Shepherd’s pie likely originated in Northern England during the late 1700s when potatoes were being introduced as an affordable food source for the poor. Originally called “cottage pie”, this dish was typically filled with meat scraps, winter vegetables, gravy, and covered with mashed potatoes. It has become the classic cold-weather comfort food for much of the United Kingdom.
There’s a special spot in my heart (and stomach) for “peasant food”, as it tends to be cheap, filling, simple, and centered on plant-based foods. It also tends to be really healthy. Most of the healthiest, longest-living populations in the world grew up eating peasant food. This is true for Mediterranean populations eating bean and vegetable minestrone on a daily basis, to those living in the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, where beans and corn tortillas are staple foods at every meal. To make this UK dish more longevity-friendly, I’ve replaced the minced meat with lentils and green peas. I hope you enjoy it!
Nutrition Highlights:
- Potatoes often get a bad rap. Potatoes themselves are quite healthy, but when fried and covered in salt, they become quite unhealthy. Potatoes are loaded with potassium, which can help lower blood pressure and reduce our stroke risk. They are a good source of resistant starch, which feeds our beneficial gut bacteria.
- Lentils are one of my 4 Power Foods For Athletes because of their high iron, protein, and complex carbohydrate content. Green peas are also a good source of these nutrients.
- Consuming carrots and other foods rich in beta-carotene is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, which I highlighted in my post, 4 Foods That Can Lower Breast Cancer Risk. This is also true for mushrooms, which are featured in that post as well.
- Garlic and onions both contain nutrients that boost our immune system and may lower our overall cancer risk. Garlic appears to have anti-platelet properties, which make it an extremely heart-healthy food.
- 6-7 medium-sized Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- A splash of unsweetened soy milk (optional)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2-3 medium carrots, chopped into pea-sized pieces
- 2-3 medium celery ribs, chopped into pea-sized pieces
- 1 cup of chopped mushrooms (I used white button)
- 1 cup of frozen green peas
- ½ cup frozen chopped spinach
- 1 - 15oz can of lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1.25 cups of vegetable broth (divided)
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 3 tbsp whole wheat flour
- Black pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ tbsp miso paste (or you can sub with another tbsp of soy sauce)
- 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp yellow mustard
- Black pepper to taste
- In a large pot, bring enough water to cover the potatoes to a boil and add the potatoes. Once it reaches a boil again, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes and place them back in the pot to evaporate any excess moisture. Transfer to a large bowl, add the garlic powder and optional splash of soy milk, and mash to the desired consistency. Set aside.
- While the potatoes are boiling, add the garlic, onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and ¼ cup of vegetable broth to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the frozen peas, spinach, and lentils. Sauté for another five minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the one cup of broth, red wine, thyme, basil, oregano, flour, and black pepper. Add this to the skillet, reduce heat the medium-low, and simmer until it has thickened (about five minutes). Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the vegetable filling to a greased 9x13 baking pan. Spread the veggies evenly, then top with an even layer of mashed potatoes. Garnish with a sprinkle of black pepper and paprika and place in the oven.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown.
- While the pie is baking, add the oil and flour to a small pot and whisk over medium-low heat to form a roux. Add the rest of the gravy ingredients and whisk well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to thicken, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside. Reheat as needed, once the pie is done.