Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
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Serves: 4-6
Looking for a yummy and healthy meal? This vegetarian cottage pie made with lentils and a rich tomato base, topped with grated cheese is just what you are looking for. It’s quick and easy to make and perfect for a Meatless Monday meal.
Ingredients
- 6 TBS butter – 3 tbs for the filling and 3 tbs for the mash potatoes
- 1 onion finely sliced
- 2 medium carrots, finely grated
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 5 small garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 x 50g sachet tomato paste
- 1/2 cup tomato puree
- 1 can Italian tomatoes (diced)
- 1 tsp dried sweet basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup lentils (I used tinned lentils that were rinsed and drained)
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock or red wine
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
- 3 tbs milk
Method
- Heat the butter in a medium-sized pan and sautée the onions until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for a minute – be careful not to burn the garlic
- Add the carrots and spring onions and cook until softened – roughly 10 minutes
- Stir in the herbs and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes
- Add in the puree, canned tomatoes, sugar, lentils and stock (or wine!) and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the liquid has reduced into a beautiful tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste and then set aside.
- In the meantime, prepare the mashed potato – boil the peeled potatoes until soft, drain the water, mash the potatoes and add 3 TBS butter and 3 TBS milk and mix well.
- Pour the lentil filling into a medium-sized baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of grated cheese.
- Now add the mashed potato and smooth it over to cover the lentil filling
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
- Grill until the cheese has melted and browned slightly, 5-10 minutes
*Recipe courtesy of justeasyrecipes.co.za.
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