Earthy beetroot and lentils make a rich vegetable filling under a crisp, fluffy potato topping.
Ingredients
- 500g, trimmed Beetroot
- 150g, rinsed Brown lentils
- 900g, peeled Floury potatoes
- 1 large, diced Onion
- 1 medium, diced Carrot
- 1 stick, diced Celery
- 1 tbsp Tomato purée
- 600ml Vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 80ml Unsweetened plant milk
- up to 100ml, only if needed for the lentils Water
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
- 1 tsp, divided Fine salt
- 1/2 tsp, divided Black pepper
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Wrap the beetroot in foil and roast for 45–55 minutes, until a skewer enters the centre easily. Cool until safe to handle, rub off the skins and cut into 1cm dice.
- While the beetroot roasts, cut the potatoes into even 3cm chunks. Put in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add 1/2 tsp salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15–18 minutes until completely tender, then drain well.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook onion, carrot and celery over medium-low heat for 8 minutes until soft. Stir in tomato purée and thyme for 1 minute.
- Add lentils and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and the liquid is reduced to a thick gravy. Add up to 100ml water, a little at a time, if the pan dries before the lentils soften.
- Fold the diced beetroot into the lentil mixture. Stir in mustard, the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper; taste and adjust. Spoon into a 2-litre ovenproof dish.
- Mash the drained potatoes until smooth. Beat in plant milk and the remaining 1/4 tsp pepper, then spread the mash over the filling. Rough the surface with a fork so it browns.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until the filling bubbles around the edges and the top is lightly golden. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Allotment tip
Roast the beetroot a day ahead to shorten the hands-on work; keep it chilled until you dice and add it to the filling.