1-Hour Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

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!!

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.

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 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

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.

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

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 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.

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! :)

Oooh, perhaps add a bay leaf, a little tomato purée and a splash of red wine if you’re feeling fancy?

Does this dish freeze well? Thanks

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!

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.

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 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!

This recipe was absolutely rich. Just made it for Christmas lunch. Thank you for posting.

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 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!