
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.

Origin of Shepherd’s Pie
The exact origin of Shepherd’s pie is a bit of a mystery! But both the Irish and British claim the origination of this hearty, mashed potato crust dish. It’s thought that it may have developed in the mid-19th century from cottage pie, which is a similar dish made with a different type of meat in the filling (source). The following is our plant-based take on the concept.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
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 10 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
MASHED POTATOES
- 3 pounds yukon gold potatoes, partially peeled (thoroughly washed)
- 3-4 Tbsp vegan butter
- Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
FILLING
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown or green lentils (rinsed and drained)
- 4 cups vegetable stock (DIY or 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
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.
- 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 desired amount of vegan butter (3-4 Tbsp as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Loosely cover and set aside.
- 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 9×13 pan. An 8×8 won’t fit it all but close! // as original recipe is written // adjust number or size of dish if altering batch size).
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until lightly browned and caramelized – about 5 minutes.
- Add tomato paste (optional) and a pinch each salt and pepper. Then add lentils, stock, and thyme and stir. Bring to a low boil. Then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Continue cooking until lentils are tender (35-40 minutes). Once tender, remove the lid and continue simmering uncovered, stirring frequently, to evaporate any excess liquid.
- In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the frozen veggies, stir, and cover to meld the flavors together.
- 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.
- 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.
- Place on a baking sheet to catch overflow and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mashers are lightly browned on top.
- 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.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Megan says
Smelled so cozy and savory and easy to make – I was lazy with the potatoes and used up some instant mashed potatoes, but would try this again the proper way on a quiet weekend. Thanks for the recipe!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Megan! xo
Roxane Rosalinda Marek says
I improvised with what I had. I used canned organic green beans from Target and canned mushrooms in a gravy made from coffee and Dandy Organic Herbal coffee. The mashed potatoes are instant Edward and Sons Organic Roasted Garlic. I tried to send a photo but it didn’t work. But it’s delicious!
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Roxane. We’re so glad you enjoyed it. xo
Quesiyah S. Ali says
Wonderful recipe! A go-to for me and other vegetarians at Thanksgiving!
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Terra says
I made this last night and it was truly fantastic! I did make a few modifications:
– canned precooked lentils in place of the dry (roughly 1.5 cans) and reducing broth to account for this—I suspect this wound up being overall fewer lentils than if following the original recipe using dry
– in place of those missing lentils, I used diced fresh mushrooms added with the tomato paste
– deglazed the pan with a splash of red wine
– finally, I did add a healthy amount of Worcestershire sauce (I’m not vegan) and I think this did a LOT for the flavour, so I do wonder how the pie would’ve fared without
All in all another winner from MB and I can see this being on heavy rotation for the winter weather ahead!
Love your modifications, Terra! We’re so glad it turned out well. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
AshleyB says
I made this recipe and it was delish! The only changes I made were using russet potatoes and I added a little milk when mashing to make them extra creamy. I cooked the whole tray for about 20 minutes and the broiled for a few minutes at the end to get a little extra color on the potatoes. This was amazing!! Even my meat preferring husband enjoyed this. Will 10/10 make again.
Amazing! Love your modifications, Ashley. Thank you for sharing! xo
Abby says
Delicious. I added a block of impossible meat as well and it’s so good I’m eating it for breakfast after portioning it out for dinner meal prep for the week.
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Abby! Thank you for sharing! xo
Diane Krumme says
I way too many lentils and not enough vegetables.
Gaelan says
It’s a great recipe. I used sweet potato and TVP in place of the potato and lentils, and it suprisely worked out pretty good. I look forward to trying the original recipe.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Gaelan! xo