Name: Vegetarian cottage pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 brown onions, sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp mixed dried herbs; 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 6 carrots, peeled, diced; 8 ripe tomatoes, seeded, diced; 1 tsp brown sugar; 1 tsp red wine vinegar; Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper, to season; 400g can lentils, drained; 300g shredded spinach; 6 medium potatoes, peeled, chopped; 100g unsalted butter; 1/2 cup thickened cream, hot; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Vegetarian cottage pie

Ideal for meat-free Monday!

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Serves 4

Prep

15M

Cook

55M

Total

1H 10M

Skip to Recipe

Full of good-for-you veg, spinach and lentils, and topped with a creamy, cheesy potato mash, these individual pies are half comfort food, half wholesome weeknight dinner – ideal for your meat-free Mondays.

After more vegetarian dinner ideas?

Ingredients

2 brown onions, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp mixed dried herbs

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6 carrots, peeled, diced

8 ripe tomatoes, seeded, diced

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper, to season

400g can lentils, drained

300g shredded spinach

6 medium potatoes, peeled, chopped

100g unsalted butter

1/2 cup thickened cream, hot

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Put onion, garlic, mixed herbs and oil in a large frying pan and cook for 5 minutes, until softened, then add carrot, tomato, sugar and vinegar. Season, then simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, until thickened. Mix in lentils and spinach.

Meanwhile, steam potato, until softened, crush and beat in butter, cream, nutmeg and juice. Season with salt, then fold in 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Spoon tomato mixture into individual 2-cup baking dishes, then top with potato mash and remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Season with pepper. Serve.

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Fast Ed Chef

'Fast' Ed Halmagyi is one of Australia’s best-loved TV chefs and food authors. For over a decade, Ed has appeared on television and radio, in newspapers, magazines and books.

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Ingredients

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