes before mashing.
Use a potato masher to mash the vegetables before adding half of the reserved water, oil, salt, and pepper. Add more water as needed to get a smooth, spreadable consistency. If it's too thick it'll be difficult to spread over the mushroom filling.
1 cup cooking water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
To Bake the Pie
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). If you used an oven safe dish, simply spread the topping in an even layer over the mushroom base. If not, spoon the filling into a baking dish and top with the potato pumpkin mixture.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and the sauce has started to bubble up around the edges. Serve hot.
Leftovers can be frozen and keep well for 3-4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven if possible to keep the layers distinct.
Notes
• If you want to make this ahead of time, make both the filling and topping, then refrigerate for up to a couple of days before baking. Leftovers freeze well. * You can substitute a tablespoon of herbs du provence for the fresh herbs, or a teaspoon each of dried oregano and rosemary.** If you prefer not to use wine, you can use a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar instead. If you ever have leftover red wine, freeze it in an ice cube tray and then store in a sealed container and add a cube to mushroom and tomato based dishes.*** I've tested with tapioca here and it needs 3 tablespoons in that case. You may need a bit less if using cornstarch compared to arrowroot but I haven't tried.