Vegan French Onion Shepherd’s Pie
Vegetarian: undefined
Vegan: undefined
2-1-2-1 Meals: undefined
MAKES: serving
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 cups yellow onions, sliced into half moons
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp dried or fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
1 1/2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp coconut aminos
5 cups vegetable broth
Cauliflower Potato Mash
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 cups potatoes, chopped
7 cups cauliflower florets
3/4 cup unsweetened oat milk, or other non-dairy milk
1 1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnish: chopped chives
Directions
Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add all the sliced onions to the pot. Stir the onions often. Once they are starting to get soft, lower the heat slightly.
For about 45 minutes continue to cook and stir the onions until they are light golden brown, beginning to get jammy, and are sweet. This is almost to a caramelized state. If the onions begin to get dry or stick to the bottom you can add a splash of water.
Once the onions are cooked, increase the heat back to medium, add the thyme, bay leaf, and garlic. Stir for about 30 seconds or until the garlic and seasonings are fragrant then add the tomato paste. Stir to incorporate for another minute. Add the lentils and stir to mix then add the sherry vinegar and coconut aminos. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the vegetable broth to the pot and stir to mix everything. There should be just enough broth to cover the lentils and onions. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the lentils to cook for about 30-35 minutes. (Move onto step 6 if you want to start making the cauliflower and potato mash).
When the lentils and onions are done, remove the bay leaf, set the pot aside, and allow the French onion base to cool.
Pour water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the 2 cloves of smashed garlic, cauliflower florets, and diced potatoes to the boiling water. Try to cut the potatoes and cauliflower uniformly to ensure they cook evenly. This will prevent the mash from having uncooked pieces.
Cover the pot, reduce the heat slightly, and keep the pot at a strong simmer. Cook the cauliflower and potatoes until they are very fork tender and will be easily mashed. This could take around 20 minutes.
Once cooked, remove the garlic if you would like to, drain the potatoes and cauliflower, and return them to the pot.
Mash the potatoes and cauliflower with a masher. Add the oat milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. If you want a creamier consistency, use a handheld mixer to create the consistency you desire. You can also add a little more non-dairy milk for a creamier consistency, if desired.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a 9x13 baking dish, smooth the French onion base on the bottom. Then dollop the cauliflower and potato mash on top. Smooth it out with a spatula to create an even topping. Bake the Shepard’s pie for 25 minutes or until bubbly and heated all the way through. At the end of the 25 minutes you can broil the pie for another 10 minutes if you would like some extra browning on top of the mash.
Once done, remove the pie and let it set for about 5 minutes. Top with chopped chives as a garnish (optional).