Rustic Provençal Cottage Pies

Marriage-Saving Cottage Pies: The Potato-Free Solution to Dinner Discord

My husband’s refusal to eat potatoes created the perfect meal

When your spouse refuses to eat potatoes but you're craving comfort food, creativity becomes essential. My husband Michael avoids potatoes entirely—"too high in carbs," he insists—which pushes me to take a fresh approach and reimagine classic dishes like Shepherd's Pie without sacrificing flavour or satisfaction.

The result? Rustic Provençal Cottage Pies—cozy, deeply savoury, and completely vegan. Instead of traditional mashed potatoes, these individual pot pies feature a Mediterranean-inspired cauliflower mash infused with basil pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, and topped with a crunchy walnut-herb crumble. Underneath lies a hearty lentil stew enriched with mushrooms and aromatic vegetables that will make you forget all about those missing potatoes.

This dish is perfect for serving in charming mini Dutch ovens (or one large casserole dish if you prefer), and deliver all the comfort with none of the compromise.

Cottage comfort

I love the name cottage pie. It has a rustic charm and evokes the kind of comforting, nourishing food you might find bubbling away in a cozy countryside kitchen.

The name originated from the humble rural homes in the English countryside, where women often cooked with economical ingredients and leftovers. Lentils couldn’t be a better fit—they’re affordable, filling, and satisfying. I often use them in dishes that would traditionally call for meat, like tacos, soups, and stews, to create an affordable plant-based meal.

Did you know that lentils are one of Canada’s most abundant and nutritious crops? Saskatchewan, my home province, is one of the world’s top producers and exporters. Lentils are not only good for the land—thanks to their nitrogen-fixing properties—but also incredibly good for you. They’re full of plant-based protein, fibre, and essential nutrients like iron and folate, making them a powerhouse foundation for plant-forward meals.

This dish is simple to make and perfect for prepping ahead. The lentil base comes together by sautéing onion, carrots, garlic, and celery, then adding cooked lentils and a vegetable broth. It’s seasoned with umami-rich ingredients like mushrooms, tomato, and soy sauce to create a deep, flavourful sauce.

A hearty lentil stew is the base for these delicious cottage pies.

Each component is flavourful on its own

When I create a recipe, I aim for each component being delicious on its own—I’m looking for flavour in every bite. That’s exactly what I went for with the cauliflower mash. The key is to steam the florets, not boil them—boiled cauliflower absorbs too much water and makes for a watery flavour and soupy texture. Use a steamer pot, or you can place them in a large sieve over, not in, simmering water. Pop on the lid and let the steam soften the vegetables. When they are very soft, the florets are mashed and blended with a creamy vegan cheese (I like Spread ‘Em, which has a cashew base rather than oil), a spoonful of basil pesto, and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Steamed, not boiled, cauliflower is key to a well-textured mash topping; vegan cream cheese makes the mash creamy and pulls it all together; spread the mash over the lentil stew and top with a nut crumble

And to add a little magic to the dish, I top each pie with a nut crumb topping. It’s flavourful, slightly crunchy, and far healthier than the traditional breadcrumb version.

Every bite is flavourful comfort.

These Rustic Provençal Cottage Pies are a fresh, nourishing take on a classic comfort dish—without the potatoes, meat, or heaviness. Each mini pie is a celebration of flavour and texture, made from simple whole-food ingredients that honour both your health and the bounty of Canadian crops like lentils. It’s comfort food reimagined—rustic, hearty, and made with love.

I would love to hear if you made these rustic cute pot pies this week. Did you top them with potatoes or go for the cauliflower mash? What other potato-heavy classics would you like to see reinvented? Let me know in the comments!

Enjoy everyone and happy cooking!
CJ
xo

🌱 Your Action Steps This Week

🌱 Try a legume-forward dinner
Swap out meat one night this week with lentils, chickpeas, or beans. These little powerhouses are rich in protein, fibre, and nutrients—and they’re sustainable and budget-friendly.

🌱 Experiment with cauliflower mash
Blend the mash with olive oil or vegan butter. Try mixing in fresh herbs, roasted garlic, or sun-dried tomatoes for added flavour. It's lighter than mashed potatoes and just as comforting.

🌱 Cook once, eat twice
Make a double batch of the lentil stew and take it for lunch later in the week. It’s delicious with a side salad and a slice of grainy sourdough bread. Doing this one step will save you time, build healthy habits and help you have something nourishing ready to go.

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P.S. If you loved this recipe, please share it with others. It helps me spread the word about a fresh approach to healthy eating.

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Recipe: Rustic Provençal Cottage Pies

These cute pies, baked in small Dutch ovens, are as delicious as they are adorable. They are soul-satisfying and filling – dishing up fibre and protein and loads of flavour. Served with a green veg like asparagus or broccoli you have the perfect comfort meal. Don’t have little Dutch ovens? No worries. This recipe makes one 8” casserole.

Makes four, 4 ½” mini Dutch ovens or ramekins, or 1 large 8” casserole

Print Version

Lentil Stew

1 cup small brown or green lentils, rinsed

2 cups water

1 bay leaf

Pinch salt

½ small onion, diced

1 cup diced carrots

1 stalk celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz (115 g) fresh mushrooms, button, shiitake or mushroom or your choice

1 tsp dried thyme

1 ¼ cup vegetable broth

½ cup green peas, frozen or fresh

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp light soy sauce or 1-2 tsp regular soy sauce

½ tsp smoked paprika

Cauliflower Mash

5 cups cauliflower florets

½ cup vegan cream cheese*

1 tbsp basil pesto or 1/8 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Salt, to taste

*I purchase mine at Save On Foods.

Nut Crumble

1/3 cup walnut pieces (other nuts also work, as will sunflower or pumpkin seeds)

1 tsp olive oil

½ tsp dried thyme

1 tsp nutritional yeast

Pinch salt

Lentil Stew

1. In a small saucepan, combine the rinsed lentils, water, and bay leaf. Add a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes, until lentils are tender and water has been absorbed. Remove bay leaf; fluff with a fork, cover and set aside. (Lentils can be cooked ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.)

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, sauté the onion, carrots and celery in a small amount of oil over medium to medium-low heat. Sprinkle with some salt; cook about 10 minutes, until carrots begin to soften.

3. While the mixture is cooking, halve the mushrooms and then thinly slice each half. Then, add the garlic, sliced mushrooms and thyme to the pan and sauté several minutes, until the moisture from the mushrooms has cooked off.

4. Add the vegetable broth, peas, tomato paste, soy sauce and smoked paprika. Stir to combine. Then add the cooked lentils. Stir. Taste and adjust seasonings to create a rich full flavoured sauce. Set aside to cool. (Mixture can be made ahead and chilled until ready to use.)

Cauliflower Mash

1. Bring a steamer* to a boil. Season the water with some salt. Reduce heat and add the cauliflower florets to the steamer basket. Cover and steam about 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is very soft when pierced with a fork. Transfer the florets to a clean tea towel; let cool about 5 minutes. During this time the excess water will be absorbed by the towel and the florets will dry slightly. Drain the water from the steamer pot. Transfer the cooled florets back to the steamer pot. With a potato masher or hand-held mixer, puree the cauliflower. Add the cream cheese, basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and nutritional yeast. Stir well. Season with salt; taste and adjust seasonings. Add more cream cheese if necessary. Mixture will be slightly chunky. (Mixture can be made ahead and chilled until ready to use.)

2. *steaming the cauliflower is important to ensure that they don’t become waterlogged. If they are cooked in water, the cauliflower mash will have a soupy texture.

3. Preheat oven to 375°F.

4. Grease four 4 1/2” mini Dutch ovens, or one 8” casserole dish. Evenly spoon the lentil mixture including the sauce into the bottom of each ramekin. Spoon over the cauliflower mash and spread evenly over the top. Sprinkle over the nut crumble (see below). Set each pie on a cookie sheet to catch any spills. Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Nut Crumble

1. In a blender/smoothie cup, finely chop the nuts or seeds. Transfer to a small bowl and add the olive oil, thyme, nutritional yeast and salt. Blend well with your fingers; sprinkle evenly over each pie.

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