Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

• 1 Recipe Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 medium onion
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 8 oz mushrooms, cremini, white or a mix with portobello
• 3/4 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 tsp fresh or 1/2 dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1.5 cups cooked brown lentils, 15 oz can, drained well, see note to cook in Instant pot
• 1/3 cup peas
• 1/4 cup Vegan Gravy, and more for serving, or mix 1 tbsp veggie broth, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp vegan worchestershire sauce, a good dash of onion and garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp bbq sauce or 2 tsp tomato paste, (optional)
• black pepper to taste
• extra virgin olive oil and thyme for topping

Steps

1. Prepare your mashed potatoes and vegan gravy and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pulse the onion, garlic, mushrooms in a processor, or chop all by hand.
2. Add onion mushroom mixture to a skillet with a good pinch of salt and 1 tsp oil over medium heat and cook for 8 minutes or until the moisture from the mushrooms is starting to dry. Add the carrots, celery, other chopped vegetables (upto 1 cup), herbs, 1/4 tsp salt and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Alternatively, brush oil on the baking dish. Add the chopped onion mushroom mixture and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, then add the carrots, celery, other chopped root vegetables, mix in and continue to bake for another 8 minutes.
4. Fold in the lentils, peas, bbq sauce, gravy(or the alternate ingredients), black pepper and mix in (in the baking dish or mix in the the skillet and transfer to the baking dish). Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add less or more gravy to preference.
5. Layer the mashed potatoes on top. Use a spatula to even ithem out.
6. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of thyme and pepper, or top with these garlic breadcrumbs.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Broil for a minute to brown. Cool for a few minutes before serving. The pie keeps thickening on cooling. Serve with gravy or other toppings of choice. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 4 days.