Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

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Serves 6
As winter approaches, hot meals are more and more appetizing. Lentil Shepherd’s Pie is a delicious, hot meal that will warm you up on a cold day. Lentils are a great source of iron, fiber, and protein. The meaty texture of the lentils makes this home-style favorite a hearty and healthy meal. Instead of potatoes, I used rutabagas as the top layer mash. Rutabagas are a great source of potassium, fiber, and Vitamin C. With a flavorsome amount of natural sugars, rutabagas provide a sweet contrast of flavors that is absolutely delicious in shepherd’s pie!

Ingredients

1 cup dry green lentils
1 cup fresh celery, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup fresh carrots, diced
¼ cup shallots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium
2 T. parsley
1 T. thyme
2 T. olive oil
3 medium rutabagas, peeled & diced
Salt & pepper

  1. In a Dutch oven, sauté shallots and garlic in olive oil. When fragrant, add celery, carrots, peas, lentils, parsley, thyme, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 hour or until the lentils are tender.
  2. As the lentils simmer, peel and dice the rutabagas to 2” cubes. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and add the rutabagas. Boil until tender or about 20 minutes. When tender, drain. Mash and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Create a slurry using the cornstarch and 4 T. of the lentil cooking liquid. Whisk the ingredients together until combined, and add to lentil mixture. Boil while stirring constantly until thick.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drop and spread the rutabaga mash on top of the cooked lentil-vegetables to create a top layer. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the lentils simmer.

Happy Cooking!

 

Madeleine Wirth

Madeleine is a senior at James Madison University, studying to be a registered dietitian. She loves exploring recipes with fresh and nutritious ingredients. As a native to the Shenandoah Valley, she passionately supports the local food economy in Harrisonburg.