Celebrate A Very Vegan Saint Paddy's Day With This Meat-Free Shepherd's Pie

For most, the upcoming St. Patrick's Day holiday means two things: amateur hour at the bars, and a deluge of corned beef. But for those trying to keep it clean, this green holiday can be a bit of a mess.

Thankfully, Fancy Girl Table's event catering company has a solution. They might be based in New York, but they were kind enough to share an animal-free recipe to make on St. Paddy's Day.

Their vegan shepherd's pie serves 8, meaning you can invite the friends over to enjoy in some revelry outside the mayhem of the bar scene.

Here's how it's done:

Vegan Upside Down Shepherd’s Pie
Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:


4 large sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 6 pieces

4 large Russet potatoes, peeled & cut into 6 pieces
½ tablespoon each chopped fresh oregano, rosemary & thyme
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-¼ cup green or red lentils
2 bay leaves

1-teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon ground fennel
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 cup chopped onions
1 ¼ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 red pepper, chopped small
1 cup chopped kale
1 ¼ cup bread crumbs
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 375.

Make the mashed potatoes:

Place all the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until easily pierced with a fork. Strain the potatoes, but save 1 cup of the potato water. Put the potatoes and 1 cup of the reserved water back into the pot with the fresh herbs and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and mash. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.

Cook the lentils:

Place lentils in a pot with enough water to cover. Add bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, add spices and partially cover. Add more water if needed during cooking. Cook until soft.

In a sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil until hot. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the mushrooms and peppers and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid. Add the chopped kale and sauté until just wilted. Add in the cooked lentils, add salt and pepper and mix well. Remove from heat.

Assemble:

In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 cup of the bread crumbs. Mix together, then spread on the bottom of the dish. Next layer ¾ ‘s of the masked potatoes and spread evenly over the breadcrumbs. Next spoon the lentil vegetable mixture over the mashed potatoes and lightly press down to make even.

With a scoop or spoon, scoop on the remaining potatoes, making about 12 balls. Cover the top with the remaining breadcrumbs. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more or until browned on top.

Serve with some steamed broccoli or a big salad.