Lentils and fresh and dried mushrooms give this vegetarian casserole its meaty character. You can prepare most of it in advance and bake it just before your guests arrive.
Ingredients
Makes 10 servings
Topping:
Filling:
For topping:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly, then peel. Press potatoes through a ricer, food mill, or colander into a large bowl. Add butter; stir until well blended. Stir in milk. Season to taste with salt. DO AHEAD:Potatoes can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool, press plastic wrap directly onto potatoes, and chill.
For filling:
Step 2
Soak dried porcini in 3 cups hot water; set aside. Combine lentils, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender but not mushy, 15ñ20 minutes. Drain lentils and discard garlic.
Step 3
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste is caramelized, 2-3 minutes.
Step 4
Add bay leaves and wine; stir, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in porcini, slowly pouring porcini soaking liquid into pan but leaving any sediment behind. Bring to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir in broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 45 minutes.
Step 5
Strain mixture into a large saucepan and bring to a boil; discard solids in strainer. Stir cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to dissolve. Add cornstarch mixture; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in miso. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Step 6
Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss vegetables and pearl onions with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 5 garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast, stirring once, until tender, 20-25 minutes. Transfer garlic cloves to a small bowl; mash well with a fork and stir into sauce. Discard rosemary. DO AHEAD:Lentils, sauce, and vegetables can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.
Step 7
Arrange lentils in an even layer in a 3-quart baking dish; set dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toss roasted vegetables with fresh mushrooms and chopped herbs; layer on top of lentils. Pour sauce over vegetables. Spoon potato mixture evenly over.
Step 8
Bake until browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Reviews (27)
Back to TopThis was a lot of work but delicious!! I used carrots, rutabega, brussels sprouts, and roasted the shitakes whole (they were smaller or I'd have quartred them) with the other veggies. I also added shredded irish cheddar to the potatoes and only about 1/4 cup milk. It turned out perfect! Will definitely make on St.Patricks Day next year as well!!
organicfoodie
Santa Monica, CA
3/19/2020
Very good! I am a competent cook (not expert, but not a newbie either) and it took me two hours to do the work before the baking. I followed it closely, but used mushroom broth instead of vegetable broth, and upped the lentils to 1 1/2 cups (uncooked) I knew it would be a lot, so I made one to freeze and one for the oven. If I had to do it again, I'd get some 9x9 disposable foil pans, freeze three and serve one to my family of four. Looked at that way, the time put it yields four family meals, making it worth my while when I have the time. For the cook who wanted to know how to shop for 12 cups of vegetables, I did not measure, but I used 2 medium zucchini, one red bell pepper, one large fennel bulb, two medium turnips, four medium carrots, and a bag of frozen butternut squash (cheating, I know, but a time-saver). It was a good amount, but I had so many potatoes, the top was ridiculously thick. This is one reason I would divide it among four dishes next time.
Anonymous
Seattle
11/9/2017
I just made it, and it is spectacular. Not for the people who want a quick fix, true, but so worth it. I made it in stages, and assembled it the next day. It's complex, and voluptuous. The only thing I might change is that I would mix the lentils with the vegetables instead of layering, but this is only a minor point.
annawisner
Los Angeles, CA
10/29/2013
I just happened upon this recipe and like the concept, but haven't made it. I am also puzzled that the number of servings are not listed, but considering 6 lbs potatoes and 12 c. veggies, this must serve at least a dozen. Yow! How often do you need to feed that many in daily life? I also tend to be judicious when adding additional liquid to any stew-like recipe; often it makes the end product too soupy and all that "boiling down" just takes too much time and overcooks the ingredients. I wonder if this is a recipe that is best used as inspiration, rather than following the instructions word for word. For experienced cooks, that works just fine, but for newbies, it becomes a frustration. Will post again once I get a chance to try it--maybe a quarter recipe for my small household!
pf1cooking
Philadelphia PA
10/11/2013
我读了所有的评论,但仍没有完全应用reciate the amount of time it takes to do all the steps. The results were very good, although I would make some modifications the next time I make it. First, I'm not sure the lentils added a whole lot to the taste, so if I was pressed for ingredients or time, I wouldn't necessarily bother with them. Second, it says to strain the sauce and I will try it without straining out the onions and omit the pearl onions instead. I followed another reviewer's suggestion and added the porcini's (diced) to the roasted vegetables and it was excellent. Luckily my husband does the clean-up after I cook, so it was his job to clean up the many pots and pans that this dish left behind...
Anonymous
Silicon Valley
3/3/2013
I was going to add 2 acorn squash, cubed, but at the last minute, mixed the squash in with the potatoes (TBS butter, 1/4 c. milk, 2 TBS thyme) for the topping. I used 1/2 the potatoes to account for the squash. Tasty! The squash was light yellow when cooked, so it makes the topping look golden without having to dot it with butter.
nonsequiteuse
Texas
2/17/2013
This recipe is not rated as highly as it should be. First of all, it does not have to be as labor intensive as some reviewers have claimed. The sauce simmers for a while but does not demand constant attention, and the other steps are simple and none too time-consuming. I roasted and mashed my potatoes and simmered my lentils the day before- this demanded approximately 20 minutes of hands-on work. Everything else came together quickly, and start to finish on the day of serving I had dinner in less than two hours and for several days. I subbed sweet for yukon gold potatoes and thought it worked beautifully. I also did not add as much broth as called for, and instead pureed the solids and added a few tablespoons to thicken the broth. This not only saved time but actually added more flavour. Overall an excellent recipe and combination of flavors with a few adjustments that I will be making again.
hotlourn
12/1/2012
Best vegetable shepherd's pie I've ever made. It does take a lot of prep time, but if you do it all the day before, it comes together easily. I will definitely make this again.
clem0140
Wisconsin
11/18/2012
That much work should get a pop but it doesn't. It's very ordinary. Lentils du puy are very nutty and hold their shape. Wouldn't substitute. Used about a cup of dried wild mushrooms for the mushroom reduction. Very tasty. What's to gain from 2 kinds of potatoes and how was it improved by ricing them? Good thing I have a lot of pots and a skivy at my house.
Anonymous
toronto
11/12/2012
I halved the recipe to feed four with two servings left over. It was a lot of work, but I was very happy with the results. It was quite good and very satisfying. Made the recipe as written, preparing it in stages over two days. Much tastier than other veggie shepherd's pies I have tried previously.
Anonymous
San Francisco
11/11/2012
This recipe is ridiculous. It makes way more than the baking dish could hold. The preparation time was days. It was good, but not good enough to warrant the effort and the cost (of dried mushrooms).
knoetgen
Arlee, MT
11/4/2012
10份/杂志
Anonymous
San Diego, CA
11/3/2012
This was very good but not great. Perhaps it is great for a vegetarian type meal. This took soooooo long and used soooooooo many pots, pans, bowls that I would not make again. It might be a labor of love for a vegetarian friend or family member but I won't go there again.
lynska
New Hampshire
10/29/2012
I agree with the Cook from Detroit. The directions are not organized. Read and re-read it. I would however, add more lentils, not omit. I am not a vegetarian, but made this for a friend out on leave. This made a 2 1/2 qt for her and a 1 1/2 qt for me. She froze half and we only ate only 1/2. Huge! My vegetarian friend was very pleased, and so it was worth the effort. If you have vegetarian guests or you are one, go for it. I would prep one day and finish the next.
megriffin
10/23/2012
How many servings? And I had a problem with ricing my potatoes after baking and some of them possibly overbaked. And I ended up with way more potatoes than would fit on top of the final product. Also how many servings is this claiming to be? And how do you shop for 12 cups chopped veggies. I am clearly not advanced enough for this recipe. I didn't mind the sound of a veggie Shepherd's Pie. It sounded really lovely but it has taken me 3 days after work in the kitchen to get to the final oven bake.
Anonymous
Houston, Texas
10/18/2012
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