Vegan Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed
1 lb baby portobella mushrooms, rinsed and quartered
1 large white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, in skin
1 tsp veggie bullion
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used soy, nut milk would be fine)
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary, de-stemmed and greens finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In large sauce pot, bring six cups of water to boil and cook sweet potatoes in this until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash well with nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, rosemary, and soy milk and then set aside.
In medium sauce pot, add lentils, bay leaf, and four cups of water and cook lentils until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils and mix in salt, pepper, and vegetable bullion.
Once all elements are prepared, use a medium-sized casserole dish and fill approximately half way with lentils. Remove greens from thyme sprigs and sprinkle on top of lentils. Then layer mushrooms on top of lentils. Lastly, top beans and veggies with thick layer of mashed sweet potatoes and spread evenly over the top. Place in oven and cook for about 35-40 minutes. Top should develop a slight “skin”. After removing pie, let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Makes between 6-8 servings depending on your appetite!
~Danielle Ahart Nelson
