Gardener’s Pie with Root Vegetable Mash Recipe
Gardener’s Pie with Root Vegetable Mash is a comforting vegetarian casserole featuring a hearty filling of sautéed vegetables and lentils, topped with a creamy mash made from potatoes and rutabaga. This dish combines earthy root flavors with fresh herbs and a rich but light texture, perfect for a wholesome and satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Root Vegetable Mash
- 1 ½ lb (680 g) potatoes
- ¾ lb (340 g) rutabaga, or other root vegetable such as celeriac or turnip
- 4 tbsp (56 g) butter, softened
- 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus extra
- 2 – 4 tbsp (30 to 60 ml) heavy cream
Pie Filling
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- ½ lb (227 g) mushrooms, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus extra
- ½ tsp (3 g) pepper
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 can (540 ml) canned lentils, drained
- ¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Root Vegetables: Peel and cube the potatoes and rutabaga. Place each in separate saucepans, cover with water, and season with kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, noting rutabaga takes about 5-10 minutes longer than potatoes. Drain and keep warm.
- Mash Root Vegetables: Roughly mash both vegetables with a potato masher until almost smooth. Combine rutabaga with potatoes, add butter, kosher salt, and pepper, and mash until smooth. Incorporate 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and mash together. Add more cream as needed to reach desired consistency. Keep warm.
- Sauté Base Vegetables: Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat olive oil in a wide skillet or shallow braiser over medium heat. Add diced onions, season with a pinch of kosher salt, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until starting to soften. Add carrots and celery, reduce heat to low, and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened, stirring regularly.
- Add Mushrooms and Aromatics: Add sliced mushrooms and cook for another 4-5 minutes until tender. Stir in minced garlic and fresh thyme, sautéing for about a minute until fragrant. Mix in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and pepper, cooking briefly to combine flavors.
- Thicken Filling: Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir until combined. Gradually pour in vegetable broth while stirring. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture thickens.
- Incorporate Lentils and Herbs: Add drained lentils to the thickened mixture and simmer for 2-3 minutes to blend flavors. Stir in chopped fresh parsley.
- Assemble and Bake: Transfer the filling to a shallow casserole dish or leave in the braiser. Evenly spoon the mashed root vegetable topping over the filling. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the filling bubbles and the top turns lightly browned.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle extra chopped parsley on top for garnish, and serve hot for a comforting, nutritious meal.
Notes
- You can substitute rutabaga with other root vegetables like celeriac or turnip for varied flavor.
- Adjust heavy cream in the mash to achieve preferred consistency; less cream for a thicker mash, more for creamier texture.
- For a gluten-free option, replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Worcestershire sauce adds umami but check for vegetarian or vegan versions if needed.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Keywords: vegetarian pie, gardener’s pie, root vegetable mash, lentil pie, comfort food, British cuisine, healthy casserole
