Vegetarian cottage pie
Nothing says cosy comfort food quite like a cottage pie and this vegetarian version is the perfect option for your meat free Monday! Inexpensive to make, rich and utterly moreish it’s the perfect dish to enjoy during those cooler nights.
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 Tbsp dried mixed herbs
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 400g tinned tomatoes
- 2x 400g tinned lentils, drained
- ½ cup vegetable stock
- 2-3 large orange kumara, peeled and cut into chunks
- 25g butter
- Grated cheese to finish, if desired
Method
- Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius fan bake. In a heavy based pan, bring a generous drizzle of olive oil to a medium heat. Once hot, sauté the onion, garlic, carrot and dried herbs for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables have begun to soften.
- Stir the flour into the vegetable mixture, then add the tinned tomatoes, lentils, and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 5-10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced slightly and the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- While the lentils are cooking, boil the kumara pieces in salted water until tender when tested with a knife. Drain, then mash with the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the lentil sauce has reduced, transfer to an ovenproof baking or pie dish. Carefully top with the mashed kumara and use a spoon to spread over the entirety of the lentil mixture.
- Top with grated cheese if desired, then place into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy.
Our top tip
Prepare this recipe in advance for a quick weeknight option. Simply cool the cottage pie after step four, then cover and keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. Bake for 30-40 minutes from chilled.
This delicious cottage pie can easily be made vegan – just omit the butter and grated cheese.