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Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with Lentils

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with Lentils reads umami 5.8, salinity 5.0 and richness 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a British main, about 1 hr 33 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.8 · Salinity 5.0 · Richness 4.5 · Allium 4.4 · Sweetness 4.1 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Earthy 2.2 · Sourness 1.8 · Fruity 1.5 · Herbaceous 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Nutty 1.2 · Bitterness 1.2 · Heat 0.8 · Floral 0.7 · Citrus 0.6

What's in it (16)

• dried lentils — 237 g
• vegetable broth — 592 g
• olive oil — 27 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• carrots — 120 g
• celery — 80 g
• garlic — 12 g
• tomato paste — 30 g
• soy sauce — 15 g
• thyme — 1 g
• frozen peas — 237 g
• yellow new potatoes — 907 g
• unsalted butter — 82 g
• regular milk — 118 g
• salt — 7 g
• black pepper — 3 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 33 min (1 hr 23 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 90.1 kcal, 5.1 g protein, 3.2 g fat, 16 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Combine the lentils and vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 22-25 minutes, stirring once or twice.
2. While the lentils simmer, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent, 7-8 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant and the paste has darkened slightly, 1-2 minutes.
4. Also while the lentils simmer, bring a separate large pot of water to a boil, add the potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and cook until fork-tender, 15-17 minutes; drain well and set aside.
5. Once the lentils are tender, stir them and their cooking liquid, the soy sauce, and the thyme into the vegetable mixture. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the filling thickens to a stew-like consistency, 5-6 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
6. Stir in the peas and cook just until heated through, 2 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, then spread the filling evenly in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
7. Mash the drained potatoes with 4 tablespoons of the butter and the warm milk until smooth. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.
8. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling, spreading to the edges to seal it in completely, then drag a fork across the surface to create ridges. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
9. Bake until the top is golden brown in spots and the filling is bubbling at the edges, 22-25 minutes.
10. Let rest 8-10 minutes before serving so the filling sets.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Minestrone with Parmesan Rind — Italian
• Ribollita (Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Stew) — Italian
• Tofu Katsu with Curry Sauce — Japanese
• Italian Wedding Soup — Italian
• Italian Sausage and White Bean Stew — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.