Veggie shepherd's pie with sweet potato mash recipe | Good Food

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
halved and sliced
2 large carrots
(500g/1lb 2oz in total), cut into sugar-cube size pieces
2 tbsp thyme
chopped
200ml red wine
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 vegetable stock cubes
410g can green lentils
950g sweet potatoes
peeled and cut into chunks
25g butter
85g vegetarian mature cheddar
grated

Method

step 1
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, then fry 1 halved and sliced large onion until golden.
step 2
Add 2 large carrots, cut into sugar-cube size pieces and most of the 2 tbsp chopped thyme, reserving a sprinkling for later.
step 3
Pour in 200ml red wine, 150ml water and a 400g chopped tomatoes, then crumble in 2 vegetable stock cubes and simmer for 10 mins.
step 4
Tip in a 410g can green lentils, including the juice, then cover and simmer for another 10 mins until the carrots still have a bit of bite and the lentils are pulpy.
step 5
Meanwhile, boil 950g sweet potatoes, cut into chunks, for 15 mins until tender, drain well, then mash with 25g butter and season to taste.
step 6
Pile the lentil mixture into a pie dish, spoon the mash on top, then sprinkle over 85g grated vegetarian mature cheddar and the remaining thyme. The pie can now be covered and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for up to a month.
step 7
Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cook for 20 mins if cooking straightaway, or for 40 mins from chilled, until golden and hot all the way through. Serve with broccoli.