PLANT-BASED SHEPARD'S PIE
This casserole is the perfect comfort food for this holiday season. This casserole is made up of fluffy kale & garlic mashed potatoes made with cashew cream, layers of veggies, lentils, and a mushroom gravy. This would be a great dish to bring to a family holiday event as it is sure to please herbivores and omnivores alike while masquerading as a classic casserole.
Being plant-based during the holidays can be especially difficult when you go to extended family's houses and aren't sure if you will have anything to eat. Instead of bringing a small container of food for yourself, show off your cooking skills and bring a delicious casserole like this to show that plant-based food can be delicious and that you want to be a part of these meals. With that said, let's get into this delicious recipe!
THE PERFECT PLANT-BASED SHEPARD'S PIE
Yield: Serves 6-8
Time: 90 minutes
*See Note at the end of directions about ingredients.
Ingredients:
For the Kale Mash:
2 lbs of potatoes
4 large kale leaves, chopped
1 Recipe of Cashew Cream
3/4 cup cashews
11/4 cups water
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
For the Filling:
1 1/2 cups of green or brown lentils
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 large carrot, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 large leeks, diced
1 large celery rib, diced
1 cup english peas
1 cup sweet corn
3/4 cup cashews or walnuts chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 cup of white wine *optional
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Corn Starch Slurry
2 tbsp corn starch
1/3 cup water
Directions:
Garlic Kale Mash:
Start by adding your cashews to a bowl and cover with water, allow to soak for at least 15 min. Next, peel and dice your potatoes and add to a pot. Fill the pot with water till the potatoes are covered and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until you can easily pierce the potato with a fork. Next drain the potatoes and add to a large mixing bowl.
To make the cashew cream, rinse and drain the cashews then add to a blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth then add to your potatoes. Use a hand mixer or potato masher to fully combine. Next saute your kale over medium heat till wilted (about 3-5 minutes). Remove any excess liquid from the kale and add to the bowl with the mashed potatoes. Use a large spatula to fold in the kale till combined.
Veggie Filling:
On medium heat in a large pan add your olive oil and saute the onion, celery, leek, mushrooms, and carrot until softened (about 5-7 minutes). Next add your garlic, cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Next add the lentils, walnuts/ cashews, worcesteshire, balsamic, salt, and all of the spices. Stir till well combined. Next deglaze with a splash of wine, let that cook off for a minute. Then add 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth and corn starch slurry (simply whisk together the corn starch and water). Allow to cook down for 5 minutes on medium low heat.
Preheat oven to 350F
To Assemble:
To a 9 x 13 baking dish add the base layer. Then top with a nice thick layer of the mashed potatoes! Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy :)
Notes:
You DO NOT need to use as many veggies as I used! I recommend at the minimum using onion, mushrooms, lentils, corn, and peas for an authentic filling with all of the spices mentioned. However, if you want to get fancy than feel free to add whatever else you have in your fridge! It truly is difficult to mess up this casserole- Unless you are Rachel Greene and combine it with a banana cream pie (Only true Friends fans will get that reference)!
I also recommend putting a pan below this dish in the oven as mine did spill over just a little, or poking holes in the mashed potatoes so that the heat can get through! Mix it up, make it your own, comment with any questions about ideas or substitutions!
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