This meat-free Shepherd’s Pie has a tasty topping of mash with mustard and chilli sauce. If you prefer, it’s fine to keep it plain.

Ingredients

For the base

  • 150g brown lentils (or use tinned, drained green lentils)
  • 720ml water
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 450g passata (or liquidised canned tomatoes)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (for the pasta dishes, or sunflower oil for the rice ones)
  • ½ large onion, chopped
  • 1½ cloves of garlic, crushed
  • ¼ red pepper, chopped
  • ½ medium courgette, chopped in half lengthways then sliced
  • 50g (2oz) mushrooms, chopped
  • 110g (4oz) veggie mince
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • ½ tbsp tomato purée
  • 1½ tsp bouquet garni

For the topping

  • 3 large potatoes, steamed and mashed
  • 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1,240ml soya or rice milk

      Method

      1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2. If using tinned lentils, omit stage 2.
      2. Cook the lentils in the water for around 30 minutes or until soft. Drain, if there is any water left.
      3. Transfer the lentils to a mixing bowl and mix with the remaining base ingredients.
      4. In another bowl, mix all topping ingredients together.
      5. Put the base mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish, smooth out and top with the potato mixture.
      6. Bake for 30 minutes until browning and crisp.

      For more great ‘Main Meals’, click here.

      Recipe details

      Serves: 4

      Prep time: 0 hr

      10 mins

      Cook time: 1 hr

      20 mins

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