Ingredients
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4 large russet potatoes
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1/4 cup butterhalf a stick
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1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 small sweet onion
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1/2 bunch celery
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1 cup carrots
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1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
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1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
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1 packet French onion soup mix
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4 cups cold water
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1/2 bag frozen meatless crumbles
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1 can drained and rinsed dark red kidney beans
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1/3 cup cornstarch
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2 tablespoons soy sauce
Directions
A French twist on this British classic, instead of a tomato base, we use a French onion soup mix to form the gravy.
The filling itself is flexible. In this recipe, I’m using frozen crumbles (faux ground beef) and dark red kidney beans. But it works just as well with lentils, with or without the kidney beans. You can also use a pound of ground beef or other meat if you prefer.
One of the benefits of this recipe is that it comes together much quicker as the dish is not baked a second time in the oven. If you desire the crispier, golden potatoes, you can simply add a cheese or cheese substitute of your choice (cheddar or Parmesan) sprinkled on top of the mashed potatoes and bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.
However you choose to make this recipe your own, I think you’ll love the rich, fragrant onion gravy that is the star of this meal.
Steps
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1
Done
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Starting the Mashed PotatoesBegin by peeling and dicing your potatoes and adding them to a pot of boiling water. Try to make the pieces relatively similar in size so they cook at the same rate, or else you'll end up with under and over cooked potatoes. Set a timer for 15 minutes, the potatoes will be done cooking when you can easily pierce them with a fork and they fall apart. Continue preparing the next part of the meal while the potatoes boil. |
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2
Done
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Making the MirepoixWarm a large pan over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil or butter. Dice the onion and allow it to start cooking while you dice the celery and carrots. Add all vegetables to the pan along with the dried herbs. Cover the pan and turn the heat to low-medium and set a 15 minute timer. Check on the mirepoix once or twice to make sure the vegetables are not turning too brown. If so, deglaze the pan by splashing in a little liquid, you can choose to use some of the French onion soup mix, a little water, or red wine. The mirepoix is ready when the vegetables are soft and easily pierced with a fork. |
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3
Done
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Mix the French onion soup packet into 4 cups of water and pour into to the mirepoix. Add the frozen crumbles and dark red kidney beans, then turn the stove to high just to get the mixture to boil. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and soy sauce until pourable, you may need to add more liquid such as cold water or wine. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture to the stew, it will cause the contents to look cloudy. Once boiling, the gravy will begin to thicken and become translucent as seen in the pictures. Boil for at least one minute before taking it off the heat. If your mixture is not thick enough you have two options, either turn down the heat and allow to simmer and steam off more liquid to thicken, or if you are impatient like me, grab a little more cornstarch and liquid and whisk in more. Be sure to boil for an additional minute to cook off the cornstarch. Once you reach your ideal consistency, pour into a 9x13 pan. |
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4
Done
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When your potatoes are soft, drain off the water and put them into a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and add the 1/4 cup of butter and mix on medium speed to begin whipping the potatoes for about 2 minutes. Then add the heavy whipping cream and beat on high until fluffy and smooth. Taste the potatoes to see if they need more salt or butter. If they are grainy, add more cream. While this recipe can be made vegan by omitting the cream and using vegan butter, the magic ingredient that makes these mashed potatoes beyond good is the heavy whipping cream. Do not be tempted to use milk here, even whole milk does not compete. If you are aiming for a fully plant based meal, add more butter for a smoother, richer mix. But if you can, I cannot recommend heavy whipping cream enough. |
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5
Done
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Spread the potatoes over the gravy mixture. I find this easiest by dropping large spoonfuls over evenly and then smoothing them out with a spatula. Your dish is ready to eat! You can take additional steps as described above, but you're ready to dig in! |
