1-Hour Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

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Glass baking dish and plate filled with simple gluten-free vegan Shepherds Pie

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.

Cooking potatoes for simple Vegan Shepherds Pie

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.

Rinsing lentils in a colander

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!

Cooking lentils in broth with fresh thyme sprigs
Using a wooden spoon to stir together lentils and vegetables for homemade Vegan Shepherd's Pie

This recipe is not only nutritious, tasty and filling, it’s also simple!

Baking pan of Vegan Lentil Shepherds Pie

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.

Plates and baking pan of our Lentil Shepherds Pie recipe

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.

Using a fork to slice into a serving of Vegan Lentil Shepherds Pie

Cheers, friends!

1-Hour Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

A hearty, 10-ingredient Vegan Shepherd's Pie that's loaded with veggies and savory lentils and topped with fluffy mashed potatoes. So flavorful and satisfying that you won't miss the meat!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Glass baking dish of Vegan Shepherds Pie with a couple servings removed
4.74 from 490 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Course Entrée
Cuisine British-Inspired, Gluten-Free, Irish-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

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

*Inspiration from Martha Stewart
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 396 Carbohydrates: 72 g Protein: 17.7 g Fat: 5.3 g Saturated Fat: 1.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 109 mg Fiber: 19 g Sugar: 4 g

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My Rating:




  1. Denise says

    I just wanted to tell you that I had prepared a batch of the shepherds pie for 40 people this week. I could only make the filling, because I came down with the flu 4 hours after I left the kitchen. Had to coach another volunteer on how to finish it. I added some chopped shallots, more herbs and 4 pounds of chopped mushrooms. I also used tamari instead of Worcestershire sauce, plus some of my own seasonings to make it my own. One that I will advise, smoked Spanish paprika. Adds a wonderful, mmmm earthiness. The pie filling was put into pot pie tins, then covered with mashed potatoes and baked. Just before service, they will be sprinkled with paprika and chopped italian parsley to give it even more color. The coordinator for the event said it was the best shepherds pie she had ever eaten. This is for a St. Paddy’s day event in our very rural town. We are holding a fundraiser for our tiny elementary school. I found out that more people are coming to the event just to get my shepherds pie, even though it is going to be snowing. Thank you

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Denise! Thanks for sharing! We hope you feel better soon! xo

      • Denise Lindquist says

        Just a follow up on the event. Our tiny mountain school raised over $5,000.00! We thought that $1000.00 would be great. They were selling the pies for people to take home, because people loved it so much. I have had so many compliments on this recipe, and have already promised to do this again next year. If it weren’t for the Corona Virus, we may have sold out completely.

        Thank you so much for this recipe. It made such a difference to have this dish at an event that was all about the corned beef and cabbage. It allowed many vegetarians to enjoy this event and this may be a tradition from now on.

  2. Susan says

    I was struggling to find a vegan dish I actually love and thankfully I found it! This is a straight forward, delicious recipe. The only thing I did differently was I pulsated the lentils with a hand mixer when they were soft to give it more of a ground beef texture. And I added a package of onion soup mix to the broth for extra flavour, delicious!

  3. rachel says

    This recipe is fantastic. I don’t often leave comments but this is so delicious. I highly recommend it. I love the idea of adding mashed potatoes to thicken up the filling. It really works well. Thank you very much.

  4. Selena says

    It’s just as good as it says! I made it exactly as the recipe states and turned out fantastic! Great meatless comfort food.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Selena. 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

  5. Ali says

    Hello! I’ve made this a few times and my hubby and I LOVE it. I’m wondering if I were to double the recipe would it be possible to make the lentil part in the slow cooker? If so, how long on high and low setting would I want to do it for?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ali, we haven’t tried this in the crockpot, but we don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Not sure on the cooking specifics- but maybe on low for 4-6 hours? Let us know if you do some experimenting!

  6. Gina says

    Hi, just making this and wondering if I could add nutritional yeast to mash for a cheesy flavour?! So far it smells delicious and so easy to make!

    • Gina says

      Oh Dana, this was absolutely superb!! We’ve just had it and it was so beautiful, I had to leave you a review! I followed it pretty much exactly to a T, apart from that my lentils needed a bit more water during cooking and I had no frozen veg so used up some chopped up carrots and fine beans and it was delicious! Definitely recommend and defo making it again, thank you!!!

  7. Kelly says

    Dear Dana,

    This recipe is delicious, but I’m wondering if we are supposed to drain the excess vegetable broth from the lentil/vegetable mix before transferring it to the pan and into the oven. I always seem to end up with a layer of liquid left at the bottom. Thank you so much!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kelly, maybe try with less broth next time? Or cook with the lid off at the end to evaporate remaining water. We wouldn’t recommend draining the broth as it may remove some of the flavor. Hope that helps!

  8. Kerry says

    Made this for me and husband and we both thought it was delicious! He told me to make it again, and he’s a big army dude so you know it’s gotta be good if it fills up a soldier!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kerry. We are so glad you both 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

  9. Kallan says

    This was great! I will say it took more like an hour and a half once you factor in peeling potatoes. I would recommend adding a good amount of salt to the lentils. I used Miyoko’s vegan butter in the mashed potatoes (so! good!) and added sauteed mushrooms to the lentils before baking. I also mixed vegan gravy into the lentils before baking, which I think helped with thickening and definitely added flavor. Will definitely be making this again — vegan comfort food at its finest.

  10. Isabel says

    Hi Dana! Thank you very much for this delicious recipe. I am going to cook it as well. It will be my first time. Yes, I believe the corn starch will keep it together. All the best!!!

      • Zach says

        Great recipe!!! Thank you!!!

        My potatoes needed a lot more boiling time, and a LOT more butter.

        I threw Tomato Paste and Worcestershire Sauce (liberally) into the mix for more flavor.

        Great portion size and the lentils rock! Gonna have tons of leftovers!

  11. Angela Moran says

    We are not vegan, but I found this recipe and decided to make it as a healthier option. It was truly AMAZING! I followed the recipe with 2 changes, I used 2 cups of lentils and increased the vegetable broth by an additional cup. My family went crazy it was so good. Truly you have to try it, you will not miss the beef.

  12. Kaitlynliuwho says

    This recipe looks amazing! Is this meal freezer friendly? A friend of mine and her hubby are both vegan and they are expecting a little bundle of joy due in mid march 2020. As a mom, I know how crazy things can get once a baby is born and wanted to make them something to ease the transition. If I make this ahead of time and give it to them as a freezer meal, would that affect the dish?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Such a good friend! We haven’t tried freezing it, but another reader mentioned success with freezing without baking and then reheating in the oven. Hope that helps!

  13. Lisa Breneman says

    My husband and I have been Whole Food Plant Based since the beginning of the year. We mostly eat raw vegetables, hummus and vegetable soups, stews and chili. We needed something with the same basic ingredients and this met the criteria. Just finished eating it and we were both delighted and satisfied! I used a little truffle salt in the potatoes and Milkadamia milk. Outside of that followed the recipe to a T! Delicious! Thank you!

  14. Amanda says

    Only 3tbsp of vegan butter for 3 pounds of potato??? I thought that would be a bit dry. I heated up unsweetened non dairy milk with with vegan butter and added it in until creamy.

  15. Jesse Grace says

    this is so so delicious! i used a can of lentils and simmered them for 30 minutes in / to soak up the veggie stock flavour (2 cups) and added mushrooms in and green beans and the consistency was perfect! i’ll definitely be making this in winter too, thank youuu dana

  16. Beth says

    I’m making this again tomorrow. I topped the last one with a combination of mashed potato and cauliflower. So good. Tomorrow I’m going to ad some mushrooms to the lentils. I also froze individual servings and it was successful. This is such a versatile recipe. Delicious enough for company and a family of cooks. ?.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Claire, We haven’t tried freezing it, but it looks like others have and had success with it!

  17. Jenn says

    Hi Dana!
    I made this for the first time as part of my meal prep for the week and it turned out AMAZING! I’m not vegan or vegetarian and I honestly prefer this recipe over the tradition one!
    My only modifications were I used a combo of vegetable and mushroom broth (because that’s what I had) and chopped fresh veggies instead of frozen . This recipe is a keeper for sure, thank you!!

    • Becca says

      This was so comforting, healthy and yummy! Added to favourites and will make often to make a nice vegitarian option for the week (I used real butter in my mash as I am not intolerant) thank you Dana :)

  18. Stephanie says

    Hi Dana
    I would like to just start by saying you are by far one of my favourite!! This is kind of off topic but I am starting my own Vegan food blog and was wondering if you had any tips? I truly love all your recipes and you have inspired me? I look forward to hearing from you!
    Kind Regards,
    Stephanie

  19. Kathryn says

    Its tasty but came out super dry, and I’m not sure why. I even added extra veggie stock when the lentil were getting soft because the destructions said there might be extra, and I definitely wasn’t seeing that. The potatoes are a bit dry too. Will have to figure out a way to moisten it up to salvage the leftovers.
    Any suggestions?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, it sounds like maybe it baked too long or at too high of a temp? Adding more vegan butter may help moisten the potato layer. Hope that helps!

      • Kathryn Tikkanen says

        I added more veggie broth to the leftovers by sort of poking holes through the potatoes and pouring in the broth. ? I wrapped up the leftovers and they have been fantastic for two more days! I’m wondering if I didn’t measure either the lentils or the broth correctly.
        Definitely a 5 star recipe!!

  20. Sabrena says

    Hiii!! I’m new too the vegan world and saw this recipe and wanted too make it!! I have a couple questions?:) Im confused on how one serving is 72g of carbs? I feel that’s very high but im assuming it’s healthy carbs but is it because of how big the serving size is or the ingredients used?

  21. Nilda Trinidad says

    Dana, this recipe was priceless. I mixed white potatoes and sweet potatoes…really good.
    I couldn’t find green or brown lentils did red. I also added liquid smoke, Worcester sauce and balsamic vinegar sauce. I’m limited on sodium so no salt. But this was really tasty and filling. Going for 2nd serving. My husband is working on his 3rd!!!
    Thank you. Following you on Instagram.
    Happy New Year❤

  22. Rebecca says

    Thank you! Absolutely delicious. I made the recipe exact. I am freezing half of the lentils and will repurpose in the future but will top with mashed sweet potatoes. Much appreciation.

  23. Sally Snyder says

    I mad this casserole last night for dinner. I am always a little hesitant when making a vegan main dish since I am usually a meat eater, however, my son arrived from far away and he is a vegan. It took me a little longer than the times posted because I cook on an electric range but this was very easy to make and OMG the flavor was delicious! My husband, our son, and I each had seconds! Best of all, we have leftovers for tomorrow night too!
    Thank you for a delicious and easy main dish for the reluctant vegan!

  24. Megan Hart says

    I’ve made this several times, it’s so good! I either halve the filling, or freeze half, because it does make alot. I also add at least a pound of sliced & sauted mushrooms, and man does it add alot of flavor and texture. Make it.

  25. Julie says

    A good comfort meal after a cold day outside. Only adjustments I made was adding a splash of coconut aminos and a bay leaf while the lentils were cooking.

  26. Sara says

    I have yet to buy vegan butter and was wondering if I could use coconut oil instead? Or just a little oil and some potato water?

  27. Valerie Lindaley says

    A friend asked me to make something for her Christmas party that the vegetarians and vegans could eat. I found this recipe and felt it would be perfect. I water sautéed the onions and garlic. I also used the precooked lentils from Trader Joes. Not knowing how much the package was in comparison to using dried lentils I added a bit of cooked brown rice to the mixture. I only used about 2 cups of the vegetable broth, enough to loosen up the mix. Everyone raved about how awesome it was! I steered a couple people to your website so they could get the recipe for themselves! I will definitely be making this again. The flavors were perfect!
    Thanks for a great recipe and website!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Valerie. We are so glad everyone 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

  28. Davey Quinn says

    As a british person from the north of England, corn and green beans wouldn’t be ideal for a Sheperds/Cottage Pie — not sure what dish this would make, though it wouldn’t be traditional British food. I would also suggest adding 1/4 cup vegan cream to the mash. And ideally a couple of tablespoons of Bisto granules rather than mash / cornflour, if you have it. Finally, the magic ingediant is 1-2 tbs of brown sauce such as A1 or HP or I personally add 1/2 tsp of Marmite and 1 tsp HP.

  29. Angela says

    I added sautéed mushrooms and mix of a few tablespoons each of tomato paste / balsamic vinegar/ broth to the lentil veggie mix. Without it Tasted to me like it was missing “something,” it helped tremendously. Thank you for the easy weeknight recipe

  30. Veronique says

    I made it and it came out quite delicious. My boyfriend who isn’t vegan, loved it! I highly recommend making this for your non-vegan friends & family!

  31. Marsha Hargreaves says

    Delicious! I followed the recipe as written except I added an extra 1/2 cup frozen veggies. Used about a teaspoon of corn starch and 2 tablespoons of the mashed potatoes to thicken. Perfection! Served to two non-vegan guests and they (and my mostly plant based husband) all loved it! Five stars!!!

  32. Sammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm says

    I made this last year, and it was fabulous! I LOVED it with the “Easy Vegan Gravy” from this site, and it was so simple to make.

    However, wanted to make a smaller batch this time. If I halve the recipe, can I use a square 9 x 9 dish? My 9 x 13 will be preoccupied with another yummy recipe ;)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing! We used a 9×9 pan when we made a full batch, so no need to halve. But you can if you would prefer.

  33. Jacqui says

    So I soaked my 1.5 cups of lentils overnight for better digestion but now there is way more than 1.5 cups. Should I use it all or just 1.5 cups of the soaked lentils? Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Aka, we would recommend preparing up to the point of putting the mashed potatoes on top. Then refrigerate and bake as instructed later on!

  34. CATHERINE says

    SIMPLY DELICIOUS. Not my first time doing this recipe, and I twist it a bit by adding nibblets between the mashed potatoes and the lentils mixture by make it even Moreno like a shepherds pie. Plus, I’ve frozen this recipe before with great success…! Just saying :). Thank you for such a perfect warm and cozy fall/winter recipe my dear.

    Catherine

  35. Lindsay Anderson says

    We had leftover mashed potatoes from the night before and this was a great way to use them up! I absolutely loved this meal, it will definitely be in the rotation going forward and I think it would be a great dish to serve your meat eating friends and family to show how familiar, satisfying, and nutritious vegan cooking can be.

  36. Duncan Young says

    I made this last night and it was deelish. I modified it slightly. I added 8oz of sliced portobello to the saute mix of onions and garlic. The mushrooms gave a real nice meaty taste and texture. I also substituted pureed cauliflower (about 1 1/2 heads) for the mashed potatoes. I simply steamed the cauliflower, then into the food processor with the vegan butter. After spreading the mix on top I sprinkled some paprika over it and baked.

    Really good and thanks for the recipe!

  37. Emma Prinzi says

    Loved this recipe! I made it last night but added Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and extra herbs spices like smoked paprika and dried sage. I also used purple yams instead of golden yams and it looks so colourful and amazing! I’m stoked.

    Can’t wait to make this for all the hard-core meat eaters in my family :)

  38. Carlos says

    Made this last night, I used fresh carrots and celery, staggered putting them in the filler to avoid over-cooking them. Also in the filler I used about 1/2tbps paprika, shredded the garlic (4 cloves) instead of diced, and added 2tbps corn starch about 30 minutes into simmering. Added garlic to the mashed potatoes and used cashew/almond milk blend in addition to the vegan butter, then a light brush of olive oil before baking. Thank you so much for this recipe, it was delicious, rich and filling, and my family thoroughly enjoyed it. Will definitely be trying more from this page.

  39. Louise Rollins says

    YUM. Made this tonight and it tasted just like my mom’s beef shepherd’s pie growing up. Thought I’d left that cozy flavor behind forever when I stopped eating meat but this was instant nostalgia! I assembled this 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge, baked just before dinner. We’re not big potato fans, so I used mashed cauliflower. One head of cauliflower was enough for half this recipe. Will be making this over and over!

  40. Dana says

    I will definitely be making this recipe again (enthusiastically approved by boyfriend!). I love the homeyness and simplicity. I lightened it up by making a batch of your potato and cauliflower mash for the topping. I also found the lentil mix wanting additional flavor and seasoning so I added 1 TB of vegan Worcestershire sauce, around 2 TB of tamari, and about a tsp. of Beyond Bullion vegetable stock seasoning.

  41. Joanne Bailey says

    Both my husband and I loved it! Easy to make and simply delicious! Note: If you use canned lentils, like I did, you will have to reduce the amount of vegetable broth to just enough to cook the mixed vegetables. (I found it to be very liquidy otherwise, but I drained the excess liquid and used it when I made a batch of veggie soup. It didn’t go to waste!)

  42. Marsha Mcleod says

    Wonderful recipe.. made a few adjustments
    -seasoned the lentils with salt,pepper,paprika,tomato paste and cumin and let it steam a bit BEFORE adding broth..
    -added chunks of squash to other veggies/lentils.. let it cook until soft then mash some with spoon to ticken added a dash of A1 and some sazon seasoning!
    -added cauliflower to potatoes and mashed it together..DELISH!! Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Marsha. 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

  43. Mary Frey says

    This is my go-to recipe for Vegan Shepherd’s Pie! My family loves it! Very easy and versatile for every taste. I like to use a little mint with thyme and rosemary. I also like fresh chives and some sour cream in the whipped potatoes. Yum-Yum!

  44. Mia says

    Thank you so much for this recipe. This Shepard’s Pie just won my work’s holiday pie contest. It’s a specialty food and beverage shop so there were a lot of discerning palettes to please. I added about 1tbsp of tamari to the lentils as a substitute for Worcester sauce (saw in another recipe) to make it extra savory.

  45. Andrea says

    I made this for my family and my carnivore kids ate it up!!!! They could not get enough and didn’t miss the meat!!! Total game changer!!! Need more Casserole recipes like this!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Andrea. We are so glad everyone 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

  46. Megan says

    Starting making this and then realized that I didn’t have enough lentils (only had 3/4 cup)! So I added 1/2 cup quinoa and 1/2 can garbanzo beans to make up for it. Still turned out delicious!! Can’t wait to make this as a plant based option at my family’s Thanksgiving!

  47. Anna Libby says

    This was soooooo delicious. I made it exactly the way the recipe said to and it had so much flavor for so few ingredients. Definitely will be making again.

  48. Susanna Osberghaus says

    Recently went vegan and am so thankful to find a yummy version of my favorite dish!!! Thank you so so so much for sharing! Definitely adding to my recipe box!

  49. Karen says

    I made this last year because I was the only vegetarian at my husband’s holiday gathering and wanted something to share with them. It was great but I tweaked it by added rosemary, cooking wine, diced mushrooms, tomato paste, vegan worcestershire sauce, and topped it with a mushroom gravy made from mushrooms, “butter”, coconut milk, salt, and poultry seasoning. The lentils I got sucked up a LOT of seasoning so I’d constantly have to add more salt, thyme, and rosemary as I was cooking so I have no idea how much I used. This clearly is not a healthy meal with all the salt and butter but I don’t eat this way usually. My husband’s family LOVED it they were going in for seconds and thirds. I’m making it again this year at their request.

  50. Linda says

    Like some others here, I also added red wine! I decided to add nutritional yeast to the potatoes, too… I regret nothing.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for sharing, Linda. 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

  51. Stephanie Brock says

    Made this last night, it was AMAZING!!
    My husband is a meat eater and absolutely loved it. I added chopped celery and mushrooms to the lentil mix. Can’t wait for leftovers (although there’s not much left!). Thanks for the great recipe!

  52. Katie says

    I make this for Thanksgiving every year (and multiple times throughout the cold months) and it is such a delicious, hearty, ultimate comfort meal. I make a mushroom gravy on the side just to really make it thanksgiving-y and it hits all those spots for me. Definitely one to come back to over and over!

  53. Bonnie says

    I made this last night for dinner. I agree with another commenter that there was way to much lentils. I would probably do half the amount if I make this again. To cut down on the cooking time, I used my Instant pots to cook the potatoes and the lentils.

  54. Beth says

    This turned out great. A quick view of the comments show that no one else had this issue, so maybe it was just me: 1.5 cups of uncooked lentils was WAY TOO MUCH. I used the suggested sized baking dish, and had a lot of leftover filling. I saved it for a while and tried to creatively use it in other dishes, but eventually threw the rest out.

  55. Alexandria says

    I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit among the vegetarians and meat-eaters! It is a very user friendly recipe and makes for a satisfying comfort food. The only thing I added to this recipe was two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar when adding the vegetable stock. Definitely will be making again!

  56. Myra Bartfeld says

    Delicious! Used to be one of my favorite meals before I changed my diet and stopped eating meat and dairy. Thrilled to have found this gem! My husband wanted to eat the whole tray the first time I made it ?

  57. Rebekah says

    What a yummy dinner. I added about 1/4 c red wine, 2-3 tablespoons of miyokos butter, baby Bella mushrooms and about 1/2 tablespoon of fresh rosemary from my garden. Oh and pushed the garlic up to 8 cloves. So good! Thank you for all your recipes!

  58. Krista B says

    Loved, loved it. I added a little red wine, fresh carrots and spinach. This will definitely be a go to in my house….
    I might add sun dried tomatoes next time!

  59. Sabrina says

    Can you make this dish the day before a get-together? Prepare everything, put it in the fridge, and them bake on the day of?

  60. Amanda A says

    This has been a staple recipe of mine for years now. It’s always a hit at potlucks! The only thing I change is to add chopped crimini mushrooms to the lentil mixture. A wonderful recipe, thank you!

  61. Chandra says

    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

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      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

  62. Paula Lilian Garnham says

    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.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      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

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Kate, about 3 cups canned lentils. That should be about two 15-ounce cans. Let us know if you give it a try!

          • Katie says

            Hi there,

            Thanks for this modification! I have some canned lentils at home that I’m looking to use. Would you recommend decreasing the amount of veggie broth if using canned lentils, or would you keep the rest of the recipe the same?

            Alternatively, could you use red lentils? I do have dried red lentils, but not sure if they cook differently or wouldn’t taste as good in this recipe.

            Thank you!

            Katie

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Hi Katie, red lentils should work! They just require less time to cook. For canned lentils, yes- maybe reduce veggie stock to just 1 cup? Let us know if you try these modifications!

  63. Paige says

    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.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We think the flavor would be okay, but it would likely end up watery. Some readers have reported freezing with success though!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      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!

  64. S. Srinivasan says

    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.)

  65. Dylan says

    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.

  66. Katie says

    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!

  67. Holly says

    Absolutely delicious!! We followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. Really really tasty and was so easy to make.

  68. Margo says

    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!

  69. Amanda says

    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!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      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

    • Hannah says

      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!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      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

  70. Alice says

    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.

  71. Farrah Towers says

    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!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport says

      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

  72. PA Vegan says

    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.