Air Fryer Dinner Recipes

Vegan Shepherds Pie for easy vegetarian dinner recipes

I love this plant based take on a pub classic. We cook a rich base with lentils and mushrooms. We top it with smooth potato and bake till the peaks turn gold. It belongs in easy vegetarian dinner recipes. It also fits 1 Pot Meals, 3 Ingredient Dinner Recipes spirit, the vibe of 5 Ingredient Or Less Recipes on busy days, the comfort of Vegan Meals, the pull of Vegetarian Dinner Recipes, and the calm of Easy Vegetarian Recipes. I start the pot and let onion, carrot, and celery soften. Garlic and spices bloom. Tomato paste darkens. Mushrooms brown and lend savor. Lentils simmer till tender. Peas go in for sweet pops. A spoon drags a small path and the sauce closes slow. That is my cue to taste and salt. Potatoes mash with olive oil and a splash of plant milk. I like a whisper of garlic. I spread the mash over the stew and rake lines with a fork. The oven kisses the top. The kitchen smells like Sunday. We scoop and share. We feel full and light at once.

Table of Contents

  • 1 Key Takeaways
  • 2 Easy Vegan Shepherds Pie Recipe
  • 3 Ingredients for Vegan Shepherds Pie
  • 4 How to Make Vegan Shepherds Pie
  • 5 Tips for Making Vegan Shepherds Pie
  • 6 Making Vegan Shepherds Pie Ahead of Time
  • 7 Storing Leftover Vegan Shepherds Pie
  • 8 Try these dinner recipes next
  • 9 Vegan Shepherds Pie
  • 10 Nutrition

1 Key Takeaways

I make this when I want easy vegetarian dinner recipes and I want them now. The pot starts with soft onions and carrots. The top lands fluffy with warm mash. Two wins in one dish and no mess.

The base uses lentils and mushrooms for depth. Herbs keep it bright. A splash of tamari adds savor. The mash stays smooth from olive oil and warm plant milk. The peaks turn gold in the oven and the house smells kind.

We plate thick scoops and sit. The bite feels hearty, yet light. Leftovers pack well. Linda shares this on Cook Daily Recipe at https://www.cookdailyrecipes.com. It fits busy weeks and slow Sundays alike.

2 Easy Vegan Shepherds Pie Recipe

I aim for comfort with speed. I also aim for clarity. This lives in easy vegetarian dinner recipes, and it earns the spot. In one pan, we build flavor. In one move, we spread the mash. Dinner slides into the oven and we breathe.

On weeknights I want quick vegetarian dinners that still taste slow cooked. This hits that mark. The stew thickens without cream. The mash sits rich without butter. The crave stays high without meat. The pan cleans fast. The mood lifts.

Hosting a crowd I lean on simple vegetarian dinner ideas that let me chat. I prep the base ahead and hold it cold. I whip the mash near serving. I bake and bring the dish to the table. Steam curls up and folks smile.

3 Ingredients for Vegan Shepherds Pie

Olive oil warms the pot and softens the veg while lending a round taste

Yellow onion diced small for sweet notes that melt into the sauce

Carrots cut in tiny cubes for gentle color and light crunch at the end

Celery brings clean scent and a little snap to balance the stew

Garlic minced so the aroma blooms and lifts the base

Tomato paste cooked till deep to add body and a hint of sweet

Mushrooms chopped small so they brown and give a meaty bite

Brown lentils steady little beans that soften and hold shape

Vegetable broth covers the lentils and turns into a rich sauce

Tamari adds salt and depth with a clean finish

Vegan Worcestershire optional but nice for a pub style note

Dried thyme classic herb that plays well with root veg

Smoked paprika a soft nudge of warmth and color

Frozen peas for bright pops and a hint of sweet

Kosher salt and black pepper to pull all the flavors into line

Russet potatoes boil and mash into a cloud that holds peaks

Plant milk warmed so the mash stays smooth and silky

Olive oil for mash adds gloss and a clean savory note

Garlic powder optional for a quiet hum in the mash

4 How to Make Vegan Shepherds Pie

step 1 Set a wide pot over medium heat. Add olive oil. Stir in onion, carrot, and celery. Cook till soft and glossy. Add garlic and stir till fragrant.

step 2 Spoon in tomato paste. Stir till it darkens. Add mushrooms. Cook till they give up liquid and the edges brown.

step 3 Add lentils, broth, tamari, vegan Worcestershire, thyme, and smoked paprika. Simmer gently. Stir at times. The sauce should thicken and coat a spoon.

step 4 Stir in peas. Taste. Add salt and pepper to balance. Turn off the heat. This base now rests and waits.

step 5 Boil potatoes in salted water till very tender. Drain well. Mash with plant milk and olive oil. Fold in garlic powder if you want a soft echo of garlic.

step 6 Heat the oven to four hundred F. Spoon the base into a baking dish. Spread the mash over the top. Rake lines with a fork so peaks crisp.

step 7 Bake till the top shows gold spots and the filling bubbles at the edge. Rest for ten minutes for clean scoops and stacked layers.

5 Tips for Making Vegan Shepherds Pie

Use mushrooms with color. Cremini brown well and taste deep. Chop small so they mingle. This trick boosts savory notes and keeps texture full.

Salt in layers. A pinch on veg, a splash in broth, and a final taste at the end. The stew wakes up. The mash also needs salt. Taste both sides before they meet.

For easy vegetarian dinner recipes on tight nights, make the base on day one and the mash on day two. The split keeps prep calm and the flavor stays bold.

6 Making Vegan Shepherds Pie Ahead of Time

I prep this when guests come. The base chills well. The mash sits in a covered bowl. I assemble before dinner and slide it into the oven. Steam lifts and plates fill.

For simple vegetarian dinner ideas that travel, pack the base in a dish and the mash in a bag. Pipe it on at the host kitchen. Bake till hot and golden. It looks neat and feels fun.

Label the dish with bake time and temp. Share that this lives in easy vegetarian dinner recipes that please mixed groups. Meat eaters dig in. Plant lovers feel seen. Plates come back clean.

7 Storing Leftover Vegan Shepherds Pie

Cool the dish. Cover tight. Keep it cold for up to four days. The flavors settle and deepen. The mash holds shape and reheats well.

For the next day lunch, reheat a square in a small skillet on low heat. Add a spoon of water. Cover for a soft steam that brings back the cream in the mash.

Freeze firm squares on a tray. Wrap and date. Thaw in the fridge and warm in the oven till the center steams. Dinner lands with no rush and no stress.

8 Try these dinner recipes next

9 Vegan Shepherds Pie

Vegan Shepherds Pie for easy vegetarian dinner recipes

I love this plant based take on a pub classic. We cook a rich base with lentils and mushrooms. We top it with smooth potato and bake till the peaks turn gold. It belongs in easy vegetarian dinner recipes. It also fits 1 Pot Meals, 3 Ingredient Dinner Recipes spirit, the vibe of 5 Ingredient Or Less Recipes on busy days, the comfort of Vegan Meals, the pull of Vegetarian Dinner Recipes, and the calm of Easy Vegetarian Recipes. I start the pot and let onion, carrot, and celery soften. Garlic and spices bloom. Tomato paste darkens. Mushrooms brown and lend savor. Lentils simmer till tender. Peas go in for sweet pops. A spoon drags a small path and the sauce closes slow. That is my cue to taste and salt. Potatoes mash with olive oil and a splash of plant milk. I like a whisper of garlic. I spread the mash over the stew and rake lines with a fork. The oven kisses the top. The kitchen smells like Sunday. We scoop and share. We feel full and light at once.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Keywords: 1 Pot Meals, 3 Ingredient Dinner Recipes, 5 Ingredient Or Less Recipes, Cook Daily Recipe, easy vegetarian dinner recipes, Easy Vegetarian Recipes, lentil shepherds pie, plant based comfort food, Vegan Meals, vegetarian dinner recipes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Linda

Ingredients

For the Lentil Base

  • Olive oil two tablespoons for a soft sauté
  • Yellow onion one medium diced fine
  • Carrots two small diced
  • Celery two ribs diced
  • Garlic three cloves minced
  • Tomato paste two tablespoons
  • Mushrooms ten ounces chopped small
  • Brown or green lentils one cup rinsed
  • Low sodium vegetable broth three cups
  • Tamari or soy sauce one tablespoon
  • Worcestershire style vegan sauce one teaspoon optional
  • Dried thyme one teaspoon
  • Smoked paprika one half teaspoon
  • Frozen peas one cup
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

For the Potato Top

  • Russet potatoes two pounds peeled and cut in chunks
  • Olive oil three tablespoons
  • Unsweetened plant milk one half cup warm
  • Garlic powder one half teaspoon optional
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the Lentil Base

  1. Heat a wide pot over medium. Add olive oil. Stir in onion, carrot, and celery. Cook till soft and glossy.
  2. Add garlic and tomato paste. Stir till the paste darkens and smells sweet.
  3. Add mushrooms. Cook till they give up their liquid and brown at the edges.
  4. Stir in lentils, broth, tamari, vegan Worcestershire, thyme, and smoked paprika. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  5. Cook uncovered till lentils turn tender and the sauce thickens. Stir at times. Add peas. Taste and season.

Make the Potato Top

  1. Cover potatoes with cold water. Add a good pinch of salt. Boil till very tender.
  2. Drain well. Mash with olive oil and warm plant milk. Add garlic powder if you like. Season to taste.

Assemble and Bake

  1. Heat oven to four hundred F. Spread the lentil base in a baking dish.
  2. Top with the mashed potatoes. Rake lines with a fork for crisp peaks.
  3. Bake twenty five to thirty minutes till the top shows gold spots and the filling bubbles around the edge.
  4. Rest ten minutes before serving so the layers settle.

10 Nutrition

One sixth of the dish gives about three hundred ten calories. Carbs land near forty nine grams. Protein sits near twelve grams. Fat reads about seven grams with one gram saturated. Fiber measures close to twelve grams. Sodium stays near five hundred twenty milligrams. These numbers guide planning. Flavor still leads.

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