There is something very wintry, very comforting about Shepherd’s Pie.
Hearty vegetables in a brothy sauce topped with fluffy mashed potatoes, all baked to bubbly perfectly. It’s kind of what Thanksgiving dreams are made of, at least in my world.
My family wasn’t big on casseroles growing up and John and I aren’t big on them now, but this recipe may be our one exception.
Traditional Shepherd’s pie contains ground beef, which I considered swapping for walnuts, a combination of mushrooms and walnuts, or lentils.
Being that lentils seemed to pack the most nutritional punch and protein, I went that route! Plus, they cook up nicely while your potatoes are boiling, making the whole process rather seamless.
Lentils are a plant-based powerhouse. Not only are they affordable and easy to cook, they’re also high in essential nutrients like fiber, iron and protein (9 grams per 1/2 cup serving).
They also absorb flavors well and can be added in place of ground beef in just about any recipe. That’s great news if you ask me!
This recipe is not only nutritious, tasty and filling, it’s also simple!
Just 9 ingredients required and about 1 hour from start to finish. I could see this not only being a vegetarian-friendly Thanksgiving entree, but an easy weeknight meal for colder months ahead.
So, what does it taste like? I’m glad you asked. It’s:
Hearty
Filling
Savory
Loaded with veggies
Herb-infused
Warm
Comforting
& Seriously satisfying
I cooked this up and John and I both gladly ate two servings for dinner. We’re not even really “casserole” people, but we both loved the flavor, consistency and simple nature of this dish.
This will definitely become a staple for us in the winter months ahead.
We hope you guys love this recipe! If you give it a try, be sure to let us know in the comments, or by tagging a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see.
Cheers, friends!
1-Hour Vegan Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
FILLING
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups vegetable stock (DIYor store-bought)
- 2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 10- ounce bag frozen mixed veggies: peas, carrots, green beans, and corn
MASHED POTATOES
- 3 pounds yukon gold potatoes, thoroughly washed
- 3-4 Tbsp vegan butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Slice any large potatoes in half, place in a large pot and fill with water until they’re just covered. Bring to a low boil on medium high heat, then generously salt, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until they slide off a knife very easily.
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Once cooked, drain, add back to the pot to evaporate any remaining water, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Use a masher, pastry cutter or large fork to mash until smooth. Add add desired amount of vegan butter (2-4 Tbsp), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Loosely cover and set aside.
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While potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish (or comparable sized dish, such as 9x13 pan. An 8x8 won’t fit it all but close!).
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In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil until lightly browned and caramelized - about 5 minutes.
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Add a pinch each salt and pepper. Then add lentils, stock, and thyme and stir. Bring to a low boil. Then reduce heat to simmer. Continue cooking until lentils are tender (35-40 minutes).
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In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the frozen veggies, stir, and cover to meld the flavors together.
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OPTIONAL: To thicken the mixture, add 2-3 Tbsp mashed potatoes and stir. Alternatively, scoop out 1/2 of the mixture and whisk in 2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder and whisk. Return to the pan and whisk to thicken.
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Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Then transfer to your prepared oven-safe baking dish and carefully top with mashed potatoes. Smooth down with a spoon or fork and season with another crack of pepper and a little sea salt.
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Place on a baking sheet to catch overflow and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mashers are lightly browned on top.
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Let cool briefly before serving. The longer it sits, the more it will thicken. Let cool completely before covering, and then store in the fridge for up to a few days. Reheats well in the microwave.
Notes
*Inspiration from Martha Stewart
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 6)
- Calories: 396
- Fat: 5.3g
- Saturated fat: 1.6g
- Sodium: 109mg
- Carbohydrates: 72g
- Fiber: 19g
- Sugar: 4g
- Protein: 17.7g
Hi, I'm Dana! I am a food stylist, photographer, creator of the Food Photography School and author of the 31 Meals Cookbook and Everyday Cooking.
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Shepherd’s Pie is one of my fav fall/winter comfort foods. I make mine with lentils too and usually do a sweet potato topping. Mmmm! I look forward to making it again soon.
A sweet potato topping is next on my list!
Can I use red lentils for this dish? I ran our of brown lentils and really want to make this tonight
Yes, that should work!
I just made this with a mix of odd amounts of red and brown lentils that I had laying around in my pantry. It was delicious!
how about a white sweet potato?
Hi! We haven’t tried it, but if you do let us know how it turns out!
I’m using mashed cauliflower as a topping to drop calories a bit
How was it? Been thinking about doing the same thing!
If you are not sure at first, simply use a bit of both the cauliflower and potatoes for your mash :)
Celeriac (aka celery root) and potatoes are a classic combo mashed together. That might be good too.
Been making shepherds pie since I found a receipe in Jeannie Lemlins “Vegetarian Pleasures” cookbook in the 70’s. It is brown lentils and hulled barley. A couple years ago my husband thought he’d like “real” shepherds pie. I made him one and the local raccoons and ravens just loved it! We now stick to what we’ve always had. This receipe is pretty much the same. Delicious, isn’t it?
1/2 cauliflower and 1/2 potatoes is what I use in every dish calling for “mashed potatoes” as a topping. It is absolutely awesome; the taste is much better!
It is delicious! I made it for Thanksgiving and I got lot’s of compliments. It is very hearty and tastes like the meat version! I am definitely making it again.
WOW! This looks amazing and a sweet potato topping sounds great too. I am new to this vegan journey, and this recipe reminds me of comfort food for sure. I will be trying it next week!
Hope you love it, Cassandra! xo
Could I freeze it?? I love dishes in freezer and have visitors over the summer.
Hi Valerie! Generally we note this either in the instructions or the recipe notes. But if we haven’t, then it probably doesn’t freeze well. However, feel free to experiment freezing a recipe to save for later. And if you have success (or trouble), leave a comment sharing your experience to help others! Happy cooking!
Excellent flavor, I used 1cup of lentils and 1 cup of tofu frozen crumbles added nice texture and flavor. I used Traders Joe vergetable broth using 3 and half cups which made it thick enough. I also added fresh green beans chopped in bite size pieces. The mash potatoes instead of using vegan butter which I did not have I used fat free half and half and 1/4 cup fat free cheddar cheese, I am on a non fat vegan diet and this was a hit.
How do you eat half and half and cheddar cheese on a vegan diet?
I was just thinking that!
Cheddar cheese and half n half are not vegan. Vegan means no animal products whatsoever. Also cheese and cream are not low in fat. JS. ✌?️
There is vegan cheese in almost every supermarket :-)
No need to be rude!! There are many DIY versions of cheese and half and half, as well as store bought brands!!
It’s almost spring but when I saw this recipe I was looking for what to do with my red lentils. And we love Shepard pie so heat or not, I turned the oven on and I was so glad I did. Being vegan is sometimes a challenge for me because I tend to prepare the same things over and over and I like to look forward to a new dish for my honey and I.
This was DELICIOUS and I’ll make it again and especially for a winter potluc dish. Thank you for this recipe!
Be very careful, Vegan police are watching.
Lol
Hi! Thanks for sharing this recipe. It looks awesome. I have a question… have you ever tried freezing it? If not, do you think it would freeze well? Thanks!
It freezes well. We are a household of 2 so when I make it I divide the lentils in 2 pans and freeze 1 without the potato topping.
Hello!
So I just started on my vegan journey as well and work 40+ hours a week so I live off of frozen meals. Would I be able to freeze one of these complete with potatoes on top?
Hi! Generally I note this either in the instructions or the recipe notes. But if I don’t, then it probably doesn’t freeze well. However, feel free to experiment freezing a recipe to save for later. And if you have success (or trouble), leave a comment sharing your experience to help others! Happy cooking!
Late to the conversation here. I make extra for my hubby to take on the road. (OTR trucker). Freezes well. Love this.
I agree… this freezes well even with the potatoes on. My husband and I usually eat two meals and freeze the rest in two separate containers of two meals each. I try to take it out in the morning to let it thaw naturally before heating in the microwave but of course that doesn’t always happen. I have thawed in the microwave and it still is delicious! This quickly became one of our favorites!
I freeze my leftover overs in lunch size containers for me to enjoy during the week. Freezes well
I am cooking this recipe as I type this. I’ve been cooking for the past two hours (including peeling the potatoes) with no clear end in sight. Some of the lentils are still hard and crunchy.
I couldn’t find vegan butter at the store so I used vegan sour cream. I started off with the recommended 2-4 tbsp but ended up having to put the whole package in there along with some almond milk. Maybe the consistency isn’t the same as “butter” and that’s why it was off?
I can’t say I’m particularly happy with this recipe. It’s definitely taken a lot longer than stated. Maybe I’ve done something wrong?
Even though the lentils aren’t done, they do taste good
I found it took a lot longer as well, but the lentils are good. I used garbanzo bean flour to thicken. I also make a califlower mash for topping. I am not vegan so I used butter. The kids liked it too. Just found it takes 2 heads of mashed califlower so had to make a second batch.
pre-soak your lentils. I didn’t have enough so I put chickpeas in (I am not suggesting this is a pro choice)
Although when I was making the mash taterz and then the filling and saw it took the filling 35-45 minutes to reduce down I was like…. wouldn’t you do the potatoes second? haha :P
Doing the potatoes second, that’s genius! Ok so I’m half way into this recipe and realized I don’t have lentils!!! Lol I have moong beans that I thought were lentils. So I am moving forward with moong beans. We will see….
I use green lentils and find they cook up quite well within about 40-45 minutes. I eat WFPB and don’t use any oil or butter, vegan or otherwise. I simply save the water when I drain the potatoes and simply add it back in gradually as I’m mashing until I get a nice creamy consistency. Try it… you will be amazed how they turn out!!
I was just wondering what I should make for dinner tonight. (Gimme a break– I like to plan ahead) And this is definitely the recipe! Thanks!
I just made this for the fam., and they LOVED it! Even the eaters who normally snub their noses at meatless meals said that they didn’t miss the beef at all! Thanks a million!
Yay! That made my day. So glad you all enjoyed it!
Sheperd’s Pie, def a winter time comfort food! I am shocked at how “meaty” yours appears, and makes me believe that even the meatiest lovers would enjoy it! I may have to give this one a try.
Yes! Even John approved and he’s not necessarily a “casserole” fan. Hope you love it!
Yum! Now I’m craving lentils…. :)
I love that we both had sheppy pies ON THE BRAIN. Taking over the internets this week with our plant-power, babe! Love your spin on the mega-comforting traditional here. xo
Yours looks AMAZING friend!! xoxo
This kind of food is like a hug in the cooler weather. I just love this recipe.
Oh, definitely. Your food needs to hug you back in the wintertime ;D
I used to make a similar thing using mashed butterbeans as the topping and soya mince back when I ate more fake meat – now I think I’ll try moving the pulses down a layer and topping with good old potatoes. Looks so yum!
Mmm, I like the idea of switching up the toppings! Thanks for sharing!
You are a life-saver. I have been wondering what I should make for myself for Thanksgiving this year and now I think I know exactly what I’ll be eating! Thanks for sharing :)
I’m making this, too! Hope you love it!
yum! just printed and will be making very soon. perfect meal for a cold day!
Hope you love it, Elizabeth! Thanks!
Yay! I have everything to make this; dinner just appeared in my inbox!!!
You are an angel from above for making this and sharing it with the world. I have been wanting to ‘veganize’ this for like ever and you have done it, beautifully.
Thanks Bird!!
This looks amazing! Every time I cook lentils though, they turn to mush… yours look like rice! Nice and separated and fluffy… is there some trick I don’t know?
Maybe just try cooking them a little less. If you rinse them, then cook them in a 1 part lentil : 2 part water ratio UNCOVERED, it should work! Good luck!
Soooo… mine exploded out the sides (too little potato for sure – my mistake!), but I wanted to say that it was so, SO good! Way better than a heavy meat-based shepard’s pie. This is quickly becoming my favourite place for dinner recipes! Thank you!!!
Ooh this looks great! I have a bit of a trauma with shepherd’s pie (I ate a portion while I was super sick and could never eat it again) but my sister loves it, so maybe I’ll try making this for her!
Wow, super well done in achieving the crispy bit of the topping! That is definitely the best bit of the dish! (and the lentils, and the veg and the smooth mashed potatoes…)
I’m finishing up making your vegan gf pumpkin bread and had just opened a google tab to search for “lentil shepherd’s pie,” and lo and behold! You had posted this! Perfect timing… can’t wait to make it for my snow day dinner tonight.
Yay! That made my day. Hope you love the bread AND this! Thanks for sharing, Arwen.
I grew up in a casserole family…so I don’t really eat them that much any more, ha! However, I LOVE the twist on shepherd’s pie…I’m all about potatoes and lentils :)
This looks amazing! I’ve only had shepherd pie once and I had to pick out the ground beef, but I loved it! So excited to make this!!
Haha, you picked it out. Yes you did :D That’s something I would do! Hope you try this version, Heather!
My God, is there anything better than Shepherd’s Pie?
you get me.
I made this with my mother tonight and it turned out great!!! We both decided it will be one of the vegan dishes served this Thanksgiving. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
This looks delicious, it’s perfect comfort food, mmmm!
This looks amazing !! You combined two of my favorite things: lentils and mashed potatoes! :)
Just letting you know that the email for this inspired me and I had to make it! I made it last night (used asparagus, fresh carrots and mushrooms because I didn’t have frozen veggies) and it was SO good! I had a ton for lunch, infact my friends kept eying it and wanted some! I didn’t give them any, I ate it all! :) Thank you!
I AM big on casseroles (or hot dish, as they like to call it where I’m from), and mushrooms, and, most of all, lentils. Looks like a win to add to the weeknight dinners list!
Made this last night. I loved it and so did my carnivore husband! I am enjoying the leftovers today and tomorrow. Even though I have been vegetarian for 13 years, I have yet to make a veg shepherd’s pie. Although it has been on my to-do cooking list as of late because this was a recipe I enjoyed in my childhood. I saw this post and knew I needed to seize the day. This was super simple and very flavorful despite minimal ingredients. Loved the filling…could have eaten it by itself!
I made this tonight for dinner – I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to throw together! I used organic chicken stock, dried oregano instead of thyme, and Ontarian potatoes instead of Yukon (though they didn’t brown quite as nicely). However, it still came out of the oven wonderfully warm & delicious! I will definitely be using this recipe as a base for whatever vegetables & herbs I have on hand. Thank you :)
Do you think I could sub chickpeas for lentils? I really want to make this but I can’t find lentils to save my life!
Made it, ate it, loved it! I didn’t grow up eating a lot of casseroles either, but I’m always game for mixing up my food. This turned out even better than I hoped. I ended up blending a couple cups worth of the mix with cornstarch before adding it back in and plopping my potatoes on top. It cooked up into a nice rich gravy, made even thicker by some of the lentils breaking down. I’m looking forward to my leftovers for the next few days. Thanks!
I made this Saturday and I loved it! I couldn’t eat lentils for a while because of a meatball idea I had months ago that when awry. I really wanted comfort food though and my mom always made a delicious Sheppard’s pie so I just had to try this. My parents tried my “vegan food” too and said it was good! Eating leftovers now and I think it’s even better, just like my mom’s traditional recipe.
Seriously good, thank you! Although my partner did put cheese on his… Oh well.
In argentina we call it pastel de papa, my mom used to do it all the time and since i became vegetarian i just change the meat for lentels and mushrooms, love it
I accidentally bought cooked lentils. How much veggie stock should I use (I am assuming much less)?
I made this for dinner tonight. So good! And plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I have made shepherds pie before, but this is BY FAR better than recipes tried in the past. In fact, past efforts were so disliked by my husband, I refused to tell him what I was making. Ha! He figured it out once it came out of the oven. Despite his prejudice, he loved this. Thanks!
I made this tonight for a crowd (doubled the recipe) and they LOVED it. And I had everything except the frozen veggies already on hand, so it was cheap and easy. Fantastic recipe, thank you!!!
Amazing! I made this tonight and cannot believe the size of a serving! I am sooooo stuffed and don’t feel at all guilty about what I ate. Very impressed! Although this took me closer to 90 minutes. Thanks for the recipe!
First off, this was EXTREMELY tasty! I’ve been a Minimalist Baker fan for a while now, and this definitely lived up to the standards I’ve come to expect.
I want to take this to Thanksgiving (I’m vegan so it’d be nice to have a hearty dish I can actually eat) and I’m wondering how much of it can be made in advance. Can I fully assemble it and chill overnight? Ideally, I’d like to have as much of it completed prior to arriving at my grandmother’s house…there’ll already be 3 or 4 cooks in a cramped kitchen :)
Thank you for delicious, healthy and doable recipes!
HI! Did you try this? I’m making this right now for dinner tonight so wondering if I can fully assemble and then just reheat later??
can you use canned lentils ? dont have the other..
Delightful! I want all the creamy crispy potatoes on top!
This looks so good! I think I may make it for Thanksgiving. Do you know if this would be good to make ahead of time, freeze, then reheat on Thanksgiving?
I made this tonight for dinner, and it was amazing! I made it exactly as the recipe states. I did not need to thicken the lentil mixture. It was perfect!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Raena!
I am going to try making this for dinner this evening, it looks yummy and it’s fun to make dishes that normall reguire meat without it. I bought some vegetarian minced meat to add to the dish, we’re lucky to have stores that sell quite some vegetarian meat like stuff.
A HUGE thanks for this recipe!! I made this for family dinner last night! Everybody loved it, even the meat-eaters in the household! I added Barley to the Lentils to boost up the “meaty-ness” of the dish, and added some extra veggies. It was a huge hit! Thanks for inspiration to make grains the “meat” of the dish!!
SO good!!!
Made a few tweaks which were definitely worth it!
Topped my lentil filling with a thin layer of quinoa for a nutty texture & added protein;
Used the cauliflower mashed potato recipe to make it lighter & for less carbs;
Crumbled the Vegan Parmesan Cheese on top before putting it to bake.
And it turned out AHHH-MAYYY-ZINNGGGG.
Dana you’re a genius!
Start your own blog then. This sounds patronising
Yum! This is in the oven right now. I used my huge cast iron pan, something like a foot across, so there was plenty of room. Next time I’ll either use six potatoes instead of four, or freeze some of the filling and make a smaller batch. I like a little filling with my potatoes, ha ha.
Tastes great, but I mistakenly followed the recipe without paying attention and think adding salt to the cooking lentils is a big mistake. Salt toughens up the lentils, so what should cook in 20 minutes took forever.
Love. This. I also use the vegetable base part of the recipe as a lentil soup when I don’t feel
Love. This. Absolutely delicious! I also use the vegetable base part of the recipe as a lentil soup when I don’t feel well… just add less lentils and no potatoes and it’s just what I need. Thanks for another incredible dish… or 2 for that matter.
Had this for dinner tonight and I was so surprised by how much yummy flavor it had! Even with thyme salt and pepper being the only spices. Family loved it. Will definitely make again!
I followed the recipe exactly – had it for dinner and loved it!! I did however add a sprinkling of vegan cheese on top which gave it a yummy flavour. I was worried 4 cups of water would be too much but in the end it thickened nicely. Will definitely make it again as it was so yummy and nutritious.
I’m sure she checked the recipe extensively
Delicious! I made it exactly as the recipe says. We all had seconds!
I’m in love! I LOVE Shepard’s pie but I have recently become vegetarian and I am missing all my winter favorites (pot roast, meatloaf, etc..) and this was heaven sent! My whole family loves it- even my super picky 7 year old. Thanks!
Ah yay! So glad you enjoyed it, Cindy. Thanks for sharing!
YUM! Making this tonight for dinner, I have been participating in Veganaury all month and the cravings started kicking in like crazy a week ago. I love the vegan comfort foods like these that replace my pre-veganuary omni meals. :-D
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it for my husband and now he wants it so often that I keep running out of lentils. Amazing and delish :D Even my fussy toddler and 6 year old love it!
Thanks so much for this recipe! It was delicious! I didn’t any frozen veggies except for peas so I cooked some diced carrots with the onion and garlic and it turned out fabulous!
This is terrible… absolutely terrible. Ruined my night.
made this with green lentils. they didn’t get soft for MUCH longer than the 45 min stated, i would recommend brown lentils. But other than that i really liked this recipe. i’m going to try it again and will make sure my lentils get nice a soft next time.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I used a sprouted lentil trio and it worked really well. I also added a tiny sprinkle of garlic powder to the mashed potatoes and it was delicious! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
I had my doubts when it was cooking, but it tasted good! Even my boyfriend had two heaping helpings.
Just wanted to update that I’m not super excited by the leftovers. The filling got dry and mashed potatoes never reheat well unless you can mix them with a bit of liquid. So yay, on the first night, but not something I want to be eating for the rest of the week. Next time I may half the recipe so we don’t have half a pan of leftovers. Not sure if other experiences differ, but my two cents.
I split the meal into two round Pyrex dishes and will be covering and freezing one before baking. That way I can thaw it the night before Thanksgiving and have one of my dishes already prepared. I hope this works! Might be a solution to the dish drying out for leftovers.
Its in the oven, my husband thinks there should be meat every meal so will see the reaction, I know I will like it, may have to move in with you if it does not go over well and I end up homeless! Will you take me in?
haha, sorry no but I almost guarantee he will like this! Report back!
you could always add an extra layer: mushroom, cauliflower crumbles and booa crumbles…my bf is the same but this he can accept
Made this for St Patrick’s day! It was delicious! I put a little almond milk in my mashed potatoes and used the hand blender to make them really smooth. Otherwise I stuck to the recipe and even my 1 and 3 year olds ate it!
Great to hear! Thanks for sharing Maria :D
Substitute olive oil for the vegan butter in the mashed potatoes, add some daiya cheese as well if desired.
Seitan, aka. wheat cutlets, are a great addition to the filling (the sauce of which can be saved and thrown together with crimini or button mushrooms in a pan to make a gravy).
Otherwise an easy, quick, hearty meal.
This recipe is so yummy! I made it last week for my celiac mom & I, and I’m finding myself craving it again this week. I’ve never been big on lentils but they are absolutely perfect in this recipe. I’m making this for dinner again tonight. Thanks so much for sharing!
This looks amazing!! Would it work just as well with sweet potatos?
Yes! I would think so.
I made this on the weekend and it was DELICIOUS! I added about 1/2 cup of the mashed potatoes to the lentils and the pie stays together so nicely that way. I made an 8×8 dish and I froze a smaller size for dinner in a few weeks time. Just included this recipe in my latest blog post about healthy meal planning. Thanks!!
yumm! i would add about 1 potato worth of the mashed potatoes to the lentils to thicken them (and to get a better potato-lentil ratio)
Thank you for the recipe, i am doing it right now and i already can say that it look, smell and tastes delicious!
I dont normally put sold while i am cooking, so i decided to add sweet potatoes for more sweeter taste.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Katerina!
This Shepherd’s Pie is my go-to recipe when I need something hearty that does not require much planning. And it’s delicious! I made one small change: I use organic coconut oil in the mashed potatoes as I love the extra flavor it gives.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Susan!
Always on the lookout for good “comfort food” recipes, seems like meat is always a HUGE part of them! This is perfect because it’s vegan but looks SO satisfying! Adding this to my menu plan for next week, thanks!
Great! Thanks for sharing!!! xoxo
So yummy!! Everyone ate this up! My little siblings (6 and 8) helped pick out the veggies they wanted to put in it, and helped peel/wash the potatoes. They love helping me cook:) We somehow were out of lentils, so I used split peas instead lol. I plan on trying this again once we get lentils, but it was still very yummy with the split peas! Thanks!! The 6 year old rarely eats dinner but she ate her whole plate of this (and seconds)
Wonderful! So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for this wonderful vegan recipe!
I made this dish today and it was a success
delicious, easy to make and nutritious!
xxx
Nice recipe!
If you ever want to do something a little different — try substituting the mashed potato topping with a sweet potato/cauliflower mash. I used two big sweet potatoes and a head of cauliflower (just boil the heck out of them and use an electric mixer to get a smooth texture).
It was a slightly sweeter and lighter version of the traditional shepherd’s pie topping.
Wonderful tip! Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
Can I substitue coconut oil for vegan butter?
That should work! It may affect the flavor, so keep that in mind.
This was delicious! It made a lot of Shepard’s pie so I won’t have to cook for a couple of days. After tasting the lentil mixture I added ketchup. I just thought it needed some. That was the only change I made.
The instructions do not seem to indicate that you peeled the mashed potatoes at any point (though the pics look to suggest otherwise). Is that the case? If you did, do you think this would work with smashed skin-on taters?
I didn’t peel them, I just used light-colored potatoes so you can’t really see the skin. But peel them if you want!
I made this shepards pie for my meat eaters last night. It was off the chart delish!!! They fought over the last of the left over today. Outstanding recipe!
So great! Thanks for sharing, Karin!
This was the first recipe I tried from Minimalist Baker and I loved it! It was also my first experience with vegan potatoes and lentils. Lots of firsts over here. My husband liked it too, which is saying a lot because he usually complains up a storm when I cook vegan. There was no complaining tonight – his mouth was too full! Thanks for this yummy recipe!
I made this recipe yesterday, and it turned out AWESOME! Definitely a keeper! I love your website. I’m just starting to foray into vegan food/cooking, and you make it seem really accessible. I have quite a few of your recipes bookmarked; I can’t wait to try more! Thank you!
made this last night and it was Miraculous! Had frozen corn and peas so I added fresh shredded carrot and blanched green beans and added on top of the lentil gravy. Your proportions for cooking the dried lentils were spot on!!! Bravo!
I should mention that I found this recipe ( also a current subscriber though- because you rock) after a search inspired by visiting an Irish Festival. I opted for a falafel wrap and my partner went for nostalgia with the shepards pie ( not veggie). After looking at the brown gravy soaked sadness bowl I had to try a bite…. It was then I vowed to wow him with a much better ( taste and health wise) veggie version.
This recipe was my first foray and thanks to you I nailed it! He was sold after first bite of the Yukon mashed….. And I will continue to read and recommend you.
– cheers
So kind! Thanks for sharing!
Just made this as a practice run through for my GCSE Food technology controlled assessment on Monday and it turned out beautifully! Have been recovering from a nasty cold and this is the ultimate comfort food, yet still light enough as I have next to no appetite. My mum (vegan as well) rated it 10/10 and has asked me to make it again! Followed the recipe exactly except added some soy milk to mash and used cooked lentils to speed up cooking time. Wonderful recipe thank you so much :)
I have made this before and loved it! Do you think I could make this and freeze it? If so, do you have any suggestions? Thanks!
I’m stoked to see this recipe, and I’m going to try it tomorrow! I’ve made a vegan shepherd’s pie before using a puréed mushroom soup to mix in with the sautéed vegetables; it was amazing. Keep up the great recipes! They always kick ass!
Thanks so much, Sarah! Hope you love this one!
I minor point, and probably pedantic; Shepherd’s Pie does not have beef in (that’s Cottage Pie), it is made of Lamb. Clue in the name. And in England the only veg we would traditionally have in the sauce is onion, carrot and celery. Part of the experience is the big pile of steaming buttery peas/beans/brocolli on the side.
Just writing about it reminds me of my grandmother. I’ll give your version a go. Thanks.
This is one of my favorite comfort vegan recipes. I add a can of diced tomato’s and a dash of liquid smoke and liquid amino’s. SO GOOD!
Smart idea! Thanks for sharing!
I love this recipe! I live on an island so sometimes the frozen veggies are out of stock. Instead I used fresh carrots, turnips, okra, and yellow squash. I topped it off with sweet potatoes and used coconut oil to bind them together! It is so delicious! Thank you for this recipe :)
Sincerely,
a hungry veterinary student
So wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Katrina!
Just made this and loved it. Thanks for sharing it!!
Any specific reason why brown/green lentils only? I ask because I have yellow and red in my cupboard…
ohmyuuuuuuuum! I made this tonight and it is so good! I will be making this many times come winter. thank you ~♥~
This is delicious! Literally eating it right now, thank you for sharing! I’ve been a vegetarian for 7-8 months and have found that easy as – vegan on the other hand, has been a much harder transition for me! But with recipes like these, I am well inspired and even excited. Thanks again!
WOW! I just made this and it turned out soooo good! I used red lentils and turned out perfect. Delicious recipe!! Thank you for sharing. I am looking forward to trying out your other recipes! yum yum.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Alyssa!
I just made this tonight and it was SO GOOD! I made the base and the potatoes earlier in the day, but didn’t assemble and bake until this evening. The hardest part was not stealing spoonfuls of the lentil mixture all day! (I was not entirely successful). I made minimal changes, based on what I had on hand; I used frozen peas and corn, and fresh carrots and green beans (to a total weight of 10 oz). I also added an extra 10 minutes of baking time because I’d made it in advance.
Thanks for a great recipe – I’ve already bookmarked your vegan pizza and am looking forward to doing some more browsing.
So kind! Thanks Sarah!
Just whipped this up with what I had on hand (black and kidney beans instead of lentils, oregano instead of thyme, red potatoes, fresh cauliflower, zucchini, carrots and peas for veggies) and it was so delicious. We added chili flakes for a kick and it was PERFECT! Even my two roommates (non vegan college boys) loved it. Thanks for the recipe :)
I loved this recipe and so did my family!!! Just added an extra ingredient…1/4c. of Worcestershire sauce which gave it that extra burst of flavor!!!
THIS IS A KEEPER!!!
I made this once a long time ago, and when my vegetarian cousin texted me to tell me about the amazing shepherd’s pie recipe she’d found that’s even vegan for me, I knew she had to be talking about this one! I’m so glad she reminded me of it because it’s super simple and I’ve made it the past 3 weeks in a row. The only thing do differently is use russet potatoes and put in extra veggies, and it’s so easy and delicious! Glowing review from both me and my cousin :)
As so many of your recipes, this was wonderful and won over some non vegans! Thank you for all the recipes!
Ah, thanks Kerry! So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Delicious. I cut time and “beef” it up w some boca crumble vs the lentils which is also a crowd pleaser.
My husband and I have fallen in love with this recipe. I already made it to take to one family thanksgiving this year, and will be making and taking it to another. It’s a big hit and so tasty!
OMG, a vegan sheperd’s pie that doesn’t have mushrooms (my husband’s least favorite food) or celery (my least favorite food), haha! Looks fab– thanks for sharing! :)
Thanks for the recipe. I made this for TWO different Thanksgiving parties, substituting frozen kale for the frozen veggie mix. Really enjoyed it! Served it on the buffet along with a wild rice casserole, carrots, cinnamon apples, pinto beans, stuffing and vegetarian gravy. I made a huge batch and will be enjoying leftovers. :)
I made this for thanksgiving, and it was good enough that I’m adding it to the rotation. I made a few changes (of course…I’m constitutionally incapable of following a recipe exactly as written): I cut the amt of lentils in half and increased the veggies (and added broccoli to the mixed veggies), and I added quite a bit of dried basil. Thanks for posting this, it was very good!
I made this and Cheese cake for our Thanksgiving dinner. Came out really well. My wife and daughters loved it. Thank you!
I just finished making this & unfortunately don’t think I’ll be doing it again. While the flavours are great, the lentil mix was WAAAAAAY too liquidy, even after stirring in some of the mashed potato to try to thicken it up. There was absolutely no way to spread the potatoes over the top to make a crust. So basically, in my oven right now I have a large pan filled with a lentil soup-type mix with globs of mashed potato in it :( My partner & I will likely eat it (as I hate to throw food away), but I have a feeling I’ll be stopping at McDonald’s on the way home from picking the kids up from school – there’s absolutely no way they’re going to touch this :(
Maybe try boiling the lentils a bit longer next time? Or stirring some corn starch into the mix to thicken it. I’ve made this a number of times and it’s a big hit and not overly liquidy at all. That’s too bad it didn’t work for you :(
Cheers!
Did you simmer for 40 minutes? Did you use uncooked lentils? It shouldn’t have been too liquidy if so, but even if it were, it’s a very simple re-adjustment to fix for next time.
Why would you not make a recipe again because it was a bit watery on your first try? Why would you take your kids to McDonald’s, of all places?
Th recipe neglects to mention that the pot needs to be covered tightly so the lentils can absorb the water while simmering :(
I’ve never covered my lentils and made the recipe plenty of times before and it never was a problem! :)
Try Gardein Soy Crumbles! Works great
i have found that adding some cashew milk and then making a slurry with cold water and cornstarch and adding it to the lentils makes it more thin.
The cornstarch works well for me. Perfect every time
This might be my favorite comfort food recipe of yours. It is so delicious. I made this for the first time for dinner guests, which I never do, because, what if it doesn’t turn out to be good? But that’s never a concern with your recipes. Our guests loved it. And it’s been great for lunch days afterwards. I served it with your vegan dinner rolls. Perfect combo.
Taste was good but needs more veggies. One 10-oz bag was not enough. Will double next time.
I LOVED this. I made it for friends giving and it was fantastic. The only thing i will say is that it took a little bit more earth balance to make the potatoes just a tad bit more creamy, but maybe thats just because it’s the holidays and my fat intake has skyrocketed. UGH so good. Thank you for the recipe.
Love this recipe- seriously a staple in our house during the chilly months! My carnivore hubby isn’t a big fan of lentils, but I’ve discovered that if I swap beef broth for vegetable broth, he doesn’t mind the lentils or miss the ground beef. Not exactly vegetarian, but it works for us.
I make this using meaty portabellas, I will make it next time with lentils, I love lentils.
I also make my own broth using red wine. Sometimes the veggie broth is just too salty.
Just made this, and absolutely loved it!! Thank you for sharing this recipe :)
So Good!
I used fresh vegetables instead of frozen, doubling the weight (20 oz) to make sure the pie was super full of veggie goodness. Doing this meant I did not need to thicken the mixture at all.
Thank you for coming up with such a delicious and healthy comfort-food vegan dinner. I will be back to try all your recipes :-)
I wanted to take the time to thank you for this recipe because I have made this MANY times now and it has saved me! Cooking for non-vegetarians is always a challenging because you want something hearty and filling, and this recipe has both. Thank you again for this and for the many other delicious recipes that you share!
This was super delicious! I added a can of cannellini beans to the veggie mixture which helped thicken it. Yummy, hearty dish. Thanks for sharing!
Are these canned or dry lentils? Thanks!!
Dry
This was delicious! Very hearty on a cold winter night.
Wow comfort food at it’s finest – yumm! Easy and delicious – two of my favourite things. The only thing I would suggest is to start the potatoes after you’ve got the lentils cooking. Otherwise fantastic as usual – thanks for sharing this!
Im making this as we speak! Thank you so much for the recipe! I splurged a bit and decided to add some red wine to the filling as it was simmering. Cant wait to eat this, it smells amazing!! :3
I made this tonight and it is a wonderful winter meal! Only change I made was making the topping roughly 3:2 sweet potato to potato as well as the addition of TVP. I used 1 cup lentils and three cups of vegetable broth and added in 1/2 cup rehydrated TVP along with the frozen vegetables.
Thank you so much for your recipes! I’ve made several now and they’re all hits in my household!
Hi, thank you for this recipe, made it last night and it was so good! I added a bit of rice milk, half a sweet potato to the mash and the rest of it to the filling and used fresh green beans, frozen peas, no corn or carrot.
It was delicious! Green lentils are a favourite in my household!
Delicious. I agree with posters that suggested starting the lentils first. I also found the potatoes rather dry and will add some liquid the next time. I will also double the veggies. The recipe, however, was surprisingly good with relatively few ingredients and little prep, so I’ll definitely do it again. Thank you.
Another delicious recipe for a cold winter evening! I didn’t change a thing!
My brother made this for me after flying into Boise for Christmas dinner. It was so incredible! We all loved it, including my 3 year old niece. I didn’t think it would taste so good with such few ingredients. Now it’s on my and my brother’s easy week night recipe collections!
I made this for dinner tonight for the fourth or fifth time. It is my go to end of week dish. When I am out of money and have only left overs in the fridge; I dig some potatoes out of the garden, add left over vegetables to the lentils and voila! Perfect, healthy, vegan, yummy, whole food dinner. :-)
I love this website! Thank you again Dana, You make being vegan so easy :-)
PS: This time round I added your vegan Parmesan mix to the top of the potato and let it toast in the oven, delish!
I love this! Really easy, I didn’t have to stand watching it. Normally I give any leftovers to my ex but I’m so keeping them this time haha, thankyou so much
Just made a doube batch tonight- planning to freeze the filling in tubs to make into shepherd’s pies after our second child is born. Super tasty and nourishing!! I was worried that the fresh thyme and stock alone wouldn’t provide enough flavour, but all I added was a little chilli and it was perfect. Good simple hearty fare. It’ll be a regular from now on. Thanks!!
This recipe is amazing. The only thing I added was a couple bay leaves (along with the fresh thyme) to the lentil-veggie mix. Every bit as comforting and rich as the traditional recipe. I am impressed!
Just want to say I made this pie tonight and it was delicious! I halved the recipe as I was making it for 2 and I came out great. My meat-eating boyfriend loved it too (I’m the vegetarian…), and we decided you shouldn’t call it a Shepherds Pie because it’s so tasty it doesn’t need a common comparison ;-)
Thanks for the recipe – we’ll definitely be making this again!
Just finished making this (its cooling as I type) and it looks, smells, and tastes delicious!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I am vegetarian and was looking for some easy casserole dinner ideas when I came across your recipe. My husband and son, who both are meat eaters enjoyed this meal. It was warming to the soul and very satisfying. I’m up visiting my father this weekend where it is -7 and am making this for dinner tonight; can’t wait for him to try it! I’ve also made this and shared with a friend who is on some funky diet where he only eats boiled rice and potatoes. He is from overseas and thanked me saying it was tasty and really helped him to go to the bathroom lol.
I also LOVE your black bean brownie recipe. I always double the recipe and freeze half of the batch. I love having one for dessert with some almond milk. The brownies are a favorite in our house.
Thank you for sharing!
Stephanie
OMW I love this recipe!! I made it last night but used cauliflower mash and added mushrooms! Thanks for posting this! I am a vegetarian newbie and this is going straight to my cook book!
San xx
This dish was terrific. Very hearty, wintery and easy.
I made a few changes:
– I put the lentils on before the potatoes, because they take longer.
– I added celery to the onions and garlic.
– I used fresh veggies. Mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, corn, peas, carrots.
– I used 4 large potatoes. Perfect.
– I found the potato to be quite dry and bland, so I mashed in 1/2 a cup of vegan mayonnaise. Delish.
– I broiled the dish for an extra 10 minutes, to crisp up the tops of the potato.
– I served it with vegan worcestershire sauce and mild salsa.
I made this oil free and added black garlic instead of regular and it turned out sooo good. I will for sure make this again!
I just made this tonight and it is sooo good! I used sweet potato topping instead of white potatoes and added some celery that I needed to use up. I am new to this site and absolutely loving it. I made the buffalo chick pea wraps last night and those were great too!
Great recipe! I substituted walnuts and black-eyed peas; half sweet potatoes; and Brussels sprouts, asparagus, corn, broccoli. It was fantastic and so simple: perfect!
A newbie to preparing shepherd’s pie, this recipe is delish! But “carefully top with mashed potatoes”? My mashed potatoes sank to the bottom and formed islands. Still tasty, just way less attractive.
Hi im about to try this out…do we peel the potatoes or leave the skin on?
Its up to you but personally i like to peel them first, makes it more a smooth puree when mashed!
This is the BOMB DIGITTY!!! here are my tips to make it ultra perfect:
• use big brown organic lentils.
• make the potatoes 3/4 yukon gold and 1/4 sweet potatoes.
• Substitute half the onion quantity for leek.
• sautéed a cup of mushrooms on the side and add it along with the frozen veggies.
• put at least 2 cups of veggies!
• frozen peas do the trick but skip the whole mix… Along with the mushrooms, add canned sweet corn kennels and 2 carrots finelly chopped (it will cook in the last 10 minutes, no need to precook).
• add a little almond milk and a bit more vegan butter to the potatoes to make them extra soft.
• sprinkle some smoked paprika on the top before throwing in the oven and VOILA!
Soooooo good.
smoked paprika.. great idea :)
I made this for St. Patrick’s Day dinner and it was very good. The proportions were fine but I made a tapioca flour and hot water mix (1 tbls tapioca flour and 1/4 cup of water) and mixed it into the lentil/veggie broth mixture. This made the broth with lentils much more like a thick gravy. I found one bag of frozen veggies worked great, but can see making this with fresh veggies in the future.
Caramelizing the onions well makes for a much better mouth feel.
Great stuff. Mixed in carrots, squash, and a handful of other fresh veggies. Used sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for taste and nutrition. Baked for nearly an hour to dry out the lentils a bit more and to harden the potato crust. All good moves. Picky wife loved it. Pickier 20 month old didn’t.
I made this tonight and it was heavenly! I was a bit hesitant as I have tried other recipes with lentils and I wasn’t a fan. This pleasantly surprised me! Since going vegan many of the recipes I have tried have gone straight into the garbage which has been disappointing. This recipe will be going into my collection of favourites and probably made weekly. Thank you! I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
Yum! Thank you again! I was going to make this for dinner, but ended up making it for lunch :)! My husband will have to have the left overs. I ended up using a vegetable stock that had more of a mushroom taste to it and it was SO GOOD. I followed your recipe and the thickness was perfect- needed to add lots of salt and pepper to get some flavor going. I did my mash potatoes in the kitchen aid- with melted vegan butter and almond milk. Worked like a charm :)! I think we will be making this at our church Lenten dinner next week. Thanks!
This is a great alternative to Shepherd’s pie! My husband just became vegan two months ago, and I’ve been struggling to find good recipes for dinner. This is a keeper! A little time consuming, but well worth it! 3lb of potatoes seemed a bit much, so I used less the second time, great either way.
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I did make a few adjustments. My husband isn’t a fan of lentils, so I use soy meatless crumbles instead. I eyeballed the veg. broth but I would say I probably only used about 2 cups total (I didn’t need it to cook lentils, so it makes sense to use less than what’s called for). I also did take some of the liquid out to mix with cornstarch to thicken it up a bit. I thought I would end up adding more spices to the mix but it was actually quite delicious with just thyme, salt and pepper. This hearty meal was devoured by my carnivorous husband, so I would definitely recommend it for someone cooking for a omnivorous mix of people, or to take to a vegan Thanksgiving or holiday party. I do love lentils, so I plan to make it as written at some point, but another benefit of the meatless crumbles is that it cuts your cooking time in half. LOVED this, thanks for posting!!!!
My husband and I are adding this tasty dish to our dinner rotation! I added a layer of sauerkraut before topping with potato and it was wonderful!
Made this tonight, and it was great! Very satisfying and comforting. I cooked the lentils for about 23-25 minutes before adding a 16 oz bag of frozen veggies. I added more because I only had a 9.5 X 14 pan. I think I used 3.3 lbs of russet potatoes, and boiled/mashed them with the skins on. I used about a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the potatoes to mix in with the lentil/veggie mix, and it was fine. For those who don’t know: carefully spoon small amounts of the mashed potatoes all over the first layer. Resist the urge to spread/smooth them until you have it all covered. Then use a spoon or a fork to smooth them out. We also used 5 cloves of garlic and sprinkled paprika on the potatoes before baking. Yum!!!
Thanks for the tip about spreading the potatoes! Worked like a charm.
Made this for Easter dinner, and it was delish! I nearly doubled the veggies and added celery, added a splash of Bragg liquid aminos and Marsala cooking wine, and scraped the potatoes with a fork, then sprayed with oil before putting it in the oven. I broiled it to brown it a little faster. Very good!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Lindsey!
Delicious!! Even my “alway-objecting-that-she-had-veganism-thrust-upon-her” daughter loved this one. Thanks for the great recipe
Delicious! The lentils and stock formed a perfect gravy! Added a tsp of mixed herbs in during the cooking. Lovely stuff!
This is the first time I have left a comment on a recipe. Since becoming vegan 18 months ago, I am only just getting used to a new way of cooking. This vegan shepherds pie is delicious with great flavour – my husband even said it tastes like it has meat in it! I varied a little by using a mix of sweet potato and white potato in the mash which was great. I also used fresh carrots added after the onion and frozen peas and corn before putting in the oven. Delicious!! Will definitely be making this again.
This was awesome! I am a vegan in transition and looking for great recipes. Thankfully my gf sent me to your site. Its even better on day 2.
I ended up making this a vegetarian dish, even though I normally cook vegan at home. I had some cream cheese and sour cream that was given to me that I wanted to use up. So, I added those 2 ingredients to the mashed potatoes (hence the vegetarian version). Other then that, the filling part of the recipe I left the same, with more of the same veg the recipe called for (again had a bunch lying around, wanted to put it to use). This was awesome! I love recipes that are 10 ingredients and under. Sheppard’s pie always seems like such an undertaking, but this recipe made it easy. Thanks so much for sharing, can’t wait to try another!
Made this recipe and it was a great hit. Did not have Yukons and the baking potatoes i do have are quite dry even when boiled so I took off the peels and added a bag of TJ’s riced cauliflower to the reserved boiling water after removing the potatoes let them steep 5 minutes and then drained the cauliflower and added them the the potatoes and mashed – Wow it really made the potatoes creamy and smooth
I loved this recipe! I cooked it for a group of four (expecting leftovers for my boyfriend and I, lol). I am new to cooking (adulting, really) so I was terrified to try it and have it fail, but it turned out so good! I even added some vegan cheese in between the layers of vegetables and potatoes. I actually found the recipe on pinterest, and the pin didnt say anything about frozen vegetables, so I bought all of the ingredients and went to start making it, pulled open this link and realized I was missing a major ingredient. I didnt have my car, or much time to spare, so I put in spinach and broccoli instead and it turned out fine! But I learned the lesson to always open up the full link before going to the store.
Thank you so much for sharing! Will try another one of your recipes soon! xo
Lia
Great recipe, thank you Dana. I’ve got my grown-up daughter staying a while; she’s vegan so this recipe has been perfect for a beginner like me to impress her with – and she was very impressed! I’m in the UK, so had to fiddle with conversions, but that was easy enough. I took advantage of some of the comments left by other users to ‘tweak’ your recipe a little too. I added some vegan worcester sauce, and some chopped and sauteed portabella mushrooms to the lentil mix, plus a little tomato puree. When it came to the mashed potato, I added some ‘vegan parmesan substitute’ sprinkled generously in the mashed potato and on top, plus a little ‘smoked paprika’ dusting to finish.
Once again, thank you Dana, and your other posters on here for their comments – a truly Delicious dish.
My whole family loved this!
I made a few adjustments. Used herbes de province, nutritional yeast flakes and thickened it with cornstarch. Will be making it again.
Made this one again last night, it was delicious :) love your recipes!
I love this blog for yummy vegan recipes. I have found so many household favorites on here! Can’t wait to try this one tonight!
This recipe is yummy and it makes a lot! I added hot soy milk to the mashed potatoes and replaced the vegan butter with a good amount of Just Mayo. If you’ve never tried mayo in mashed potatoes it is just divine! I also made a vegan, turkey style gravy to go over the top of the casserole since my husband loves gravy with mashed potatoes. Sooooo good! Lastly, when the casserole was nearly done baking I placed it on the middle oven rack and turned the broiler on for just a couple of minutes. It gave the top of the casserole a pretty, flecked golden brown color.
“Traditional Shepherd’s pie contains ground beef” – I didn’t realise shepherds had taken to herding cows, now? I think you mean lamb ;)
Ah-mazing. My 14 month-old even loved it. I did have to add quite a bit more water/broth, but the results were perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious! I made this tonight with sweet potato instead of potato…one of the best dishes I have ever had. I made it a bit too watery like the above comment but instead of giving this meal less stars than it deserves and feeding myself mcd’s, I realized my mistake early on and scooped out lots of liquid before putting the sweet potato on top. It was still a bit watery when it came out but in twenty minutes when I came back for my second serving, it was totally thick and perfect. WOW! I would recommend this to everyone and making it with sweet potato’s tastes like thanksgiving :)
This was great!
I tried swapping the potatoes with yams and that was yummy too.
Also I added a pinch of garam masala to it cause I used to do that with beef Shepards pie.
This recipe is marked as gluten free but I know from personal experience that vegatable stock cubes are not, ordinarily, wheat free. Just to warn any coeliacs making this dish, not criticising the recipe as it can just be replaced with an alternative like boiling water.
Thanks for sharing. The ones I get from Whole Foods are always GF, but I didn’t think to mention that. Thanks for the tip!
Just made this tonight. I followed the recommendation to start the lentils before the potatoes which was a great suggestion, this timing was great. The lentils were definitely thick enough, the potatoes covered the top just perfectly and browned nicely. It was good, but it didn’t blow me away. Maybe I had unfairly high expectations from reading all the other reviews :) It took me about 1 hour 15 minutes from start to finish, and then add the time to wait for it to cool.
Oh my god this is amazing! I added both mashed potatoes AND cornstarch into the lentil mixture to get it to the right consistency. I also listened to these comments and added more veg (almost doubled). I will definitely be making this again in the near future!
I am going to make this, but with a variety of lentils, sprouted. I sprout all my lentils to get the most protein and least fart out of them! th
I’ve started to do that as well!
Hi ! I just made half the recipe and I really enjoyed it. I think I should of added more veggies, but I wasn’t measuring either. I didn’t cook my lentils all the way, but I liked the little crunch they gave. My husband and one of my boys (both carnivores) said it wasn’t bad. I will most definitely be making this again.. It’s on my favorites list!!! I also didn’t use the garlic or thyme, but with all the recipes I try I add or delete the ingredients I like/dislike and they always turn out just fine. Thank you for the recipe.
Should the lentils be soaked overnight first?
Can I use red lentils?
It will be more mushy, but yes!
OK well this was delicious! I didn’t have a bag of veggies (don’t usually have those on hand) but used some corn and fresh zucchini, and served it with BBQ sauce if people wanted it. Even our most picky youngest child enjoyed it! Thanks, this one will be a keeper.
I know it’s the middle of summer and everything, but I live in Norway. Norway is cold, and I therefore decided to make this for dinner today. I reduced the amount of ingredients as I was just cooking for my flatmate and me, but I still made four portions so we could have lunch tomorrow.
I tweaked the recipe in a few ways:
– I used red lentils
– I added tomato paste to the filling
– I used oil in the mashed potatoes
– I just used frozen peas and carrots
It came out FANTASTIC! Both my flatmate and I enjoyed this recipe, it was quite filling and all. I had one portion, FM ended up eating the three others. I was shocked, he’s a small fellow. No lunch for tomorrow, should have made more…
This recipe disappears very quickly! It’s a number one favourite. I don’t think that I have ever seen any dish disappear so fast and no leftovers, just enough for seconds between 2 hungry kids and myself. I use canned brown lentils no added salt and frozen organic Broccoli, Spinach, Cauliflower with fresh organic Carrots, Celery and Mushrooms and lots of mashed potatoes. I used Nuttelex Sunflower margarine, although I should make my own Sunflower butter. I will. I also use Cashew milk to moisten the mashed potatoes for ease of spreading, and I also found that by thickening carefully with Tapioca flour, not too much, that it turns out perfectly. I adore it. Easy to make, and absolutely delicious. It snows here in the Winter and we often have windstorms with ice winds. We live on the outskirts of a village. I have four daughters, so 2 of them live in the city. I am making this again quite soon. It fills a Pyrex lasagne dish and I though that was huge! lol :) I hope that my experiences of making it help others on here and bring a smile to your good selves. Thank you Dana for the recipe. We love it! <3
Dana, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your blog. I make your miso soup recipe once a month and have tried countless others of your recipes. Most vegan blogs include recipes that are simply too complicated (OR EXPENSIVE!) for me to make, so I really appreciate this one.
-Reenz
This is one of my favorite recipes! It’s always a go to when I have left over potatoes and don’t know what to do with them. I often have lentils, frozen veggies and vegetable broth on hand! Very simple, but delicious dish.
I like to soak my lentils for up to 12 hours before making this recipe, I use the same amount of liquids, I just add as much cornstarch as I need to bring it to the perfect “gravy” like consistency! Tastes amazing!
Thanks for this dish!
I was worried my version would turn out bland since I’m on a HCLF vegan diet, but it turned out great and was easy to modify. I was out of thyme, so I subbed with some herbs de provence. I also added some vegan worcestershire. I used a 12oz bag of veggies instead of 10oz. Since I had to omit the Earth Balance, I just used some reserved potato cooking water and also added garlic powder, onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and salt to tszuj it up.
Luckily, I live alone so I didn’t feel any shame when I licked my plate clean. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Yum yum and easy. I added two wooden spoon fulls of mash to thicken the lentils and veggies; next time I’ll try Maizena and see if it thickens a bit more. I’m definitely making this again.
Husband doesn’t like onions so I left those out. I couldn’t find uncooked lentils so I used two cans of cooked brown lentils. Instead of veg stock I used 4 veg bouillon cubes. This was a bit too much salt (even with low-salt cubes). So, next time, I’ll still used the canned lentils and just use two cubes of bouillon. I also think this recipe would be great with seitan instead of lentils, so I may try that in the future. :)
I just made this recipe yesterday and it was definetely worth it ! Even my parents and my brother enjoyed it,haha.
I just added a bit of water and almond milk to the mashed potatoes but also a good pinch of nutmeg for the taste. Thank you for this wonderful dinner :)
This was to die for! I had doubts while making it….but once it hit my mouth, I went crazy! Fantastic! This, among many Minimalist Baker recipes, will become one of my go tos! I can’t get enough of your recipes! <3
Oh my gosh, I’ve found a new staple! This was one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever made! Cheap, easy, and packed with all sorts of healthy stuff! Thanks for the recipe!
We often use lentils in most Mediterranean dishes but I never thought to bake it with a potato “crust” and omg it was stellar!!! I just toothed out of the oven and it looks diviiiiine!! Now I can’t wait for my husband to come home (he just turned vegan a few weeks ago) to savour this goodness with me. Thank you, Dana!!
Took* not toothed (stupid autocorrect)
This is a dish that I CRAVE – – it’s so full of flavor and simple to make! This recipe comes together so easily. You won’t be disappointed. Keep up the good work, you are killing it!
Thanks lady!
hi Dana! I love this recipe and have been making it for a while now (and have passed it to friends!) And I was wondering if it’s possible to make it and then freeze it? Or will that mess it up? I have to have surgery soon and I’m trying to figure out meals I can prep and freeze ahead of time. Thanks so much for all your delicious recipes!
Quick question: It probably doesn’t make too much of a difference, but is the nutrition information you calculated based on using 3 or 4 Tbsp of vegan butter? (The recipe calls for 3-4 Tbsp)
This was very yummy. I added a carrot and celery with the onions and garlic as well as the frozen peas and corn at the last ten minutes as the recipe states. I also kept my pie in for 10 minutes at 425F and it wasn’t browning so I upped it to 450F for another 10 minutes and it was perfect. Also, the lentils kept soaking up the water so I think I added almost 2 cups more water throughout the cooking process. The boyfriend and I devoured this pie. It was perfect and it hit the spot.
Great recipe! I tripled the quantity to make for a large crowd and it worked perfectly. I follwed the recipe exactly with no changes and it was very easy to cook, quick and very tasty. Thanks so much for sharing this.
I am a flxtarian, however have been eating vegetatian for the padt two weeks. Never liked lentils, but spouse does, so I made this recipe (Sept 16, 2016). Can I honestly say that I LOVED THIS DISH and NEVER AGAIN will I ever make it with meat. I never thought I would say that, but this lentil shephard’s pie has never felt so good so my tummy and tastebuds. I want the leftovers tomorrow.
This was the best shepherd’s pie ever! Easy, affordable & delicious, thank you ? 10/10 from me and the rest of my fam ?
Girl….this was amaze balls! Lentils were not runny in the least…taste just like a shepherds pie…even better! Love your recipes ? Thank you!
Someone made this for me before. I just made it and it’s much more dry. Has anyone else had this problem? It seems like the lentils weren’t ready on time and eventually the stock got all steamed away.
I had this prob too. I think it is because the recipe says to add salt to the mix before adding the lentils. The salt inhibits the lentils from fully cooking. Bummer. I wish I would have thought more about this and not blindly followed the recipe.
Yes, this is a keeper. Shared it with friends and it scored high points from her small kids. My family eats it up. Also a nice meal to gift a family.
Supers simple to make and it turned out great! We used russet potatoes because that’s what we had but loved your recipe. Hadn’t thought to use lentils in a dish like this.
I’ve made this three times so far. The first wasn’t so great (user error ?) as the lentils cooked too fast and burned and veggies were super mushy. The second time, I made it by soaking the lentils overnight and using fresh carrot, frozen peas and a can of corn (frozen isn’t available where I teach in S.Korea). It was delicious!
This third time, I did everything the same as the second, except I added some chopped celery. And it was AMAZING! I love this recipe!
I made this yesterday, and brought it to a friend’s house for supper. Wow! It turned out really well! It even tasted great cold for my lunch at work today. Definitely keeping this on the regular menu rotation! Thanks for this!
Kevin
Oops. I wasn’t paying attention. I accidentally used green split peas instead of lentils. Still turned out great!
Would I reduce the amount of broth if I’m using Trader Joe’s pre-cooked lentils? Can’t wait to try! We love your recipes!
Yes! If they’re already cooked I’d reduce it by half. But you may need to eyeball it. Good luck!
Yes! Half worked perfectly. I used the whole package of lentils, about 2.5 cups thinking it would come out about the same as 1.5 cups dry. Thanks! Super cozy meal.
Had this last night. It was so amazing. We added turmeric and coconut oil to the mash. Omg.
Hey Dana, this looks amazing! I’m just wondering, I’m thinking about doing this for my Christmas party this year, do you think I could prepare it a day ahead? And if so, what should I prepare the night before, what should I do the next day? (e.g. leave the part in the oven for the day of the party, or complete it and just reheat it?)
Thanks so much for this recipe!
Yes! Prepare up to the point of putting the mashed potatoes on top. Then refrigerate and bake as instructed that next day!
I’ve honestly frozen the entire thing (potatoes on top), defrosted and baked and it has been delicious.
I just made this and need to thank you for this delicious recipe!!! I never comment on recipes but I am absolutely so happy with what I ate and I love good food. Thanks for making veggies taste so good!
I live with a meat loving husband and a 2 year old version of himself. Would you believe this is the most frequently made meal in our household? Ask my two year old on any given day what his favorite food is; this is his answer.
Comforting and warm, this is an absolute favorite!
I want to make this for a party and I won’t be able to bake it the day of. Does it reheat well in the oven? If so, at what temp would you reheat? 350? Thanks!
Yeah! 350! That should work.
How many days ahead can this be prepared and kept in the refrigerator before baking?
Hi there! A few days!
This recipe is so great! I’m going to force it on my meat eater family!
You’re site is my favorite!
I could not tell if you peeled the potatoes or not?
It isn’t necessary, but does make the topping prettier. Good luck!
Hi Dana!
I first want to say we loves your recipes!! I’m thinking about making this for our Thanksgiving on Saturday. I’d like to make day before and then bake day of. What do you recommend for oven time and temperature for a completely cold dish. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving. :)
Don’t you peel the potatoes before mashing them?
Love your blog!
You can! But you don’t have to. It turns out prettier if you do. Good luck!
I am currently making this for dinner and am loving the flavors pre- putting it in the oven! I did swap out the spices for ones I am more accustomed to( cumin, sofrito, etc.) to resemble typical boriqua ground meat and i also added chopped up homemade seitan to the lentil mixture. Thank you for your recipes! I am also an avid lover of the Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie pancakes in your detox guide!
I made this last night with a simple kale, avocado, & lemon salad and my family loved it. My husband said that it actually helped get his “meatloaf” fix. He said he didn’t miss the ground beef at all. He topped his with brown gravy to bring back that comfort food feeling. Thank you again for another fantastic dish. It was simple to prepare and I followed the recipe exactly. I can’t wait to try one of the pot pie recipes you have on the blog next. I saw three recipes that all look fantastic. I just have to decide which one to make first. Do you have a favorite? ;)
By the way..I’m trying to rate this recipe with 5 stars, but for some reason it won’t let me click on the fifth star, so I’d rather leave it blank instead of have it look like I only gave it four stars.
Thanks for the feedback on the rating system. Would you mind sharing what browser & device you are using?
I found this recipe yesterday and it looked so good, we had it for dinner! All the reviews of “you won’t miss the meat” are 100% correct! I had a tiny worry that the lentils would be too starchy. I was wrong. This dish is exceptional. I made a few modifications as I really don’t care for frozen vegetables, with organic frozen corn being the exception. I added chopped organic carrots to the onion and garlic mixture before adding the lentils. I also didn’t have and vegetable stock so I used a can of diced tomatoes and added about 5 cups of water and quite a bit of salt and organic 21 seasoning including a dash of sage. I really wanted to use some fresh thyme but I had some butter thyme lemon sauce I made for dipping on Thanksgiving leftover so I added about 2 tablespoons of that. (This time of year is the only time we use butter in our house) I added the frozen corn in with the lentils and “broth” and some fresh broccoli heads in the last 10 minutes of cooking. I also have a certain way I make mashed potatoes. After draining and before mashing I add a bit of organic evoo the seasoning and about 1 cup of water. While I’m mashing them if they are too crumbly I add more water until they are a nice smooth consistency. Anyway, those were my modifications and my family including my 10, 6, 4 and 2 year olds loved it. And that’s what’s most important to me! I loved it too, but they all had seconds and more. That is saying something. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
I also tried to rate this recipe 5 stars but it won’t let me!
Was a real hit with my family. Made it with 3/4 lentils and 1/4 soya mince. Quick,easy and delicious.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It’s delicious, easy to make and healthy. Perfect for a vegetarian Thanksgiving!
I want to make this right now but don’t have any lentils at home! Can I replace it with wild rice?
UPDATE: I made it with glutinous black rice and a dried bay leaf in place of the lentils and thyme, and added leftover chopped broccoli. Despite the the black rice giving it a squid ink color, it was DIVINE!
I think that would work!
This recipe was absolutely rich. Just made it for Christmas lunch. Thank you for posting.
Can I make this ahead without the topping, then throw it in the oven later?
Yes! Prepare up to the point of putting the mashed potatoes on top. Then refrigerate and bake as instructed later on!
I’m currently stuffing this in my face. I made the entire lentil portion of the recipe in my rice cooker because, well…I’m lazy. But it’s delicious!!! And I have enough to enjoy for the rest of the week. Thank you!
Oh! This is excellent. Sounded good. Looked good. And I was praying it would taste good, because very often I am disappointed, but I love it. I added mushrooms to the onion and garlic saute’ing, and instead of frozen veggies, I steamed some carrots, cauliflower and snap peas that happened to be in my fridge. Also added some chopped kale to the mix and a can of corn. The mashed potatoes were left over from Christmas dinner, and were so good I saved, knowing I had to use them somehow. Loved it. Thank-you for the inspiration!
I made this tonight for dinner. My daughter is vegan but I am not. We both enjoyed your dish. It was wonderful. This meat eater didn’t even miss the meat. The lentils give the dish great texture. Thank you for sharing.
I have just made your cottage pie absolutely lovely really hit the spot definitely making this again.
This is hands down my favourite recipe on your site. It is delicious and hearty, it freezes well, and you don’t miss the meat.
I’ve made this recipe a handful of times now and made a few adjustments. I find that it tastes even better with mashed cauliflower as the topping instead of mashed potatoes (and this is a great lower calorie substitute for those watching their weight!) Also in place of the frozen vegetables, I sauté fresh carrot, mushrooms and broccoli and add frozen or canned corn after the other veggies finish cooking and are ready to combine with the lentils and bake.
Thank you for such a delicious and veggie-friendly version of shepherds pie!