This year, my Friendsgiving dinner is on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and I’m still trying to figure out what entrée dish to bring. After two failed attempts to make the best baked mac and cheese ever, I’ve settled on this shepherd’s pie. There’s probably going to be more meat dishes than we can handle at our gathering, so I decided to make this shepherd’s pie with lentils instead of ground lamb or beef. This dish is so flavorful and filling that I don’t think anyone will miss the meat in here!
COOKING NOTES FOR VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD’S PIE
Browning: You’ll definitely need your broiler to get nice browning on the mashed potatoes. You can probably use a blow torch, too, but I’m guessing that most of us don’t have one lying around the house. My oven could be a bit wonky, but I had to stick the shepherd’s pie in the broiler for about 20 minutes to get the browning that you see in the photos.Meat Version: This recipe works well with a pound of ground lamb or lean (85%) ground beef. If you are making a meat version, skip the olive oil. Start cooking the meat on a hot pan, and cook the vegetables with the fat released from the meat.Use Frozen Vegetables to Cut Down on Prep Time: This recipe works well with frozen vegetables, too! Aim to use about 3 to 3 1/2 cups of frozen vegetables.Using Ghee: Ghee is clarified butter that’s shelf stable, and it helps make the BEST mashed potatoes. It makes the potatoes taste rich, and a little bit of ghee goes a long way. Of course, you can always use butter instead of ghee for this recipe.
