75min 4 ppl
Vegetarian Cottage Pie
105 minutes
4 people
Hardover 60 min or 12+ steps
105 min · 13 steps
Hard: over 60 min or 12+ steps
620 kcalper person
Protein 24g
Carbs 72g
Fats 22g
About this dish
A deeply savoury lentil and mushroom filling built on a proper mirepoix and reduced red wine gives this pie the rich, meaty depth that separates it from bland vegetable stews — finished under a Dijon-spiked mashed potato crust that crisps to a gorgeous golden top in the oven.
Allergy Info
Dairy, Gluten, Soya, Sulphites, Mustard
Diet Info
Vegetarian
Ingredients
Fresh Produce
- Chestnut mushroomsfinely chopped400 g
- Carrotsfinely diced2 medium
- Celery stalksfinely diced2 stalks
- Onionfinely diced1 large
- Garlic clovesminced4 cloves
- Fresh thyme leaves1 tsp
- Fresh rosemary sprigs2 sprigs
- Maris Piper potatoespeeled and cut into chunks900 g
Dairy & Eggs
- Unsalted butter60 g
- Whole milkwarmed80 ml
- Mature Cheddar cheesegrated60 g
Tins & Jars
- Tomato purée2 tbsp
- Vegetable stock400 ml
Dried Goods
- Green lentilsrinsed200 g
- Plain flour1 tbsp
Spices & Seasonings
- Bay leaves2 leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Oils & Condiments
- Red wine200 ml
- Soy sauce1 tbsp
- Olive oil2 tbsp
- Dijon mustard1 tbsp
Utensils
- Large saucepan
- Large deep oven-safe skillet or casserole dish
- Colander
- Potato masher
- Wooden spoon
- Fork
- Chopping board
- Chef's knife
- Grater
Method
1
Finely dice the onion, carrots, and celery. Finely chop the mushrooms. Mince the garlic. Peel and cut the potatoes into evenly sized chunks. Measure out the lentils, wine, stock, and all remaining ingredients.
Approx. 15 minutes
2
Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with cold water by 5 cm, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 20 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
Approx. 22 minutes
3
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep oven-safe skillet or casserole over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook without stirring for 5 minutes until deeply golden and all moisture has evaporated.
Approx. 5 minutes
4
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent.
Approx. 8 minutes
5
Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the purée darkens slightly and smells caramelised.
Approx. 2 minutes
6
Scatter the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute to coat everything evenly.
Approx. 1 minutes
7
Pour in the red wine and cook for 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the base of the pan, until the wine is mostly reduced and no longer smells raw.
Approx. 3 minutes
8
Add the vegetable stock, soy sauce, thyme, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaves. Stir in the drained lentils, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the rosemary and bay leaves. Season well with salt and pepper.
Approx. 20 minutes
9
While the filling simmers, place the potato chunks in a large pan of cold salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 15 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain thoroughly and allow steam to escape for 2 minutes.
Approx. 17 minutes
10
Return the drained potatoes to the warm pan over low heat. Add the butter, warm milk, and Dijon mustard, then mash until completely smooth and creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Approx. 5 minutes
11
Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan / Gas 6).
Approx. 10 minutes
12
Spoon the mashed potato over the lentil filling in an even layer, then drag a fork across the surface to create ridges. Scatter the grated Cheddar evenly over the top.
Approx. 5 minutes
13
Bake for 25 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Approx. 30 minutes
