Baby and toddler recipes
🥧 Lentil and mushroom shepherd's pie with sweet potato mash
A British classic made vegetarian, with a rich lentil and mushroom filling under a golden sweet potato mash. Iron-rich lentils pair with vitamin C from tomatoes and peas.
Makes 6 baby portions plus 2 adult portions
Ingredients
- 1 x 400g tin Green lentils (drained and rinsed, or 150g dried cooked)
- 250g Mushroom (finely chopped)
- 2 Carrot (finely diced)
- 1 Onion (finely chopped)
- 100g frozen Pea
- 1 tbsp Tomato purée
- 1 x 400g tin chopped Tomato (no added salt)
- 1 tsp fresh leaves Thyme
- 3 medium Sweet potato (peeled and chopped)
- 1 medium Potato (peeled and chopped)
- 20g Butter (unsalted)
- 30g Cheddar (grated, optional)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
Method
- Boil the sweet potato and potato for 15 minutes until soft, then drain and mash with the butter.
- Meanwhile soften the onion and carrot in the oil for 10 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir in the tomato purée, tomatoes and lentils and simmer for 15 minutes until thick.
- Stir in the peas, then spoon into a dish and cover with the mash and cheese.
- Bake at 200C (180C fan) for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Cool before serving.
Serving it to your baby
At 7 months mash the filling and topping together into a soft, lumpy spoon food. From 9 months serve in small soft spoonfuls baby can pick up. From 12 months serve as the family has it.
For the rest of the family
Season the adult filling with salt, pepper and a splash of Worcestershire sauce (check for vegetarian) before topping.
Storing and reheating
Cool quickly (within an hour), then keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Freeze in small portions for up to 3 months and defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, stir, then let it cool before serving. Never reheat more than once. Freeze individual portions in small foil trays.
Weaning with OBubba
Plan meals and log what your baby loved.
OBubba keeps a record of every food your baby has tried and spots the allergens for you, so you always know what is next. Free to download.
Questions parents ask
Is shepherd's pie good for weaning?
Yes. It is soft, freezes well and lets you pack in vegetables and pulses. This version uses lentils for iron and protein.
Can I freeze lentil shepherd's pie?
Yes, for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot all the way through.
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).