Del Sroufe
Chef Del Sroufe is co-owner and executive chef of Wellness Forum Foods, a whole-food, plant-based meal delivery and catering service in Columbus, Ohio. He is the author of Forks Over Knives – The Cookbook and Better Than Vegan. Del teaches cooking classes and helps people transition to a healthy plant-based diet.
Comments (8)
Are green lentils the same as French green lentils?
Hi Jan,
French lentils are a variety of green lentils and have a different texture, taste, and nutrient density than standard green lentils. You would be welcome to use standard green lentils in this recipe, but French green lentils will add a bit more of a meaty texture and stronger peppery flavor. So if you decide to use standard green lentils you may want to add an extra crack of black pepper and salt. Let us know how it turns out!
Made last night and it was really good. Loved the addition of parsnips to the mashed potatoes. Used up an old sweet potato on one half which is also really good on shepherds pie.
This recipe is very similar to the Shepherd’s Pie that I adapted from my childhood. I include a package of sliced/chopped mushrooms and a can of chopped tomatoes. It’s important to drain or absorb all the liquid so the bottom stays intact. I sprinkle smoked paprika on top of the potatoes. I’ve also included frozen peas and corn in the lentil mix.
I make my Vegan Shepherds Pie with mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes. I also mix together lentils and quinoa. A slight variation on yours.
Delicious! I added mushrooms and used Penzey’s Northwoods seasoning plus some half sharp paprika. Also, I cooked the lentils in an oven safe skillet then put the mashed potatoes and parsnips right in the skillet and put the whole thing in the oven, saved myself a pot to clean!
Could I make the whole dish up until the baking step, refrigerate it overnight, and then bake it the next day?
I think that would work, but I would maybe add additional liquid. I think the filling would dry out some overnight in the fridge as the lentils continue to absorb moisture. When I put mine in the oven there was almost a gravy, but by the end of the evening when I was putting leftovers away it had dried out quite a bit.