Vegetarian cottage pie

Vegetarian cottage pie, aka vegetarian shepherds pie or lentil cottage pie, is my meat free version of a traditional cottage pie. It has a vegetable and lentil pie filling topped with sliced potatoes and is easy to make.

This veggie cottage pie is a tasty winter warmer and a perfect comfort food.

It is great for a family dinner served alongside your favourite vegetables such as roast sprouts or hasselback carrots.

Similar to veggie chilli and spicy bean burgers this recipe makes use of cheap ingredients making it a great budget meal.

The filling can be prepared in advance and can be made in bulk and frozen making it ideal for busy days or for when you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen.

The quantities in this easy vegetarian cottage pie recipe are for four servings. I sometimes use half the filling to make a two serving cottage pie and freeze the other half to use another day. The photos here show a two portion version.

For a vegan cottage pie simply use a vegan cheese or brush the potato slices with a little olive oil before baking.

Vegetarian cottage pie ingredients

• 1 large onion - either brown or red.

• 1 sweet potato - medium sized. You could use carrots or swede instead.

• 200g red lentils - red lentils add protein to this vegetarian dish and also help to thicken the pie filling.

• One 400g tin chopped tomatoes - if your tin of tomatoes contains whole tomatoes simply chop with a knife before adding to the other ingredients.

• 4 teaspoons oregano - I usually use dried oregano but if your have fresh oregano that could be used instead.

• 4 teaspoons paprika - you could use either smoked or unsmoked paprika depending on your preference an what you have in your spice cupboard.

• Vegetable stock - use sufficient vegetable stock to cook the lentils and vegetables. Add extra stock or water if needed while cooking.

• Approximately 4 medium sized potatoes - cook enough potato slices to cover the pie filling. You may need to adjust the amount of potato for a different sized bowl or tin. If you have any left over potato slices they can be served alongside your meal or used in another recipe.

• Salt and pepper - season to taste.

• Dash of olive oil - use this to cook the onion and sweet potato before adding the other ingredients.

• Cheddar cheese (optional) - Add to the top of the potato slices before baking your cottage pie. Use a vegan cheese suitable for melting in the oven if you wish to make a vegan cottage pie. If you do not wish to use cheese you could brush the potatoes with a little olive oil instead.

Equipment needed

No specialist equipment is need for this recipe but the following will be useful:

• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Roasting dish
• Kitchen scales
• Teaspoons
• Large spoon
• Ovenproof dish (30cm by 20cm approx or equivalent size)
• Grater for the cheese topping (optional)

How to make vegetarian cottage pie

Chop the onion and dice the sweet potato.

Heat the oil in a roasting dish. Add the onion and sweet potato and roast until soft.

Add the tomatoes, lentils, oregano, paprika, enough vegetable stock to cover, salt and pepper and stir. Simmer for around 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. Check regularly and add more vegetable stock or water if needed.

Peel and slice the potatoes while the lentil mixture is cooking. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes until partially cooked, and then drain.

When the lentil mixture is cooked, arrange the sliced potatoes on top making sure all parts of the mixture are covered. Add grated cheese over the cottage pie topping to help the potatoes turn golden.

For a vegan version use a vegan cheese or omit the cheese and brush olive oil over the sliced potatoes before cooking.

How to cook

Cook in the top of the oven at gas mark 6, 200^oC, 400^oF for about 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through and the top has browned.

Variations

• A wide range of vegetables can be used to make this dish including carrots, peas, swede, runner beans, etc.
• Add other pulses such as edamame beans or broad beans for extra protein.
• Top your cottage pie with creamy mashed potatoes instead of sliced potatoes.
• Add a topping of mashed sweet potatoes for a burst of colour.

Tips

1. The pie filling can be cooked and stored in the fridge for a couple of days or can be frozen.
2. Any leftovers can be covered with foil, stored in the fridge and reheated the next day.
3. I sometimes use half the filling to make a two serving cottage pie and freeze the other half to save time another day. The photos here show a two portion version.
4. The lentil mixture also makes a tasty topping for jacket potatoes. It is a good idea to freeze some in small quantities ready to use for jacket potato fillings.

Other vegetarian dinner ideas

Take a look at some other vegetarian recipes for main meals.

Other budget meal ideas