Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Name: Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Prep time: 30

5 out of 5 stars (based on 15 reviews)

30 min prep

8 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

17 ingredients

This is real comfort food for cold, damp English winter afternoons and long winter nights, American ones too. French lentils hold their shape and have meatiness to them. Instead of the traditional peas, use chopped...

3 large potatoes (Idaho, Yukon gold or sweet potatoes)
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
Nutmeg, to taste
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, scrubbed and cut into a small dice
2 sticks celery, cut in a small dice
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
2 cups French lentils, washed and picked through
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
3 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1 bunch mustard greens, stems stripped out, steamed and roughly chopped
2 teaspoon lemon juice
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

352 cals

Fat

6 g

Saturated Fat

1 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

1 g

Monounsaturated Fat

4 g

Carbohydrates

62 g

Sugar

5 g

Fiber

10 g

Protein

16 g

Sodium

877 mg

Directions

Boil the potatoes in their skins until they are tender. Drain and mash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, or to taste, and a grind or two of nutmeg. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.
While the potatoes are cooking, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat, and sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaf in the oil until the onion starts to soften. Turn the heat down to low, cover and sweat the vegetables for about 8-10 minutes.
Uncover the pan. Bring up the heat to medium-high again. Add the garlic and a grind or two of black pepper. Saute for a minute or two. Add the washed lentils. Mix and fry with the vegetables until they are well coated with oil and juices and take the flavors.
Add the tomato paste and cook until it starts to change to an orangey color. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cover. Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and half the parsley. Cover and cook about 10-15 more minutes or until the lentils have soaked up all the liquid and are tender but not mushy. Add a little water if the lentils look too dry or are still under-cooked.
Add the greens and the rest of the parsley. Cook 5 minutes to heat through. Check for seasoning. Stir in lemon juice and spoon into an oven dish. Cover with mashed potato and brown under the broiler or on a high rack in a preheated oven (425 degrees). Let it sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

Chef Tips

For the Holidays, swap out the Idaho potatoes for delicious mashed sweet potatoes or yams.

Feel free to use butter to mash the potatoes. Cut down the olive oil to 2 tablespoons.

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, and videos are reviewed by our oncology-trained dietitians to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society