Lentil Cottage Pie

Green

A vegetarian version of cottage pie.

Ingredients

  • Ingredient
  • Amount
  • Olive oil
  • As needed
  • Onion, diced
  • 220 grams
  • Garlic, peeled and crushed or finely diced
  • 10 grams (2 cloves)
  • Mixed vegetables, fresh or frozen*
  • 350 grams
  • Canned brown lentils, drained
  • 3 x 400 gram tins
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • 800 grams
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • 40 millilitres
  • Salt reduced tomato paste
  • 60 grams
  • Salt reduced vegetable stock powder
  • 10 grams
  • Water
  • 150 millilitres
  • Herbs, fresh or dried#
  • 4 grams
  • Salt and pepper
  • To taste
  • Potatoes, peeled and cut into even sized pieces
  • 1.1 kilograms
  • Margarine^
  • 110 grams
  • Reduced fat milk
  • 140 millilitres
  • Reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
  • 150 grams

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180oC. Spray or lightly brush the large baking tray with oil.
  2. Put one of the large saucepans or stock pots over medium heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and garlic, stirring until they start to look transparent. Add the other vegetables to the pan and cook until soft.
  3. Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock powder, water, Worcestershire sauce and herbs and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove the pan from the heat.
  4. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan or stock pot and add enough warm or hot water to cover them. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Drain and return them to the saucepan.
  5. Add the margarine and milk to the potatoes and mash until smooth and creamy.
  6. Spoon the lentil mixture into the bottom of the large baking tray and spread the mashed potato on top. Evenly sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the potato.
  7. Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the potato topping is a golden brown and the cheese has melted.

*Vegetables such as carrot, celery, zucchini, mushroom, peas, broccoli and cauliflower would all work well. #Use fresh herbs if you have them available, but if not dried are fine. Parsley, thyme, sage, oregano or bay leaves would all work well. ^Choose a monounsaturated or polyunsaturated margarine spread.

Serves: 10

This recipe has been produced for the School Lunch Program by School Food Matters in partnership with Loaves and Fishes Tasmania and Department of Health Tasmania Dietitians.

Feel free to share with this acknowledgement.