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 sub 1 tsp dried thyme per 2 tsp fresh)
- 1 10-ounce bag frozen mixed veggies: peas, carrots, green beans, and corn
MASHED POTATOES
- 3 pounds yukon gold potatoes, partially peeled (thoroughly washed)
- 3-4 Tbsp vegan butter
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
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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 as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), 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! // as original recipe is written // adjust number or size of dish if altering batch size).
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In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) 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 (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) mashed potatoes and stir. Alternatively, scoop out 1/2 of the mixture and whisk in 2 Tbsp (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) 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 information is a rough estimate.
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
This was absolutely delicious I almost liked it better than the traditional Shepard’s pie I used fresh veggies instead of the frozen and I also added sweet potato just damn good
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Chandra. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
So yummy. I swapped corn for peas and used canned lentils. I should have let that all simmer for 5 mins before assembling as carrots a bit hard. But i ate too much anyway as it was so good.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Paula. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
I’ve never had classic shepherd’s pie, but I don’t think it would hold a candle to this! It was an easy recipe, it just took me a bit of time as I had never made lentils before. I had to play around with the liquid amount to get it right, but it was so worth it.
So kind! Thanks, Paige!
Would it be ok do you think, to freeze the lentil/ veg mix once cooked?
We think the flavor would be okay, but it would likely end up watery. Some readers have reported freezing with success though!
Could you freeze this for future dinners?
Hi Gresa, Some readers have reported success with freezing! We were concerned that it might end up a little watery with freezing and reheating. Hope that helps!
Came out great!
Two things:
1. I used “whole green moong beans” that we had from the Indian store. They are whole and high in fiber. Very chewy and nutty. They worked great in this recipe. I mention this in case you want a specific type of lentil to buy.
2. I wouldn’t preheat the oven until the lentils are nearly done. Otherwise, the hot oven will be sitting empty for nearly 40 minutes. (I would actually recommend pressure cooking them if possible as it will only take 15 minutes that way.)
My partner and I subbed the frozen veggies out for fresh carrot, green beans and corn. We added the carrot and beans with the stock and lentils towards the start, and just added the corn in the last 10 minutes of cooking the lentils. We loved this recipe and will definitely be cooking it again! It’s very easy and extremely comforting…
A housemate glibly commented that a shepherd’s pie is made from lamb and a cottage pie is made from from beef, so what should we call this variation? I said I suppose we’ll just call this one a gardener’s pie.
Clever! So glad you enjoyed it, Dylan! Thanks for sharing!
Yum! Used red lentils, ginger and sweet potatoes instead and was delish. Thanks for great recipe.
I’ve made this several times. Never ever disappoints. Meat eaters are always shocked at just how delicious (though mine is typically vegetarian). I use 1.5 tsp ish thyme & occasionally add cheese on top of the potatoes when I bake it. Oh…I use butter when making the potatoes. Family favorite!
Absolutely delicious!! We followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. Really really tasty and was so easy to make.
THIS WAS INCREDIBLE! My husband is a meat lover considering going vegan, for health reasons, so I’ve been trying to find go-to recipes. This is now one of them! Thank you so much. We mixed in a few splashes of soy sauce with the lentils before adding the mash and it was so delicious!
If you’re craving vegan comfort food, this won’t disappoint!
So glad to hear it, Margo! Thanks for the lovely review! xo
I made this with the gardein “ground beef” instead of lentils because I don’t like lentils 😬. It came out perfect! Actually, it doesn’t taste vegan. Very easy recipe thank you!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Amanda. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Wow. I took one peek at this ingredient list and thought it was going to be flavorless but decided to give it a shot based on the reviews. I was so wrong! This is rich, hearty, earthy and satisfying! I did make a couple of slight changes. I used about a teaspoon and a half of tamari rather than salt in the lentil/vegetable mix. I also added about a half of a teaspoon of dried rosemary to the potatoes for a little extra herby flavor. Last but not least I baked for about 15 minutes and then broiled on low for about 4 minutes. Garnished with some fresh flat leaf parsley and voila! It was absolutely incredible! Thank you so much for the recipe. I’ll be back for more!
We are so glad you enjoyed it, Hannah! Thanks so much for sharing!
Was good, got the Omni seal of approval from my dad! I subbed some diced tomato for the vege stock.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Katie. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Made this with sweet potato mash, and added in frozen spinach and canned tomatoes. I left out the thyme too and used way more garlic. Doubled the recipie and it tooker than described, but cheap, yummy, filling and easy! Highly recommend.
Loved this recipe. I used blue potatoes as that’s all I had – using almond milk and nutalex to make creamy.
I used Lentils, Chickpeas, Cauliflower, Peas, Carrots and Onions for the base adding vegetable stock, red wine, vegemite, chilli, garlic and pepper. Absolutely amazing! Loved it! Reheated in oven!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Farah. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
This was so good! I added some chili and garlic powder. I’ll definitely be making this again!
I’ve made this recipe on several occassions, always a family favorite. I add soy milk to my mashed potatoes so they are a little creamier. Going to try and make a large tray of this deliciousness for a party this wknd so our non-vegan friends can give it a try. I’m sure it will turn out perfect.
I’ve made this several times. Satisfying even for my meatatarian husband!
Hi,
Can you substitute canned vegetable broth for vegetable stock?
Thanks,
Hollie
Hi Hollie, that should work! Let us know how it goes!
This is soooo good! My super fussy 4 year old cleared her plate in minutes and asked for more… This is usually unheard of ! Easily feeds our family of 4 for 2 days. Looking forward to seconds tomorrow.
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Patricia!
Fantastic recipe. Wonderful flavors and textures. Aromatic . We added some dry red wine to the lentil mixture , just balanced out the taste. Will def make again and again for vegan and non vegans…,
Thank you for the recipe.
Made this today for dinner and wow my hubby and I enjoyed it thoroughly! It was sooo delicious and so easy to make!
Just stupid good, as always. I made a half batch for my husband and to try and it turned out awesome! We just leftovers on day 2 and to no surprise, the flavor was better than yesterday and it reheated in perfect little squares. I will definitely be making a full batch to bring to a family potluck one day soon and I’m sure you’ll gain a few more followers afterwards. ;-)
So glad to hear it! Thanks for the lovely review, Katie!
Just wondering why this isn’t freezer friendly please? :-)
Some readers have reported success with freezing! We were concerned that it might end up a little watery with freezing and reheating. Hope that helps!
I don’t like mashed potatoes when I freeze them, their texture becomes grainy and weird.
But I have frozen the filling and topped it with new mashed potatoes and it’s just fantastic.
Did you have to do anything to the defrosted filling at all? Was it watery?I’ve just made this for the first time and it’s so good I want to make some batches
I made this lentil Shepherds Pie and it is delicious! Can I freeze the rest for a few weeks? Thanks
Some other readers have reported it freezes well. Hope that helps!
On the stove now! Followed EXACTLY. Can’t wait! Although having not having eaten this yet… So simple to make and looks delicious… THAT deserves FIVE STARS! Only thing I wasn’t sure of…was I supposed to cover my pan while it simmers? I haven’t. Can let you know what happens! Thanks for the recipe
Cover in the last 10 minutes only! Hope that helps!
OMG!! AB-FAB!! I was a bit rushed while making this so I added the frozen veggies a tad earlier and then covered hopin the lentils will soften and cooked quickly. They were perfectly cooked and soft! I placed the mixture into mini foil loaf pans. I find this size is the perfect serving as I don’t have to keep reheating in a larger size. Got 5 pans out of the recipe. Amazing! Thanks again! Justin.
I added a few Tbsp coconut aminos, and 2 tsp. Trader Joe’s Unami seasoning, with a few Tbsp tomato sauce to lentil mixture…. also added 1/4 cup nutritional yeast to potatoes…. epic 💯
I made this for dinner and it was awesome!!!! I did however substitute the fresh lentils for ones in the can. I added fresh cilantro to help with the seasoning. The recipe still came out great! Thanks!!!
Hihi! This is an amazing recipe like all the other recipes of yours! And the reason why I really love your recipes is that they’re super flexible, ingredients can be easily switched!
So for this one I didn’t have lentils and enough potatoes. I only had two purple potatoes but I had cauliflower! :)
So I made a puree from a whole cauliflower and those two purple potatoes. I didn’t have lentils but I had black beans and that’s what I used instead. Girl, this turned out to be piece of art! Thanks so much!!
I’m not a fan of cooking but I LOVE cooking your recipes bc they’re so easy and AMAZINGLY tasty!
Xoxo
-Didi
What consistency should the lentil stew part be?
Mostly thick, but a little brothy. If you want it to be more cohesive, you could blend half of the lentil stew in a food processor and add it back to the remaining filling. Hope this helps!
I just made this but I used TVP instead of lentils, it’s delicious. I haven’t had shepherds pie in years & this is the first vegan version I’ve had. Thank you 😊
Hello! I’m making this today! Can I freeze it ? Thanks!
Hi Anna! Yes, it should freeze well! Hope that helps!
This was amazing!!!! Will be added to my rotation often. I skipped the oil and used a little of the veggie broth for cooking the onion & garlic. I also used a mix of green green beans, corn and peas since I had them in the freezer. I kept in the oven just over 30min but I think my oven struggles but I have not checked it with a thermometer, I also like a good crusted top so it helped with that too. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
I just made this and it’s so good. I put a bay leaf in with potatoes boiling. Whipped with my hand blender potatoes with 250ml BelSoy, 1/4 nutritional yeast and some becel. Sprinkled some smoked paprika on the top.
For the filling, I followed exactly except just threw in 5 sprigs of thyme while lentils simmering (instead of 2 teaspoons). I used better than bouillon veg broth.
This is a winner and will be making again for sure 👍👍👍
I made this for my partner who is vegan. I ‘m no chef but I have to say this was easy and it smelt fantastic (I live on cereal as I’m fussy so anything past opening a cereal box is a task unless it involves baking cakes!) I
I’m in the UK and couldn’t find an accurate conversion from ‘cups ‘ into grams so I just guessed and ended up doing 150g of red lentils and 150g or green lentils, along with mixed beans, sweetcorn, green beans, carrots and I also put in a little soya mince and the rest as per recipe.
I did have to add more water as it bubbled away quickly although this could be due to the fact I had to guess the stock amount as with the lentils so I will add a bit more from the start next time.
My partner loved it! Even my fussy 5 year old child said ‘I like the smell’ although he wouldn’t try it.
I’ll definitely be making this again. Thank you 😊
Hi Chloe, So glad to hear that you, your partner, and child enjoyed this recipe! You are a trooper for doing the metric conversions yourself! For future reference, just below the “Ingredients” label, there is an option to change to metric measurements. Hope that helps for the future!
This is such a fantastic recipe, by far the most delicious and I had ever tried and I will never look back!
From time to time I’ll add my spin on the ‘Mash Topping’ by combining 3 parsnips into it. But all in all a perfect hearty dinner – and yes I have another on the go now.
Can not wait to eat it!!
Thank you for this recipe, it is also my partners favourite meal that I make too. (Winks)
This was excellent and easy to make! Will for sure try to make it again sometime soon. Thank you
Unfortunately I’m allergic to Lentils. However, I made the dish regardless because it looked soooo delicious. It was a very emotional experience because as I was cooking, I was imagining how delicious how would taste, and how I will never be able to without my face becoming a bright red Goodyear blimp. After making it, I sat down at the table and smelled the aromas as I imagined eating it. It tasted Delicious! (In my imagination). I would of given it 5 stars but I didnt actually eat it. You have got to try this recipe! Even if your allergic like me. It will taste great in your imagination!
Why is the crust not on this, the best bit of sheppie pie is missing a 45 min baked potato crust in this recipe
Just made this and it turned out amazing, above expectations! Both kids loved it (very rare lol) and they look forward to eating it again tomorrow. Your recipes have really been a huge help in our journey of eating more plant based foods. Can’t thank you enough!
Hi Teressa,
Thanks so much for the sweet note! So glad to hear both kids loved it- woohoo!
This is in the oven now! It smells SOOO good!! I made the lentils, but half. The other half I used vegan crumbles. I hope it works, but I’m sure it’ll taste great because of how it smells! Thank you so much!
Hi, I was wondering if I could use dried beluga lentils instead? That’s all I have at home :/ thanks!
Hi Ruth! We think that would work. Just adjust the cooking time as different lentil varieties require more / less cooking time. Hope that helps!
This was amazing!!! The only change I made was to add 1tbs of Worcestershire sauce for a little extra flavor (even though it’s still delish without!). Thank you!!
Do you know how I can dramatically reduce the carbs? I’m supposed to only have 30 carbs per meal. I’m guessing the problem is the potato-maybe a cauliflower mash would work?
Yes, you could try another vegetable that is lower in carbs to replace the potatoes, but this recipe is tricky to make carb-light.. Let us know if you experiment with the recipe!
What a disappointment. The lentil mixture lacked cohesion. It tasted like lentils with pepper and thyme. It needed something else to tie the flavors together. The potatoes also needed at least 1/2 cup almond milk. They were so dry without it. I’ll be looking for another recipe.
Thanks. We tend to eat Shepard’s pie with meat, but I tried it this way and loved it. I added some tomato puree and Lea & Perrin’s sauce which, sadly, unveganed the dish, I noticed ;) still, lovely way to eat lentils and definitely will try this again.
Super yummy! I used the dried thyme and it worked great. I’m new to the vegan cooking and was so happy this turned out delicious!!
We’re glad to hear that, Noelle!
If I wanted to add jackfruit to this recipe, do you think it would be better to add it at the lentil stage or closer to the end with the frozen veggies?
Any help appreciated!
This is the 3rd time I made this. We are not plant based but have spells where we try to eat a lot more plant based than normal. I would like to be totally plant based, but old habits are hard to break. In any case, the 2nd time I had made this we had friends over unexpectedly. I told them I made a vegan shepherd’s pie and offered for them to join us. They are not vegan at all. They said it was pretty good, and my girlfriend suggested adding a can of creamed corn as it was a little dry. I did that tonight and I really like it with the creamed corn. I just added a 15 oz can on top of the lentil vegetable mix and then topped it with potatoes. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you.
Sadly, I found this devoid of flavour. I’m headed over to epicurious for their vegetarian (which I will make vegan) one with roasted fall veggies and lentils. I always like to test before I serve to guests and I’m glad I did. Sorry–don’t mean to be downer.
This is one of my (meat-eating) husband’s favorite recipes. I’ve made it a bunch of different ways but my favorite time savers are to use pre-cooked lentils and pre-chopped mirepoix instead of the frozen veggies/onion. It reheats great and also is delicious with a little hot sauce. Thanks for all the awesome recipes Dana!
Thanks so much for this recipe, it’s my favourite new thing to make; especially with the sweet potato topping! ^__^
I made this for my omnivore family’s Xmas party this evening. It was hugely popular, and I got a ton of positive feedback. Even from my step-dad, who has gone to places like Bibibop and simply ordered a bowl of steak because he doesn’t want all of that “rabbit food”
The modifications I made were very minor. I used half Yukon gold potatoes and half red-skinned potatoes because that’s what I had on hand.
I also did half green lentils and half black lentils, again because that’s what I had.
While sautéing onion and garlic I also added a few sliced mushrooms, just for the fun of it.
I doubled the amount of frozen vegetables, using one 10oz bag of “California blend” and one 10oz bag of root vegetable blend.
I used a very very small amount of Thyme. Historically my kids don’t love the flavor, but I do. I wanted it there, but I was hoping they wouldn’t notice.
The recipe was incredibly easy to follow. The prep was especially easy with the use of frozen veggies.
This turned out to be a delicious and relatively easy to put together! I would definitely make it again. The only downfall was the time it took, due to the lentils. Next time I will start the lentils while I peel and boil the potatoes, because otherwise this will take nowhere near an hour. I ended up adding more vegetable broth so the lentils wouldn’t stick and burn and so that they would cook all the way through. I added organic tomato paste to my lentils, onion and garlic powder to my potatoes and talk about perfection!
I totally agree that the lentils need to be started first, then the potatoes, then switch the oven on, and the rest of the recipe as it is.
I never leave reviews, but minimalist baker always has my favorite recipes. This one was so easy and incredibly delicious. Making this for Christmas dinner!
Another winner Dana! Thanks for your help in making our dinners easy, healthy and delicious.
Love this recipe! Made it on a recommendation form a coworker and it did not disappoint! We will definitely be making this again.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Christy!
Ahhhhhh mazing! Making this for an early Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow! Preparing it tonight so it develops that awesome second day flavor. SO easy & budget friendly too!!
This was dinner tonight and WOW it was so delicious, simple, and satisfying. My husband and I both had multiple servings and are super excited to eat the leftovers for another dinner later this week. Also I used redskin potatoes because it’s what I had and they worked great. Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! We’re glad you enjoyed it, Bethany!
Can I sub carrots and green beans for frozen cauliflower and cooked mushrooms?
Its worth a shot, though the flavors would be pretty different.
I made this with mashed cauliflower instead and it’s SO GOOD! The fresh thyme really makes it. I’ve started only making recipes from you because every single one is AMAZING!!
This recipe is so simple and SO yummy! The ultimate comfort with this cold weather starting here in the Northeast! I have been wanting to experiment with Shepherd’s pie for a long time, and to be honest have never even had a traditional one before. But I’m grateful that I chose this recipe for my first attempt because it was fantastic😊 I used a bit of tapioca starch to thicken the base and used Russet potatoes because that’s what I had (still recommend the Yukon as per the recipe though, because the Russet were a tad tried) Great dish though, highly recommend!
This dish is amazing, it freezes well. I freeze is portions size so I can grab to take to work with me. Popular with both the Vegans and meat eaters in my life.
Sometimes we do have white and sweet potato which gives a different taste and is really good too.
Whoop! We’re glad to hear that, Patricia!
Perfect weeknight meal! I subbed fresh carrots and canned green beans for the frozen veggies. I added the carrots with the lentils and the green beans into the lentils just before transferring to the pan. So yummy and filling! Lovely fall dish.
Great! Thanks for sharing your changes, Ashley!
Can this be reheated in the oven, not microwave. If so, at what temperature and for how long? Thanks.
I’d reheat at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes to start!
My family loves this one dish meal (2 year old & baby included!). I like to also add a stalk or two of finely diced celery & serve everything on top of fluffy quinoa for added protein. Thanks Dana!
Whoop!
We are hosting an exchange student who is vegetarian so I was excited to try this recipe! It turned out very well and everyone seemed to enjoy it but I think I need to cut back on the amount of lentils I added (more than the recipe called for) and add more seasoning. I would definitely make it again!
We are glad it was a hit, Kristina! Feel free to cut back on the lentils in the future if preferred.
Can you make this in the crockpot?
We haven’t tried it, but if you do let us know how it turns out!
So… Mine was made a little differently.
•I had russet potatoes on hand that needed to be used up, so I made plain mashed potatoes with plain unsweetened almond milk & soy-free Earth Balance. I used a whisk to help mash it to a smoother texture.
•They never ghave veggie stock at the store so I used veggie broth (not having ingredients for DIY).
•I couldn’t find a 10 oz bag of a combination of frozen carrots, green beans, corn & peas, so I bought a bag of each and mixed up just over a cup of them together, trying to have an equal amount of each veggie.
•I ended up only having 1 TBS of cornstarch, so I used 1 TBS Non-GMO cornstarch + 2ish TBS nutritional yeast + mashed potato to thicken the filling.
Veggie stock would give it a bit more flavor that it could use, but it still turned out delicious! I wish it would freeze well. I cook for just myself most of the time & don’t eat much so I think I’m set for lunch/dinner for a week!
This is a yummy recipe that’s pretty easy to make. I love it!! :)
Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Christie! We are glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe is easy and very tasty, just needed a bit more flavor. I’ve made it twice now and for a more savory robust taste, I substituted one of the cups of vegetable stock for 1 cup or red wine. FABULOUS!! I also added fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, 3 tablesoopns worchestire sauce, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and I also added sautéed mushrooms to the mix. I also added garlic salt. I put a dash of nutmeg to my potatoes as well. Just a few tweaks to an already great recipe. Check out the eggplant pasta she has….to die for! Enjoy!
Thanks, Tanya!
I made this for my boyfriends family (most of which are meat eaters) and they all absolutely loved it! (Caught everyone coming back for seconds and they’re the kind of people who only see a meal as something which contains meat so I knew this was a massive success. My partner also said he likes it as much as a meat Shepard’s pie!.) I don’t usually cook meals that take longer than 20 minutes either so was concerned about how it would turn out but seemed full proof! (I added a few extra veggies and some almond milk in with the mash to make it creamier but regardless was shocked at how good this was with such few ingredients!) It’s one of those meals that make you happy just from eating it without the guilt afterwards!
Thanks for sharing, Jem! xo
Fantastic is an understatement! This is a meal that will now go into my rotation. Any non-vegan/vegetarian would love this as much as our family. Thank your for this great recipe!!
Whoop! We are glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kirsten!
I have never made mashed potatoes without adding liquid. Oat milk worked well taste wise. Recipe suggests adding only vegan butter.
Are the potatoes spreadable without added liquid? Also would it be a good idea to soak the lentils before cooking?
We haven’t tried without adding liquid! No need to soak the lentils prior, just ensure they are rinsed and drained!
Yummy! I was quite generous in the quantity, so we’ll happily have the leftovers tomorrow for lunch.
I added more veggies in the lentils mix: fresh dices tomatoes, sauteed spinach and mushrooms.
Thanks for this delicious recipe.
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it, Clairelle!
I just made this and it is soooo good! I will be making this again , for sure!! Hearty, tasty and filling. Loved it!!
Thanks for sharing
Whoop! GLad you enjoyed it, Frankie!
Hi! I was wondering if this freezes well.
Not this recipe, sorry!
Followed the recipe almost to the letter (red lentil’s), even needing the boil over bottom pan for the baking portion, and it was a complete hit! I’ll be trying this on my non-vegan and vegan friends alike, especially a few hardcore shepherds pie fans (not surprising being here in Ireland).
Thanks for the great recipe!
I love this recipe! Even my non-vegan friends really enjoy it~
Though the weight of potato seems to be about a third of what’s needed.
I usually leave out the corn, add mushroom, and use about a cup less stock. I replace that portion of stock with a tin of diced tomato and some red wine. Some garlic powder in the mash is a tasty addition if you’re feeling it.
Tried this out last night and it was brilliant! I did modify it slightly because I added a little leftover bacon marinade and crispy tofu bacon pieces (only a small handful) that I had in the fridge because it needed to be sed up. thumbs way up for the recipe though. Easy peasy especially if you boil the potatoes ahead of time
I have made this twice now and really love it. This recipe is a great base to make as is or mix and match with other flavors from the fridge. This time I tossed in some mushrooms and did a mixed sweet and russet potato topping( I didn’t have enough for just one of with on hand)
Enough of these ingredients are staples in my house that this is easily becoming a go to recipe for when I don’t know what to make and I want amazing lunch leftovers. ?
Amazing! I’m new to veganism. This turned out great. I used my instant pot to make the potatoes. Then used it to make the lentils. It turned out awesome.
Woot woot! Glad to hear it!
Yes, shepherd’s pie is most definitely a comforting, wintry food! My neck of the woods is experiencing some hot spring weather now, so such dishes are not in order, but I still enjoy them even now. When my family has traditional beef shepherd’s pie, I like to prepare a single serving size of your recipe, using 1/6 the amount of all the ingredients and 1/2 pound (~1 large) sweet potato instead of the yukon gold and baking the lot in a mini loaf pan. Instead of vegan butter, which I don’t have in the house, I either substitute olive oil or do without the butter/oil entirely. Either way works well!
This is an easy recipe that isn’t intrusive to prepare beside a traditional shepherd’s pie. The one recommendation I’d make is to add more liquid than than the recipe calls to use (maybe 1/4-1/2 cup more) to keep the filling moist.
I’m making this almost every week the kids love it… despite the 22’C heat.
Thanks
Woot woot!
I’m making this for the second time tonight. I made very minor changes. To give the filling a little more of a meaty taste and texture, I addeda half pound of sliced mushrooms and a splash each of Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. I skipped the listed vegetables and added a layer of corn to make it more like my mom’s. I was beyond pleased with this dish. Tonight I’ll be adding chives to the potatoes because we just pulled a bunch out of the garden.
Thanks for sharing your changes, Patty!
Loved this Sheppards pie with some mushroom gravy! We are thinking of serving it at our wedding, If we are preparing the dish the night before and baking for dinner the next do you think it will be okay ? Or would you recommend we bake the day before when we prepare and reheat for dinner the next day?
Hi David! Yes that should work to prepare and bake the day, but it also reheats well so really either option would work! Have a great wedding!
Absolutely loved it, changed lifestyle a week ago and have a hard to please partner. I halved recipe as only 2 of us and still plenty left, he said next time I make it can I put extra mash. That’s a thumbs up from fussy pants eater
When we win the hearts of fussy eaters, it warms our hearts :D We’re glad you and your partner enjoyed it, Kristy!
This is my first time making this, and my lentil mixture is still very watery, even though I cooked it for a little extra time and added the potatoes to thicken. I did use a blend of three colors of lentils (red, brown, and black), maybe that has something to do with it?
For now I’m going to use a slotted spoon to layer the mixture in. I’ll post about how that turns out. Any suggestions for next time?
Hi! For future, if you’re noticing that it is more watery than it should be, you can always scoop some of the liquid out prior to putting the sweet potato on top. Hope this helps!
So so so tasty!!! My husband (meat eater) loves it. I just added salt and a bit of my fave vegan cream to the mash. The rest is perfect. Thanks Dana!!!
I just made this for lunch& dinner for the week ahead! I doubled the recipe and it made about 12 portions. It is absolutely delicious! One thing I did add to the lentil mix was some brown sugar, a bit of maple syrup (i like my food with a hint of sweetness!), and some sriracha sauce and also a touch of soy sauce&a squeeze of lime! I even added a touch of sesame oil. It is so tasty this way! This will be one of my go-to- Sunday- cook- off- batch- cook- for the- week- and- freeze- half- recipes!! I also didn’t boil the frozen veg I just added it once lentils had finished cooking. I’ll be reheating it anyway.
I also made the mash using 2 sweet potatoes& a large cauliflower instead of using white potatoes. and i didn’t bother Browning it in oven, i just dished it into portions after mashing and seasoning. I will freeze some tubs & refridgerate some.
No fuss, tasty, healthy, easy, CHEAP, protein – packed, quick recipe. thank you!! GO AND MAKE THIS!!
This was delicious! I had leftover Irish mashed potatoes (spuds mashed with sauteed kale and lots of butter) and used that as the topping. We only had red lentils, which broke down too much, but it still worked. Serious yum!
Used red lentils instead as that’s all I had on hand, and there was far too much liquid, but the taste was yum. Will try again for sure!
I love your shepherds pie so much that I am making it tomorrow (Thursday) in LA and then driving it to Vegas for a big family dinner Friday night. What do you think the best way to do that would be? Do everything except for the oven part and then put it in the fridge / cooler until ready to heat before Friday’s dinner or do I need to freeze it? Please let me know as soon as you can. Thank you!!
I would do everything except cooking, and freeze for transport!
Loved this recipe! I added 1.5 cups of Vegan Ground Crumbles, 8 oz. of mushroom pieces, and 1/2 can of tomato paste to the lentil filling. I used fresh carrots, frozen peas and left out the corn and green beans. I also added 1 cup of mashed cauliflower to the mashed potatoes and I couldn’t even tell it was there. I will add 2 cups next time.
I cooked it in a 9-inch by 14-inch pan for 30 minutes and it was great! Thanks for a fantastic recipe that can be adapted to
Thanks for sharing your changes, Sharon! We’re glad you enjoyed it :D
this is soooooo good. my dad is from England so he grew up eating this dish, traditionally made with beef. he loves this vegan version even better!!
I went vegan a week ago after having unexpected surgery. I refuse to let health issues wreck my life, so here I am. I am off work for two weeks, which lets me have the time to reboot my diet. My goodness! This is DELICIOUS! I will make this again. I sort of always disliked meat anyway; this is so much better than the original.
I meant to give five stars AND my adjustments (too busy shoveling the deliciousness in my face). I added extra lentils – no need to use a thickener – and for half of the potatoes, I substituted cauliflower to lower the carbs. I also added chopped bella mushrooms with the lentils for additional “meat” texture.
Thank you for the rating + sharing your changes!
Made this for my non-vegan family and they loved it! Definitely could add more veggies and a few less lentils. Only request was to have gravy on the side of more moist potatoes.
I made this last night for St. Patrick’s Day—even my kiddos gobbled it up! I did not have fresh herbs but substituted Herbs de Provence and the flavors were still great. Thanks!
I use a bottom pie crust and put all of this in them use the potatoes on top.
I absolutely love your recipe! I am writing vegetarian recipe round ups on my blog in 2018 (to encourage people to try meatless monday- everyone has to start somewhere) and would love to feature you. You can check out my blog (for beginner environmentalists) at sunshineguerrilla.com. Is it alright if I share this link to your recipe?
Yes, go for it! Here is our image sharing guide for reference to how we like our images to be shared. Thanks!
I made this last night. I thought it was good, but my wife and son loved it. They both agreed that some type of sauce would probably set this off. My kid’s a fan of ketchup or bbq, but I think some mushroom gravy would go really well.
This is really the BEST vegan Shephard’s Pie. Family favorite comfort food. Yummy! We love most all your recipes.
Can I add nutritional yeast on top of the potatoes? Or would that be weird!!!
You totally can!
Delicious! I made lentil portion in instant pot. Turned out perfect! 12 minutes, quick release.
Made this as part of vegan Christmas dinner – absolutely incredible! My mouth waters just thinking about it STILL.
I made this last night for the first time. My very particular vegan son ate so much I thought he’d burst. I substituted poultry seasoning as I did not have thyme and used fresh broccoli, cauliflower, celery and baby onions in place of frozen veggies. I doubled recipe and he sprinkled a very small amount of vegan cheese on top. So delicious! Thanks
I made this and instead of the last bit of baking I broiled for 15 min. Excellent !!!seriously so good!
This was DELICIOUS! I’m not usually a shepherds pie person but found this delicious.
I made it exactly as it, but added garlic puree and nutritional yeast to the mash – IT’S A MUST. Plus served with roasted broccoli (added olive oil, garlic puree, soy sauce, and lemon juice, yum).
For a “quick” shepherds pie, this was great. I think I’ll spend a little more time and make one with a more substantial gravy and not-frozen veggies in the future.
Delicious! Just tried this tonight. Ours came out a little dry, so we whipped up a quick vegan gravy to serve with it. We will absolutely make this again!! :)
Looking forward to making this recipe and have had great success with other recipes on your website! Question about the mashed potato topping: will subbing in your recipe for cauliflower mashed potato yield the amount necessary for the shepard’s pie? Many thanks!
Great recipe. I added nutritional yeast to the mashed potatoes for a cheesy flavor. Yummy!
I also wanted to mention that since I can’t have onions and garlic (sad, I know) I added in a few other spices for flavor. Cumin added great flavor to the dish.
I have been using your recpies for some time now and have not done them justice with reviews! As I come across ones I have used I will leave reviews. This recipe is spot on. It is hearty, lentils are not mushy so use the cook time suggested (no longer than 35 mins), tasty, and makes enough for plenty. Followed it almost exactly and it came out perfect! I did drain a bit of the stock so I ended up using only about 3 1/2 C but that depends on your heat level and steam escape when cooking the lentil filling. I also used a simple flour and butter crust for it which made it flaky on the outside. As a vegan, I made it 100% vegan with vegan butter instead. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you.
So good! I’ve made it 3 times now. Its great to reheat for lunch or a quick dinner too. I sometimes have Vegan gravy with it but its great on its own too. I prefer a cauliflower/ broccoli/ carrot veggie mixture. The lentil mixture is so good I could eat it on its own!
Absolutely love this recipe! Thank you for posting it. I made it in November as a dry run, then made it for Christmas dinner. Even the meat-eaters loved it! I added another stage – I create a “meat” base by sauteing onions and mushrooms then adding a package of Boca crumbles (any brand will do). Once that’s all cooked and browned, I set that aside and continue with your recipe, then add it back in once the lentils are cooked.
One note on prep time – it takes WAY more than 15 minutes! It takes me 15-20 minutes just to wash and peel the potatoes! Then they take another 15-20 to cook. I’d say a more realistic estimate of prep time is 30-45 min. Then there’s the 40 min for the lentils. I also find in my oven it takes about 30 min to cook.
Love this recipe. So easy and still healthy/delicious. Topped with cashew parm before putting in oven. ?
Loved this recipe! My mashed potatoes came out really dry, though. Any suggestions?
Add in some coconut oil or vegan butter and/or plain unsweetened almond milk when mashing!
I was frantically searching for a comfort food dinner and came upon this recipe. Would you believe that I had ALL the ingredients available? It was a no-brainer to try out since I’ve always loved Shepherd’s Pie growing up as a kid, only our family version was with ground beef (yuck!). I followed the recipe exactly without veering off and it turned out delicious! Thank you for an easy and comforting meal. My family enjoyed it!!
Oh yes, one thing! I cooked the onions and garlic over medium heat longer than 5 minutes. It was about 15 minutes that I had them cooking as I wanted them to get softer and caramelized. After 5 minutes, I still felt they were not “soft” enough.
Can you make a day ahead?
Made this last night and it was SO good on a cold Canadian evening! I added a splash of red wine to sauteed onions before adding the lentils. Then, when the lentils/vegetable mixture was almost finished cooking, I threw in a few spoonfuls of tomato paste to give it a bit of depth and thickness. I’ll definitely be making this on a regular basis. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! People went back for seconds and thirds! My dad called me 2 days later and said even the leftovers were excellent! Thank you Dana!!
Have you made the lentil mixture in an instant pot? If so, would you please leave instructions? Thank you!
I just did this and it worked great.
1. Sautee garlic & onion .
2. Add lentils, stock & thyme. Mix. Turn off saute.
3. Pressure cook on high, 10 minutes,.
4. I waited about 5 min, then manually released the pressure, and stirred in the mixed veg.
This is an excellent recipe! To mimic other shepherd’s pie recipes I’ve made in the past I did add a few spoonfuls of tomato paste and a spoonful of worchestershire sauce – made an already great recipe even more awesome! Thanks Dana!
I made This tonight, I’ve made a vegan Shepard’s pie before but lost the recipe so tried this one instead. I dont Know what I did wrong. I follwed the steps carefully but I found it very liquidy, even after I followed the steps to thicken it using both corn starch and the mashed potatoes. It turned out more like a stew for me, and the mash pretty much sunk when I put it over top. The only thing I guess that was different was I used Pre-soaked lentils, rather then dry. But I was Always taught to pre soak them before cooking, I know This recipe is older, but if you see this and have any recommendations on what I could do better next time that would be appreciated.
Ok, so I made a couple more mods. First, I added a bay leaf to the lentil mixture while cooking. Because…why not? What I’m learning abiut vegan cooking is that it’s all about building flavors. We’re used to animal fat and flesh as our flavor base and it takes a bit to think differently about how to build flavor.
Second, I topped the thing with a sprinkling of nutritional yeast before tossing it in the oven. Couldn’t hurt, right?
I’m making this for the second time as we speak. It immediately became a staple of my winter dinner rotation!
The only modification I’ve made is to add coconut milk to the potatoes for extra creaminess. And also roasted garlic because I loooove roasted garlic in my mashed potatoes!
I made this and it was GREAT! I made some changes though.
1st: I used leftover mashed potatoes. This made it way easier to make by getting rid of the first few steps. I put a couple pats of butter (not vegan) on top of the potatoes once I had assembled everything.
2nd: I used my INSTANT POT! It was awesome! I cooked the onion and garlic on the sauté function, then added and cooked the lentils at high pressure for 15 mins, let it sit for 10 mins, and then did a quick release, at which point I added the frozen veggies, covered the pot again, and let them heat up.
3rd: After I felt the frozen veggies were nice and cooked, I seasoned. I found that adding vegan worcestershire sauce reaaaally elevated the dish (otherwise it was pretty bland). I probably used closed to a tablespoon.
This recipe was delicious, and definitely will be a favorite of mine whenever I have leftover mashed potatoes. :)
Delicious! I added 8oz of quartered crimini mushrooms sauteed with garlic, and cooked all filling ingredients in a cast iron skillet, then topped with the potatoes and baked in the same pan. Next time I’ll add even more mushrooms for more umami. Great hearty recipe, thank you.
My whole family loved this! We were short on time so we used premade lentils from TD. We also added a small amount of onion soup mix. We served it with your mushroom gravy. Even our non vegan kids liked it!
It appears I’m in the minority, but I found the lentil layer to be super bland. ?
LOVE this! It turned out perfect! SO good…I just re-heated a piece and its yummy.
I dont cook with lentils much (I know I know….I wish I had a better relationship with them!) so I used Gardenia’s “meat crumbles”…..so good. I also added Sage (1 tsp), shredded portabella mushrooms. Added a tbls of Vegan Mayo (I love Just mayo) to the potatoes just to add a secret flair to it. This was kind of a family tradition..my mom would secretly put in whipped cream – a small amount -to potatoes. Sicne I dont use whip cream – i tried the mayo and that amount was subtle and just enough,
Just found this website and am grateful for it. Its wonderful.
This was amazing! My boyfriend and I made it for our thanksgiving. His parents (meat eaters) loved the dish just as much as we did. It was a hit, full of flavor and texture. We will be making the again and adding it to our favorites!
This is delicious and I’ll definitely make it again!! I did use canned lentils just because I always have them on hand and it’s quick and easy. Thank you for sharing!
Very nice recipe, excellent flavour. Just to let you know, and sorry about the correction, Shepard’s pie is made with lamb, cottage pie is made with beef. The are countless recipes that sub beef because it is cheaper and more readily available in the USA. Shepards care for sheep, not cows.
Hello! Thinking this may be our entreé for our first meatless Thanksgiving. :). Silly question, but wondering if you have any tricks for making the mashed potato topping look so festive as you did? Did you use a piping bag or..? Thanks so much!
Awesome recipe! We made this with red lentils, which softened up really quickly and nicely (though lost its texture). Loved having a hearty, flavorful meal that’s full of veges. I’d definitely make this again.
Oops, forgot to rate in my previous comment. 5 STARS FOR SURE!!!
I LOVE this recipe. I found it a couple years ago back when I was in college (and vegetarian) and fell in love. Now that I’m eating meat again it’s still one of my go to hearty veggie packed meals.
I was wondering though, do you think it would work to throw veggies/lentils in a crockpot on low for a few hours, then top with mashed potatoes and throw in the oven? This recipe is already soo easy, but I’m trying to think of ways to use my crockpot to save a little time when I get home from work.
Thanks so much for this recipe!
Hi Aidan! We haven’t tried it, but if you do let us know how it turns out!
I made this Friday and the taste was fantastic but I would definitely make changes if I make it again. First, for whatever reason my lentils were quite dry. I’m going to make some mushroom gravy to serve the leftovers with. Second, I would actually use 2 lbs of potatoes, not 3. Way too much potato. But the flavors were perfect and I ate a ton :)
What fantastic comfort food this is a great recipe and it freezes well. It’s a bit of work when doubling the recipe it sure makes for an easy dinner when pulling out of the freezer. I mixed regular potatoes and a sweet potato in with them and it gave the illusion of cheddar cheese mixed into the potatoes which was kind of fun love the flavors of this dish I just sauteed my vegetables and added water and did not need any stock
Hi! I’m making this right now for dinner tonight. Can I put it all together and then warm it in the oven tonight for dinner or will it be too dry? Should I just put the lentil and veggies in the 9*13 and re-whip and add the potatoes to it later before baking?? Of course it’s easiest to put it all together now but don’t want to mess it up!
This was beautiful!! I’ve recently began following a vegan diet and this made my life so simple! My non-vegan mother enjoyed this dish as well.
Is it suitable to freeze?
Hi Anthea! We haven’t tried it, but it looks like others have and had success with it!
Can I use fresh veggies instead of frozen
Hi Jasmine! Yes you can!
I just made this and it is delicious!! I used canned brown lentils because I didn’t have dried. I ended up cooking the onions and garlic, added the veggies then I added about 3/4 cup broth and the spices and a dash of Worcester sauce. Heated it all up and then thickened it with a cold water/corn starch slurry. The potatoes browned up nicely and it was a perfect Casserole on this cold and dreary day in Maine today. Thank you for sharing this recipe and all the others. You’re my favorite blog for vegan recipes!
Yum! I will definitely make this again, my family loved it. I think I will try adding some tomato paste to the lentil mix fir a little extra flavor, but just as is it is delicious and hearty.
My Mum made this for us and it was delicious. I made it and it was so liquidy it was more like soup! I think where I may have gone wrong is that I used already cooked lentils so maybe I should have reduced the amount of stock used? Any ideas as I would like to try it again?
Hi Penny! Like you mentioned I would try using uncooked lentils or using less stock next time!
Great recipe but thought I’d add that in England, traditional Shepards pie is actually made with lamb. Cottage pie is made with beef. A good way to remember it is that shepards keep sheep :)
This was absolutely delicious. I halved the amount of potatoes and split into 4 servings for a hearty meal prep I’m going to be putting this in the rotation all winter.
I made this for a family weekend and it turned out delicious! The only adjustment I made was to use some instant mashed potatoes along with some of the boiled and mashed ones (I didn’t have enough to boil).
It was savory, tasty, and a big hit! Definitely going to make it again.
Oops, I meant to hit five stars but my phone screen didn’t do it. To be clear, I give this recipe 5 stars.
Lovely pie. Trying to cook vegan for my son and I loved it too. This will become a new family favourite.
Made this tonight with leftover garlic mashed potatoes. This was so much better than regular shepherds pie (sorry mom). I had to stop myself from eating thirds! Thank you. All your recipes are fantastic!
I just made this and it was absolutely delicious! I used a little less stock and the consistency was perfect, I also used sweet potato and it turned out so well. Thank you for these incredible recepies! I’m most definitely going to get your book :)
Made this for dinner with friends and family. Everyone complimented it and had 2 or 3 servings. I followed the lentil portion exactly but used sweet potatoes, mashed with coconut milk and ginger on top. Put it all together, refrigerated it 1 day and baked it the following evening for dinner – came out wonderfully. Very tasty and healthy. Thank you for this recipe.
Made this last night on my first attempt to entertain my meat-eating friends with vegan fare. It was AMAZING! I am making it again today only because there were no leftovers, and I want to take it for lunch this week. I followed the recipe exactly, although I might have used more thyme than stated as I generally don’t measure herbs exactly when I cook.
As someone who isn’t much of a cook, my only comment on the instructions is when it tells you to preheat the oven. If the lentils take 30 to 40 minutes to cook, then having your oven preheating that long isn’t necessary. Lesson learned, but I just thought I would mention it.
Thank you SO MUCH for this! I’m excited to try many more of your recipes.
I have made this 2 times. First, I made it just exactly like what the recipe said. In my taste, lentils were pretty dry and felt uncooked. It also wasn’t stick together that much with the mashed potato. But overall the taste was really good, that’s why I decided to make it again with a little bit of adjustment.
Second time I made it with brown and red lentils mixed together. From what I’ve read, red lentils cook faster. I double the amount of stock, and also took the tip to mix 2tbsp cornstarch with the mixture. It came out just perfect. I am so happy!
Thank you for this recipe. I also really love your Singapore noodle recipe. Both are my favorites :)
I’m used to making Alton Brown’s shepherds pie with lamb but honestly, I like this better! It has a ton of flavor. I used 4#s potatoes and a bag of sprouted mixed lentils (2 cups). Wicked good…even my 2 year old loved it!
Only thing I would change is to not turn on the oven until halfway through cooking the lentils! It was flippin’ hot in here!
Oh my gosh this was great! Ive been vegan for almost 2 months now and this is one of the best recipes I’ve made! It was easy and delicious, I was worried about the lentils bc I’d never had them, but they added their own little flare of texture and flavor and it was just great!
Also I doubled the potatos bc I LOVE mashed potatoes and it was delicious
omg this dish was DELICIOUS. I cut the potatoes down to 2 pounds and felt like I had enough. I also used a 9×13 dish and it was filled to the top. This dish is seriouslt economical, healthy and yummy. thanks!
A wonderful easy dinner. My hubby is not a big lentil fan so I was pleasantly surprised when he told me he loved the dish! I thickened the sauce with a couple of tablespoons of gravox which gave it a real meat pie kind of taste, so we then decided to serve with tomato sauce (ketchup) on the side which sounds gross but worked really well. Will add to our regular meal circulation :)
This required more than 4 cups of vegetable stock for me. I’d say at least 5-6 cups in proportion to 1 1/2 cups of lentils. Otherwise, great recipe! Will make again.
I love this recipe! I use half sweet potato and half potato, add 2 tbsp tomato paste to the lentils and top with your vegan parmesan recipe and it’s so good!
My son is allergic to lentils and chick peas (but not other beans). Do you have a suggestion for a sub for the lentils? Thanks.
I used Gardein Ultimate Beefless Ground. Had a “meat eater” say he would have never known it wasnt beef.
I’ve seen recomendations of using more mushrooms and some roasted walnuts instead. I think kidney beans would be pretty tasty too
it’s missing a couple pounds minced sheep.
Call it gardner’s pie next time.
Why can’t I save this recipe to copymethat?
Excited to give this one a try!
Question – Do you think the lentil base is solid enough that if we added a layer of cream corn on top of it, that the cream corn would stay somewhat separate and not melt completely into the base? We’ve made shepherd’s pie in our meat eating days with a layer of beef, a layer of cream corn, and a layer of potatoes. Wondering if a similar adaptation of this recipe might work? Thanks!
Hi! The cream corn might mix a little bit but it would still taste delicious!
Oh woooooow!!!
One of my all time favourites in vegan form. I was no great cook before & an even worse one after going vegan. Now I have my confidence back thanks to this awesome recipe! Not only that, but no doubt my meat lover friends will find this awesome too!
I used half fresh & half frozen veggies as we had lots of fresh ones.
Also really glad to find a recipe where I don’t need to add more or less of things like water ‘if it’s too dry’. All ratios were spot on.. I didn’t even need to add more flavour, was perfect all the way through.
Thank you!! :)
Sooo damn good ! Made it with a sweet potato topping it was ace. Thanks for all the thanksgivingy yumminess
Hi ! This looks delicious
But you mentionned a version with mushrooms and walnuts? I’m curious to know that one also.
Thank you ?
Sorry, but I do not understand the US obsession with changing the essential ingredients of a dish but retaining the name!
Shepherds Pie is made with lamb (or mutton) NOT beef! Fact.
There is a similar dish made with beef, it is called Cottage Pie. Fact.
I have no objection to creating a vegetarian dish with similar characteristics, but make it clear what you are doing. I would have to accept “vegetarian version of a cottage pie” but why not say “vegetable (or lentil) pie with mashed potato topping”.
I made this last night and it was so good! Really tasty and definitely exceeded expectations. I used fresh carrots and peas instead of frozen veg mix and it worked well. I didn’t do either of the optional steps but I did put nutritional yeast on top before I put it in the oven which added a nice flavour. Divine! Will be making it when I have friends over for dinner as anyone would like it. Thanks for this free resource, makes being vegan a lot easier :)
Please can you put metric measurements on the ingredients list for us Europeans? It’s quite time consuming to have to work out the equivalent for every ingredient.
Thanks! x
I had not much expectations, but wow! I changed it a bit according to the ingredients I had on hand. I used canned lentils and fresh vegetables (two diced carrots, corn and spinach). I added mexican chili powder (2 Tbsp~) to the lentil mix. I first thought 3 pounds of potatoes would be a lot, but it fitted perflectly in the dish. The reheated leftovers were even better.
By far my favorite web site for vegan recipes. Thank you so much!
I made this recipe last night with a few little modifications. I used only a pound of potatoes and found this was more than enough. I also doubled the veggies, mushrooms with the lentils, and added a packet of vegetarian gravy mix to the filling to thicken it. It’s very filling, and definitely tasty when reheated for leftovers.
Good and tasty…
This was very good. I had to substitute because I did not have a few items.
Leeks for onions
Chick peas for lentils
Sauzon veggie for veggie broth
Kale raw, basil fresh, fresh carrot soup ( already made. About 1 cup)
Wow was this good.
Thank you
Made this last night and it was a winner ❤️. I didn’t have frozen veggies so I used fresh from the garden and adjusted cook times appropriately. Also added mushrooms and it was absolutely amazing! This is a stick to your ribs kind of a meal , would be smart and cost effective way to feed a big family.
Not to split hairs, but, shepherds pie is made with lamb. Shepherds have sheep, not cows. With beef it’s called a cottage pie.
This is delish, love your site, it’s my go to for everything vegan! I doubled it and used 1.5 c red lentils and 1.5 c black lentils, raw organic carrots added earlier than the frozen additions of corn and beans , lots of salt and pepper and it was exceptional! Thank you!!
I married a Brit, who knows what the real deal tastes like, but between the two of us we’ve been vegan for a combined 60 years so it’s been a while since he’s had a true shepherd’s pie. We have a few versions we’ve come up with over the years and they are good but this is even easier and tastes amazing. I have an aversion to frozen carrots so I diced a few fresh ones and added them to the onion/garlic mixture before adding the lentils and broth. I did use frozen corn and peas. Don’t be put off by the fact that this takes a little longer than some meals; much of it is waiting for the lentils and potatoes to cook and then baking it off. My 15 year old son loved this, too. Another amazing recipe.
A friend made this for me today, with a magnificent result.
Love your recipes to bits, thank you for all of them!!
Freakin’ DELICIOUS! Creamy, flavorful, hearty … comfort food! I am neither vegetarian or vegan but I thoroughly loved this dish, as did my husband and 16 year old son. Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
I don’t comment on many of the recipes I try online but this was great! I made it for St Patrick’s Day and it was a big hit, for meat eaters and vegans/vegetarians alike! I used frozen peas, corn and also added some fresh carrots and celery. I was afraid it would be a bit bland as there really wasn’t much seasoning but it was just the opposite. I think the lentils are a great meat substitute. Thanks for the vegetarian friendly Irish recipe, which is pretty hard to find!
I reccommend using 5lbs of potatoes so you can get a really nice thick top. Otherwise, great recipe :)
I made this a few weeks ago for my husband who is looking for more and more plant-based options to replace his comfort food favorites. This recipe was DELICIOUS. The potatoes were creamy and tasty and the texture was great. We found the finished product just slightly bland, so I added some vegan Worcestershire sauce and it really elevated the dish. We like Annie’s brand. You have become my go-to recipe site! Thank you so much!
My mum always makes fun of my vegan ways, but she was blown away by this!! I used tin lentils and only 2 cups of stock.
Can I use beans instead of lentils? I ran out of lentils :(
I think that could work, but haven’t tried it myself! If you do, report back on how it goes :D
This is better than ANY Shepherd’s Pie I’ve ever had, vegan or otherwise, including restaurants. I added baby bellas cut really small to the onions and cut out the butter in the mashed potatoes otherwise followed the recipe exactly and it was fantastic. Will definitely be making this regularly, thanks for a great recipe!
I made this recipe this evening. I bought canned lentils so I only needed about half a cup of broth. My mom got me to love the taste of shepherd’s pie made with Worcestershire sauce, so I made it with that flavor added (I’m not fully vegan, and I’m aware it has anchovies in it. ?) I used two cans of lentils and did not need much stock at all to give it the flavor I wanted. I really enjoyed this recipe, and my husband and three of my children wanted more. Thanks for the vegan option to this long-time favorite of mine. ?
Added a bit of milk and butter to the mashed potatoes since I’m not a strict vegan, but like to avoid meat. Its such a great recipe and so easy to make. I’m not a regular cook but I’ve made this twice in the last two months! I also think that its great because it lasts about a week and you can easily portion away some into the freezer. I like to add hot sauce too. I also add quite a bit of flour to keep the mixture sticky but doesn’t quite matter.
I made this and it was AMAZING! 100% time accuracy ready on the table in just an hour absolutely delicious super healthy and I would make this again and again! Works well the next day too and to get an extra crust broil it on high for a minute or two.
Shepherd’s pie is one of my all time favorite meals. I made this as a vegetarian version, but it’s still amazing. I sprinkled some herbs from Provence on top after serving and it’s delicious. Thanks for posting this recipe! :)
If I wanted to add mushrooms, what part would I add them at? I’ve made this three times so far and I love it, but I think mushrooms would be a great addition.
Oooh, perhaps add a bay leaf, a little tomato purée and a splash of red wine if you’re feeling fancy?
I’ve made this with mushrooms… it’s amazing! Ok… you just fry up your mushrooms until they are golden, and add in at the last minute before you put the lentil mixture in the pan. If you use baby portabellos, they are DIABOLICAL!
Enjoy, happy cooking!
I made this last week and loved it! Thanks for sharing :)
I’m wondering if I could make it all the way up to baking, store in the fridge for a day, and then bake?
Wow, I’m so silly! Didn’t see that this had just been answered.
Anyone made this a night in advance? I’m bringing it to a pot luck and made it tonight up through step 8… I figure tomorrow when I get home from work, before the pot luck, I’ll put it in the oven til it’s hot. Will it still be yummy???
Hi! Others left comments saying they successfully prepared it the night before! It should still be delicious! Have a good potluck!
It was absolutely delicious! This WILL be made and shared again!!!!
Does this dish freeze well? Thanks
Hi! Yes it should freeze well!
I made this on Monday and it was fantastic. I used frozen peas and corn but added fresh mushrooms and carrots which I sautéed with the onion and garlic. The flavors were really good. This is definitely the best shepherds pie I’ve tried. Adding this to my favorites.
So easy. So comforting. I subbed sweet potatoes for Yukon gold. Loved the sweet & savory flavor. This recipe will definitely be in heavy rotation at my home.
After a few disastrous Pinterest recipes, this dish gave me the hope I needed as I begin my vegan journey! I simmered the veggies then added canned lentils. I also used a whole can of (watered-down) tomato paste. And I added some coconut milk to the mashed potatoes. I can’t wait for my friends to try this! Good job!
Can I make the veggie mixture the night before and add potatoes in morning and bake ?
Hi! Yep that should work! If you try it, let me know how it goes!
As I made this dish for the 100th time last night, I thought I should finally leave a comment and tell you how much I adore it. Your shepherd’s pie is my favorite. Of all time. It is my go-to comfort food. The dish I make to convince people vegan food is delicious. My favorite winter meal. I love it so much and wanted to thank you. Thank you so much for this. You are amazing and your shepherd’s pie sustains me.
So kind! Thanks, Emma! xoxo
I love your recipes so much! This was so yummy I added a bit of mushrooms to make it more hearty and it was perfect. #Veganuary
I just made this and it was fantastic! I was craving some winter comfort food and was craving Shepherd’s Pie like my mom use to make, but being vegetarian, needed a non meat recipe. This worked out so well, easy, quick, and nutritious! Thanks so much, Diana
So I found this recipe through Google, and absolutely love it. I’m not actually vegan myself but I do love vegan food, and it handily avoids lactose. I also suggested this recipe to my mum when she was asking for ideas on what to cook for a family event; she ended up making both this and a shep pie with meat, I think this one turned out as the crowd favourite ;)
It took me a while to notice that your blog is also where I found the pumpkin soup recipe I’m thoroughly in love with. At this point I feel like I should probably just start at the top and try out every single recipe of yours :D
Absolutely delicious, nonvegan hubbs couldn’t get enough! The flavor profiles are spot on and you would never know there wasn’t heavy fats. I didn’t use oil or vegan butter, I used veg broth and home-made tofu sour cream instead and it is still a rich and satisfying dish. What a fantastic recipe, thank you MB.
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!
I have just made your cottage pie absolutely lovely really hit the spot definitely making this again.
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.
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’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!
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!
This recipe was absolutely rich. Just made it for Christmas lunch. Thank you for posting.
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!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It’s delicious, easy to make and healthy. Perfect for a vegetarian Thanksgiving!
Was a real hit with my family. Made it with 3/4 lentils and 1/4 soya mince. Quick,easy and delicious.
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!
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? ;)
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!
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!
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. :)
I could not tell if you peeled the potatoes or not?
It isn’t necessary, but does make the topping prettier. Good luck!
This recipe is so great! I’m going to force it on my meat eater family!
You’re site is my favorite!
How many days ahead can this be prepared and kept in the refrigerator before baking?
Hi there! A few days!
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.
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 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!
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.
Had this last night. It was so amazing. We added turmeric and coconut oil to the mash. Omg.
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.
Oops. I wasn’t paying attention. I accidentally used green split peas instead of lentils. Still turned out great!
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
This was the best shepherd’s pie ever! Easy, affordable & delicious, thank you ? 10/10 from me and the rest of my fam ?
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.
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.
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.
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)
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!
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!
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)
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!