Treat your family to this scrumptious Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie tonight! This tasty vegetarian + vegan friendly recipe is loaded with fresh veggies, hearty lentils, and warm, savory flavors you're sure to love. It's the ultimate comfort food dinner!
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Lately, I can't seem to eat enough sweet potatoes. As far as I'm concerned, they're to perfect addition to pretty much any meal!
Since we're heading into fall, I decided to add this yummy veggie to one of my favorite cozy dinners, and this mouthwatering Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie is the result!
You're going to love this recipe! Nothing's better than a baked casserole on a chilly day, and this Veggie Pie is the definition of comfort food. The wonderful, savory filling is made with lentils, mushrooms, and other veggies, then topped with colorful mashed sweet potatoes. It's easy to make, hearty, and oh so delish!
Each bite of this delightful dish somehow seems even tastier than the last. And I'm sharing all the details on how to make this cozy, comforting Cottage Pie below ... just keep scrolling!
Ingredients
This delicious dinner dish uses healthy, plant based ingredients you can find at any grocery store. Here's what you'll need:
- Sweet Potatoes - You'll mash the sweet potatoes with milk and butter to create the creamy, delicious topping. I used soy milk, but if you're using regular milk, I'd recommend using whole milk for the best results.
- Lentils - The recipe calls for basic brown or green lentils. They give the filling a hearty flavor and texture. Do not substitute yellow or red lentils, which won't hold their shape.
- Veggies - A combination of onions, carrots, celery, peas, and mushrooms create this dish's flavorful vegetable filling. I used brown mushrooms, but white mushrooms (or even wild mushrooms) would also work great.
- Walnuts - Finely chopped walnuts give this Veggie Pie a great texture and add a little richness, too. Feel free leave them out if you have an allergy.
- Herbs + Spices - This recipe is seasoned with a combination of dried thyme, rosemary, and smoked paprika, plus fresh garlic. If you'd prefer to use fresh thyme and rosemary, stir them into the filling just before baking.
- Sauce - To make the tasty sauce, you'll use a combination of tomato paste, vegetable broth, and soy sauce, plus a little flour to thicken it.
Vegetarian + Vegan Friendly - This recipe is vegetarian, as well as vegan, as long as you use plant based butter and milk. I like to use unsweetened soy milk, because it's super creamy and has a neutral flavor.
Gluten Free Option - For a gluten free pie, replace the soy sauce with tamari, and instead of using flour, whisk 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch into the broth before adding it to the filling.
You'll Also Need
You'll need a medium saucepan to cook the lentils, a large pot to make the sweet potatoes, and a large skillet to prepare the filling (I used this nonstick frying pan), as well as a large baking dish to bake the pie.
How to Make Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
This recipe has a few steps, but it's easy to make. You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the process:
- Cook the lentils. Cover the lentils with well-salted water in a medium saucepan, then bring to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cook the lentils until they're tender. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Make the sweet potato mash. Once the lentils start cooking, add the chopped sweet potatoes to a large pot of cold, well-salted water. Bring to a boil, then cook the potatoes until they're tender. Drain them, then add butter and mash, adding just enough milk to get your desired consistency.
- Sauté the veggies. While the lentils and potatoes are cooking, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery in a little oil. Once the onions start to turn translucent, add the mushrooms. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are tender and any liquid they've released has evaporated.
- Add the spices, garlic, and walnuts. Mix in the spices, garlic, and walnuts. Stirring constantly, cook the mixture for another minute.
- Finish filling. Next, you'll add the tomato paste, peas, and cooked lentils. Stir well to coat the vegetables with the tomato paste, then continue cooking until everything is hot. Sprinkle the flour over the filling, then mix well. Stir in the broth and the soy sauce, then continue cooking until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble pie. Transfer the filling to an oiled baking dish, then top with the mashed sweet potatoes. Brush a tablespoon of butter over the potatoes.
- Bake pie. Finally, bake the pie until everything is hot and the potatoes are starting to brown in spots.
Next comes the best part ... time to dig in! Just one bite, and you are going to fall in love with this cozy Sweet Potato Lentil Shepherd's Pie. It's a true comfort food favorite that you'll look forward to eating all fall and winter long!
Tip: For fastest results, work on the different recipe components concurrently. Once you've started the lentils, begin the potatoes. While both of those are cooking, start preparing the filling. That way, you're not wasting time standing around waiting for things to cook.
Serving Suggestions
This Vegan Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potatoes is filling and hearty. Serve it on its own for a one dish meal, or pair it with something light, like a Garden Salad or this Easy Kale Salad. It would also be wonderful served with these Roasted Root Vegetables, Glazed Carrots, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Seeds.
Related Recipes
If you loved this delicious recipe, make sure to try my Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie next! It's made with similar ingredients, but has a wonderful mashed red potato topping.
Looking for similar cozy dishes? You'll love these recipes, too:
- Vegetable Pie
- Mushroom, Kale, and Cheddar Quiche
- Veggie Pot Pie (for the Ninja Foodi)
- Roasted Vegetable Tart
- Vegetable Wellington
- Mushroom Wellington
- Stuffed Acorn Squash
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
For Lentils:
- ½ cup green lentils (or brown lentils)
For Mashed Sweet Potatoes:
- 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 2 medium potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup milk
For Filling:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 large carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 2 large stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound mushrooms, diced (about 5 cups)
- ¼ cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- kosher salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a large baking dish.
Prepare Lentils:
- Place lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with well-salted water.
- Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook lentils until tender (about 15 to 20 minutes).
- Drain and set aside.
Prepare Potatoes:
- While lentils cook, place potatoes in a large pot of cold, well-salted water. Bring to a boil, then cook until tender. Drain.
- Add butter to potatoes, then mash, adding just enough milk to reach desired consistency.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
Prepare Filling:
- While lentils and potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onions, carrots, and celery to oil; season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until onion starts to turn translucent around the edges (about 5 to 7 minutes).
- Stir mushrooms into pan. Saute until mushrooms are tender and any liquid they release has evaporated.
- Reduce the heat to medium, then mix in walnuts, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Stir tomato paste, peas, and lentils into skillet. Cook for a minute or two, or until hot.
- Sprinkle veggies with flour, then mix in thoroughly.
- Add broth and soy sauce, then simmer mixture until sauce has thickened (about 3 to 5 minutes).
- Remove vegetables from heat, then season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
- Transfer filling to baking dish, then top with potatoes. Brush potatoes with melted butter.
- Bake until pie is heated throughout and potatoes are starting to turn golden, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Serve hot. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
