Pâté Chinois Quebec Shepherd's Pie [Vegan & Gluten-Free]
Pâté Chinois which translates to "Chinese Pie" is the French Canadian spin on British Shepard's Pie. It's so popular in Quebec that Le Devoir named Pâté chinois the unofficial national dish in 2007. It's a layered casserole made with ground beef, corn and mashed potatoes. In this vegan version, we swap out the beef for a lentil, textured vegetable protein and walnut mix which ups the fibre.
Ingredients
Meatless filling
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup brown lentils
- 1 cup textured vegetable protein
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
Mashed potatoes
- For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- 4 cups of potatoes russet or Yukon Gold, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or any plant-based milk
- ¼ tasse vegan butter or half vegan butter, half extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Other ingredients
- 2 cans corn (341 ml)
- sprinkle paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- For the meatless filling:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions and garlic, and sauté until softened. Add all remaining meatless filling except for the walnuts. Bring the mixture to a simmer, lower the heat, and cover it to cook for about 15 minutes until all the broth is absorbed. It's ready when lentils are soft. If it runs too dry, add a little water. Add in the walnuts and remove from heat.
- For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- Boil the diced potatoes in a large pot of salted water until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes.
- In a bowl, mash the potatoes with soy milk, vegan butter, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the pate chinois:
- Transfer the meatless filling to a large baking dish, spreading it evenly.
- Then, add the layer of the drained canned corn before spooning on the mashed potatoes to cover the pie completely. Sprinkle top with paprika.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. For an extra crispy potato topping, broil the top to finish. Watch closely to avoid burning.