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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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!

5 from 2 reviews

Twice Baked Lentil Shepherds Pie Potatoes

Sarah Rotavera

10 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)

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Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

½x1x2x

For the Filling

• ▢ 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) vegan butter, or extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 (1) yellow onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 3 (3) garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) dried thyme
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) dried oregano
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) vegan Worcestershire
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) tomato paste
• ▢ 15 ounces (425 g) cooked lentils
• ▢ 12 ounces (340 g) frozen mixed vegetables
• ▢ ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable broth

For the Potatoes

• ▢ 5 (5) russet potatoes
• ▢ ½ cup (120 g) plain unsweetened coconut milk (in the carton)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) vegan butter, or olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (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! 

Notes

Nutrition Facts are for 1/2 of a twice baked potato or 1/10th of the entire recipe.

Serving: 1potato, Calories: 225kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 183mg, Potassium: 794mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 2015IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 4mg

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Twice Baked Lentil Shepherd's Pie Potatoes

Sarah Rotavera

4 to 6 servings

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

½x1x2x

• ▢ 4 large russet potatoes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 3/4 cup dry brown lentils, soaked*
• ▢ 2 cups vegetable broth
• ▢ 16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
• ▢ 1/2 cup plain milk, I used unsweetened plain almond milk
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• ▢ 6 ounces vegan sour cream, or plain yogurt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ salt & pepper to taste

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 65-75 minutes. When they’re ready they should give in a little when you squeeze them (with an oven mitt, of course).  Remove and set aside to cool then reduce the heat to 350°F.
• Meanwhile make the filling by warming the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or pot. 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 lentils along with the vegetable broth and then bring to a low boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 25 minutes, until lentils are just tender. Add the frozen vegetables and stir together then cover and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes.
• 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.
• Add the butter, milk, and sour cream (or yogurt) to the bowl with the potatoes along with garlic powder, onion powder, and salt & pepper to taste. Mash together with a fork until combined. If the potatoes are too cool and the butter isn’t melting, microwave for 30 seconds or so to help everything blend together. Spoon the potatoes to a large plastic freezer bag and then cut off a small piece of one corner of the bag.
• Next spoon the lentil filling into each half of the potatoes so that they are as full as possible. Pipe the mashed potatoes out of the bag on top of each one and then sprinkle with fresh thyme (optional). Place back into the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes for brown tops. Serve warm or allow to cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

*Soak lentils for at least 8 hours in a large bowl covered with 2-3 inches of water. Rinse well before cooking. If you want to skip this soaking, rinse the lentils and add an extra 1 cup of broth to the recipe.

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