Vegan Shepherds Pie

Recipe Isabella Carlstrom // @isabellasofiacarlstrom

for Edgar’s Mission //@edgarsmission
Photography Julie Renouf

Shepherds pie, cottage pie, whatever you call it, this comfort food classic gets a very tasty vegan makeover courtesy of model Isabella Carlstrom in the gorgeous new cookbook Kindness Community. “Family is very important to me – and that includes our four-legged friends. Being vegan is the best way to look after all beings and our planet,” says Isabella. Lentils and creamy mash combine to create a vegan shepherds pie recipe you’ll want to eat every single week. You’re welcome.

SERVES 4–6

INGREDIENTS 

MASH

8 potatoes (I use Dutch Cream)
1 vegetable stock cube (optional)
120 g vegan butter
¾ cup plant-based milk (I use soy)
½ teaspoon salt

FILLING
2 brown onions
2 carrots
4 stalks celery
6 cloves garlic
4 cups dried lentils or 2 x 400 g cans lentils
2–3 vegetable stock cubes
2–3 tablespoons olive oil
4 dates, pitted and chopped
2 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme, leaves only
2 stems rosemary, leaves only
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
5 tablespoons tomato paste
2 x 400 g cans diced tomatoes
1/3 cup currants 
250 g silverbeet, stalks removed
150 g vegan cheese 

METHOD

1. Start cooking the potatoes while you make the filling. 

2. For the mash, peel and cut the potatoes into quarters. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add potatoes and cook for 15–20 minutes or until soft. I like to put a vegetable stock cube in the water too. 

3. Drain the cooked potatoes and add the butter, milk and salt to the saucepan and mash the potatoes till smooth. You might need more or less milk depending on the consistency of the mash. Put aside. 

4. For the filling, finely chop the onions, carrots, and celery. Grate the garlic. If cooking the lentils, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and add lentils. I also like to put a vegetable stock cube in the water. Cook for 10–15 minutes or until tender. If using canned lentils, drain and rinse. 

5. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes. Then add the garlic, carrot, celery, dates, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, 2 vegetable stock cubes, paprika and cumin and cook for another 5 minutes until soft. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Then add the tomatoes and currants. Cook for 10 minutes.

6. Chop the silverbeet, add to the onion mixture and cook for another 5 minutes. 

7. Add the lentils (cooked or canned) to the rest of the filling. If needed, add a little water. (I like to use a bit of the cooking water from the lentils.) Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Once the filling is cooked, transfer to a baking dish. Remove the bay leaves. Top with the mashed potato. Grate the vegan cheese and sprinkle over the top. 

8. Put the oven on the grill setting at about 180°C. Grill the pie until the cheese has melted, which will take 7–10min. 

This is edited an extract from Kindness Community Vegan Cookbook by Edgar’s Mission (Affirm Press, $35). Photography by Julie Renouf.

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