A vegetarian twist on a classic comfort food

Looking for a new whole food, plant based recipe to add to your meal planning? This lentil pie is packed full of plant proteins, fiber and micro-nutrients and boasts big savory flavour! This recipe requires some time to prepare so is a great one to bring together over the weekend when you are hosting vegetarian company but also creates great left overs for the week. You can also get creative with the topping by mixing up different vegetables, or keep it simple and just use potatoes!

• Gluten free
• Dairy free (optional)
• Refined Sugar free
• Nut free
• Vegetarian
• Vegan optional

Ingredients:

Lentil Filling:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white/yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 medium stalks celery, finely sliced
• 2 large carrots, chopped into smaller pieces or sliced into rounds (I like to quarter the rounds)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 cups dried brown or green lentils (not red)
• 4 cups veggie broth
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Braggs *optional
• 1 1/2  tsp thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp  rosemary
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp dried sage
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Topping:

• 8-10 cups cooked vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, cauliflower or winter squash such as a white or orange acorn or a sugar dumpling. Mix and match whatever you wish, or just use straight up potatoes. Adding a variety can up the nutrients and keep it interesting
• 1/4 cup vegan butter or dairy butter
• 1/3-1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice or dairy milk
• 2 tbsp miso paste (option)
• 1 head roasted garlic (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400F. 
• Depending on what vegetables you choose for the top will depend on what you do first. If you are roasting winter squash or yams, get these in the oven first. You will place halves face down, deseeded, on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until tender, about 45 minutes. This is also an opportunity to use left over roasted veggies that can be mashed into your topping. You can roast yams and squash ahead of time to save time when bringing this together.
• This is a good time to roast a head of garlic as well. Place garlic in a clay bowl or small roasting dish and drizzle with olive oil, cook on 400F for about 30 minutes or until squishy, set aside and let cool for the mashed topping.
• If not roasting vegetables, peel and steam or boil vegetables of choose such as potatoes, turnips and cauliflower. Consider even just adding half a head of cauliflower or a couple of turnips to replace your potatoes.
• While topping vegetables are cooking, get started on the lentil filling.
• In a large skillet, sauté the onion, celery and carrot in the olive oil on medium high until soft and aromatic then add minced garlic and cook another 2 minutes or so, stirring as to not burn.
• Add balsamic vinegar when the mixture is finished cooking.
• Transfer filling into a large casserole dish.
• While the lentils are cooking, come back to the topping. Drain boiled or steamed veggies along with any roasted vegetables you are using into a large mixing bowl.
• In an immersion blender, puree butter, miso, 1/2 the milk and roasted garlic then add liquid to the vegetables and mash until smooth. Depending on what veggies you are mashing, you may want to start with a little less milk and add more if you need if the mash is too dry. Add some extra salt and pepper to taste.
• If not using the miso and garlic, simply add butter and milk and mash, adding extra salt and pepper to taste.
• Top the lentil filling in the casserole dish with the mashed vegetables. Option to sprinkle some dairy cheese such as parmesan on top.
• Place in oven for 20-30 minutes or until top is browning and the dish is heated through.