Skillet Shepherd's Pie
Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie also known as Cottage Pie is a centuries old dish which is a crustless pie traditionally filled with various meats and topped with potatoes. This recipe is completely plant based utilizing hearty legumes and grains to make up the meat. Added carrots and peas and a delicious bath of gravy round out the mixture that is all nestled under the top layer of creamy mashed potatoes. While any baking vessel will work, the skillet performs double duty making this recipe even easier to make. This is the perfect weeknight dinner as you can cook the lentils and farro the night before.
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (112.5g) cooked Farro (You can sub Barley)
1 1/2 cups (112.5g) cooked French Lentils (you can use green or black)
2 cups (473ml) No Beef Broth (you can sub Veg broth)
1 small (150g) Onion finely diced
4 cloves Garlic minced or pressed
1/2 cup (76g) frozen Peas
1 large Carrot finely diced
2 tsp (10g) Thyme chopped
1 Bay Leaf
2 Tbsp (30g) Vegan Butter
2 Tbsp (30g) Flour
1 1/2 Tbsp (23g) Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp (30ml) Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp (15ml) Dark Soy Sauce (optional for color)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Potato Topping
6 medium (1100g) Potatoes (Russet or Yukon)
3 Tbsp (45g) Vegan Butter
1/2 cup (118ml) Plant Milk
1 1/2 Tbsp (23g) Vegan Cream Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
Equipment
Oven safe Skillet or Baking Dish
Directions
1. Make the mashed potatoes by peeling and cutting the potatoes into halves or thirds. Place them in a large pot of salted water and bring them to a boil. Boil for about 25 minutes or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot on low heat. Mix in the plant milk, vegan butter, vegan cream cheese, salt & pepper. Give them a good mash until creamy. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Set aside.
2. Add the oil to a large oven safe skillet and sauté the onion on medium low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add in the carrot, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and mix well.
3. Add in the tomato paste and worcestershire sauce and cook for 3 minutes. Add in the vegan butter and cook until melted and mixed through. Add in the flour and mix well. Cook for about 2 minutes while mixing occassionally.
4. Add in the vegan beef broth a third at a time until incorporated. Add in the dark soy sauce if using and allow the gravy to come to a shallow boil. Add in the cooked lentils, cooked farro and frozen peas mix well.
5. Remove the bay leaf and carefully top the mixture with the mashed potatoes. Smooth out the topping and try to create a seal along the edges of the pan in order to prevent the filling from bubbling over the potatoes.
6. Place the skillet into the oven and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Set the oven to broil at 400 and bake another 5-10 minutes or until the potato topping is nicely browned. Serve immediately.
