Gardener’s Pie with Root Vegetable Mash Recipe
Gardener’s Pie with Root Vegetable Mash is a hearty and comforting vegetarian dish featuring a savory filling of mushrooms, lentils, and root vegetables wrapped under a creamy, buttery root vegetable mash topping. This wholesome pie combines sautéed fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and rich flavors, baked until golden and bubbling, perfect for a satisfying family meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- 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
- Extra chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Root Vegetables: Peel and cube both the potatoes and rutabaga. Place them separately in saucepans and cover with water, seasoning each with a pinch of kosher salt. Bring both to a boil and cook until fork tender, noting that rutabaga will take about 5 to 10 minutes longer than potatoes. Drain and keep warm.
- Mash Root Vegetables: Using a potato masher, roughly mash both rutabaga and potatoes until almost smooth. Combine the rutabaga into the potatoes along with softened butter, kosher salt, and pepper; mash until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and mash together, adding the remaining cream if the mash is too dry. Keep warm.
- Cook Vegetables for Filling: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Heat olive oil in a wide skillet or shallow braiser over medium heat. Add diced onions, season with kosher salt, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until starting to soften. Add diced carrots and celery, reduce heat to low, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring regularly until vegetables soften.
- Add Mushrooms and Aromatics: Add sliced mushrooms and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Stir in minced garlic and chopped fresh thyme, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and pepper, cooking briefly to combine flavors.
- Thicken Filling: Stir in all-purpose flour until fully combined with vegetables. Gradually pour in vegetable broth while stirring, bringing the mixture to a boil. Cook until thickened.
- Add Lentils and Herbs: Stir in drained canned lentils and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to meld flavors. Remove from heat and mix in chopped fresh parsley.
- Assemble and Bake: Transfer the filling to a shallow casserole dish or leave in the braiser. Evenly spoon the root vegetable mash over the filling. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the top is lightly browned.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle with extra chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot. Enjoy your wholesome Gardener’s Pie!
Notes
- You can substitute rutabaga with turnip or celeriac to vary the root vegetable mash flavor.
- For a vegan version, replace butter with a plant-based spread and use a vegan Worcestershire sauce.
- Adjust seasoning to taste before baking to ensure the filling is properly flavored.
- If desired, add a sprinkle of grated cheese on top before baking for extra richness (not included in original recipe).
- Make sure vegetables are well cooked and soft before mashing to achieve a creamy topping.
Keywords: gardener's pie, root vegetable mash, vegetarian pie, lentil pie, mushroom pie, comfort food, healthy vegetarian dinner
