Twice Baked Lentil Shepherd’s Pie Potatoes
Twice Baked Lentil Shepherd’s Pie Potatoes- a fun plant-based take on the Irish classic, these potatoes are stuffed with wholesome lentils and veggies for an easy and delicious meal! (gluten-free)
Some of you might remember the Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie that I posted a while back. It’s one of our favorite recipes but I’ll be the first to admit that the ingredient list can seem somewhat intimidating. While end result is definitely worth it, I get that it’s not ideal to have to buy a ton of stuff to make dinner.
The filling for this version is a little bit simpler thanks to a few shortcuts like frozen vegetables and precooked lentils. It’s made in one pot and comes together in just 20 minutes. Here’s what you need to make them!
Twice Baked Lentil Shepherds Pie Potatoes Ingredients
- Onion and Garlic– these are the only two vegetables you’ll have to chop for the filling. Don’t skip them because they add so much savory flavor.
- Dried Thyme and Oregano– my favorite herbs to use for this are oregano and thyme but feel free to substitute them with whatever you prefer.
- Worcestershire- most brands of worcestershire have anchovies but there are a few that make vegan versions. I like Annie’s or The Wizards.
- Tomato Paste- this adds richness and depth to the filling so I don’t recommend skipping it.
- Cooked Lentils- using precooked lentils saves so much time. My favorite brand is Eden Organics but Trader Joes also sells them in the produce section.
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables- I love that we can avoid chopping a ton of veggie by throwing a bag of mixed frozen vegetables into the mix. I usually go for the standard combination of green beans, carrots, peas and corn.
- Russet Potatoes- this variety tends to work the best for twice baking as the skin is thicker than yukon golds.
- Coconut Milk- I know what you’re thinking. Coconut milk in mashed potatoes? Yuck. But trust me, this specific coconut milk is flavorless yet still creamy enough that it works perfectly in mashed potatoes.
- Vegan Butter- I consider this a must for vegan mashed potatoes and Miyoko’s is my go-to for the best flavor and texture. I always stock up when I find it on sale.
- Garlic Powder- To keep things easy I like to sprinkle in garlic powder to the mashed potatoes for a boost of flavor. But you are welcome to mince more fresh garlic for the mashed potatoes if you like!
How to Make Twice Baked Lentil Shepherds Pie Potatoes
- The first step to making these is baking your potatoes. Once their soft, allow them to cool then slice in half and scoop 3/4 of the filling into a large bowl. Add the milk, butter, garlic powder and salt & pepper then stir together.
- While the potatoes are cooking you prepare the filling by cooking the onion and garlic. Then you add the oregano, thyme, worcestershire, tomato paste, lentils and frozen vegetables. Pour in the vegetable broth and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Stuff the potato halves with the filling then top with mashed potatoes and serve!
I took the time to pipe the mashed potatoes on top using a frosting bag because I wanted them to look pretty for the photos but that step is totally unnecessary if you want to save time. You could also just serve the filling with regular mashed potatoes if you don’t want to deal with scraping out the filling. It’s totally customizable depending on how fancy you’re feeling.
No matter how they look, you can’t go wrong with lentils, mashed potatoes and veggies. They make for a comforting and filling meal that will have you channeling the Irish spirit in no time!
Twice Baked Lentil Shepherds Pie Potatoes
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 15 ounces cooked lentils
- 12 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- ½ cup vegetable broth
For the Potatoes
- 5 russet potatoes
- ½ cup plain unsweetened coconut milk (in the carton)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt & pepper, more to taste, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes under running water then prick them several times with a fork. Place on the top rack of the oven and cook for 60-75 minutes. When they’re ready they should give in a little when you squeeze them (wearing an oven mitt, of course). Remove and set aside to cool then reduce the heat to 350°F.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a large skillet or pot over medium heat, warm the butter/oil. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes then add the garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire, and seasonings (thyme, oregano, pinch of salt). Stir together and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked lentils, frozen vegetables, and broth. Stir together and continue to cook for about 5-7 minutes, until liquid has reduced.
- Once potatoes have cooled enough to handle, slice them in half and scoop out all but a thin layer of the filling in to a large bowl. You want to leave just enough of the filling so that the skin stays firm enough to handle.
- To the large bowl, add the vegan butter, milk and garlic powder. Using a potato masher or fork, mash everything together until smooth. Add salt and pepper, as desired. I prefer to add about 1/2 teaspoon then sprinkle salt on each potato before serving. This helps reduce the overall amount of salt in the recipe.
- Next spoon the lentil filling into each half of the potatoes so that they are as full as possible. Scoop the mashed potatoes on top. If you want to make them look fancy you can pipe the mashed potatoes out of a bag with a metal frosting tip but that step is totally optional.
- Place potatoes back into the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes for brown tops. Serve warm and enjoy!
This is genius. Beyond genius! I love that you stuffed all that goodness inside of a potato. I need another shepherd’s pie in my life!
you piped the potatoes? that’s impressive!
I don’t know if I have ever seen anything more awesome. These look SO good and I love how creative they are! Pinned :)
I love anything recipe where I can eat baked potatoes for dinner. :) Looks delicious!
I LOVE the idea of individualized shepard’s pies! I made something similar to this with lentils not too long ago, but these are just so convenient!
Yummm!!! I do a similar version of this using sweet potato and it is just sooooo delicious!! Such a comfort food. Thanks for sharing:)
Love the idea of a vegetarian Shepard’s Pie, while I’m not a vegetarian, sometimes those meat heavy dishes are just too…meaty?? Ha, if that makes sense. Love this version!!
WOW!! This looks amazing!! What a hearty, delicious, plants-based recipe!! LOVE it! :)
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I can’t wait to try these! I’ll be making them for my next meal prep!
Thanks Gia! I hope you like them!
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It was wonderful!!!
These were so delicious!! Nice to have a vegan homestyle-type meal option. I subbed almond milk in the potatoes and they turned out perfect. I bet these would be great leftover too.
What is the protein count in this dish?