Shepherd’s pie is a comfort food classic, but did you know the meatless version is equally delicious? Cooking lentils in Pacific Foods® Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth adds depth and flavor, making them the perfect swap for the dish’s traditional ground beef or lamb. Best of all, you can make the lentil mixture up to three days in advance before layering it with fluffy mashed potatoes and popping it in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Score potato skins around the middle of each potato. Arrange potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake potatoes in a preheated oven until fork tender, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large ovenproof, high-sided skillet over medium until shimmering. Add onions and garlic; cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, rosemary, and smoked paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until onions are coated and tomato paste has darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
Add Pacific Foods® Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth, and increase heat to medium-high. Stir in lentils, tamari, and season with kosher salt; bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium to maintain a simmer, and cook until lentils are just tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. Stir in frozen mixed vegetables. Whisk together cornstarch and 3/4 cup water; stir into lentils, and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Once potatoes are tender, but still hot, carefully remove skins using a paring knife; discard skins. Transfer potato flesh to a large bowl. Add butter pieces; mash with a large fork or potato masher (alternatively, use a ricer) until relatively smooth and butter has melted into potatoes. Slowly add warm cream and season with kosher salt, folding into potatoes until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
Use a spoon to smooth the top of the lentil filling. Dollop and carefully spread mashed potatoes over top of lentils, covering the entire surface.
Bake in a preheated oven until filling starts to bubble around the edges, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and preheat the oven to Broil. Return the skillet to the oven and broil until topping is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
For a lighter version of this dish, make the mashed potatoes with half the amount of butter and swap the cream for ½ cup whole milk.
Score the potato skins before baking them to make them easier to peel. And don’t forget to wear gloves, if you have them! The potatoes will be hot when you peel them.
This nutritional information refers to each serving of the entire recipe and not just the products used as ingredients.