Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Gnocchi

Ingredients

• 1 onion (Medium onion, or half a large onion; cut fairly small.)
• 150 g mushrooms (Cut fairly small.)
• 125 g frozen mixed vegetables (The author’s mix contained peas, carrots, corn, and green beans.)
• 400 g chopped tomatoes (One can.)
• 390 g green lentils (One can, drained; approximately 1 1/4 cups when drained.)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 500 g gnocchi
• 100 g mature cheddar cheese (Grated; approximately 1 cup when grated.)
• dried parsley (A little, for topping and color.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). Cut the onion and mushrooms fairly small, then place them in a baking dish approximately 8 x 8 inches.

2. 2

   Add the frozen mixed vegetables, chopped tomatoes, drained green lentils, soy sauce, dried thyme, and minced garlic to the baking dish. Mix thoroughly to combine.

3. 3

   Bake for around 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the vegetable and lentil mixture is rich and well cooked.

4. 4

   Add the gnocchi to the baked vegetable and lentil mixture, and mix well to combine.

5. 5

   Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese evenly over the top.

6. 6

   Return the dish to the oven and bake for a further 15–20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and crisped to your liking.

7. 7

   Serve warm, topping with a little dried parsley for color.

Notes

For advance preparation, the lentil and vegetable mixture can be cooked ahead. Add the gnocchi and cheese just before baking so the dish is fresh and bubbly. Alternatively, cook the complete dish and microwave leftovers when needed. A side salad or garlic bread would pair well. The author has not tested freezing the baked gnocchi. Nutritional values are approximate and depend on the specific ingredients used.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• one-pot
• baked
• comfort food
• weeknight dinner
• high-fiber
• make-ahead