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.
Marie says
This looks delicious. Do you think I could prepare it up to the baking point and store it in the refrigerator for a day or two. I am hoping to do some prep ahead of hosting Xmas day to make my day easier.
Hi Marie, yes, that should work well!
Grace says
This was really good, although a little dry. I’d for sure make it again but add a little more stock to the lentils. I added mushrooms and a fresh carrot and skipped the frozen corn and green beans. Definitely a recipe I will experiment with many times, depending on which ingredients I have on hand.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it overall, Grace! Thanks for sharing your modifications!
Tina says
This is an amazing dish – so easy to make and all of our non vegan family loves it too! We make it every Holiday – I follow the recipe exactly ! I would not change it in any way – Love it. Thank you for an awesome vegan recipe and so many of your other recipes !
Tina
Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review, Tina! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy this dish! xo
Jane says
This was delicious. I followed the recipe exactly as you wrote it. We love shepherds pie and this vegetarian version is better than any I have made in the past. Thanks so much.
We can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow. 😋
We’re so happy you enjoy this one, Jane! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Anne Bailey says
This is incredibly delicious just as written and stores and reheats well. Thank you! We’re vegan a week a month and this is our go-to to make it a great week.
We’re so glad this is one of your monthly go-to’s, Anne! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Susan says
Excellent! I made this for a non vegan household and everyone loved it. I had been planning to make vegan meatloaf so didn’t have all the ingredients, but my subs worked great. I used 2 cans of chickpeas instead of lentils. I sautéed diced celery and shredded carrot with the onion after the onion softened. Then I added 2 chopped sweet potato, the drained chickpeas, 2 cups water with two tsp better than bullion, 12 oz chopped baby Bella mushrooms, and the thyme and then cooked until the sweet potato was done. Then I added some frozen peas and charred corn and salted and peppered to taste. Put the mashed potatoes on top, put in oven for 15 min and then under the broiler until the potatoes had browned on top. Thanks for an excellent and adaptable recipe!
Lovely! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing, Susan! xo
Stephanie says
In the UK, a traditional shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, and cottage pie is made with beef. Either way, I prefer a vegan lentil version any day :)
Love the versatility to throw in frozen veggies or whatever has been hanging around the bottom of the crisper drawer a little too long… a great fridge cleaning recipe!
Thank you for sharing, Stephanie! We’re so glad you enjoy this version! xo
Christina says
Is there anything on this website that ISNT absolutely delicious? Every recipe I’ve tried has been amazing!
i followed this recipe to the gram and ml and it came out delicious. Perfect for meal prep and easy to make. I had to add more stock to the lentils as the mixture evaporate quickly while the lentils were still undercooked- but I may have used the wrong cookware (a pot- all I had). I meal prepped this for next week and I can see it be a repeat recipe! Yum!
Aw, thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review, Christina! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! If the lentils were old or the stock especially salty, that could cause them to take longer to cook. Hope that helps!
Katie says
I had the same issue of the stick evaporating before the lentils were done. The second time I made it, I soaked the lentils beforehand for a few hours and drained before cooking. That worked.
Alisha says
So simple to make and so delicious! Definitely do not miss the non-vegan version with this recipe.
Did not have enough regular potatoes so I mixed it with a sweet potato – worked just as well :)
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Alisha! xo
Jim says
Just a helpful tip, when converting to metric measurements you can still use cup as a unit of measure. I will be making this recipe in the next 4 weeks-looks yummy!
Regards
Mikhaila says
An incredibly fool proof recipe that I have had in my repertoire for over 5+ years!
This recipe is so forgiving, I often make it as instructed however today subbed out some lentils for mushrooms (reduced the total lentils to 1 cup and fried off with the onions and garlic), added fresh, diced carrot and celery before the lentils and stock, and finished with fresh green beans and frozen corn. I did the mashed potatoes with the skin on for extra fibre and used a combo of olive oil spread and fresh olive oil which made it super creamy and smooth, and baked for probably 30 mins or so at 220deg C until super crisp on top. An absolute winner, thank you for this wonderful recipe!
We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe over the years! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Mikhaila! xo
Diannadrascic@gmail.com says
This was so easy and exceptionally tasty. What a great surprise from such simple ingredients! I didn’t have time to do the potatoes so we had it over rice. AWESOME.
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing! xo
Carol says
The recipe is delicious! I use mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes. How much potassium does it have in serving?
Hi Carol, We’re so glad you enjoy it! We don’t have that info available. We would suggest plugging in the ingredients into Cronometer for a nutrition estimate that reflects using mashed cauliflower.
Claire says
This was delicious and very easy to make! I did add 3 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce as others suggested, and I used 1.5 teaspoons of tomato paste, which was optional, but I would suggest using. My vegetarian daughter and my carnivore husband both loved it! When we went to bed that night, my husband mentioned how much he loved it again!! This is now in my recipe box and will be made regularly. Soooo good! Thank you!!
Amazing! We’re so glad it was a hit with the whole family. Thank you for sharing, Claire! xo
Carla says
This was REALLY good! My husband cannot have potatoes or tomatoes so I used white sweet potatoes for the top and omitted the tomato paste. Instead, I used some vegan Worcestershire sauce. Super easy and yummy!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Carla. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Jasmine says
Made this for St. Patricks Day and this is a winning recipe! Huge hit and so flavorful! The whole family loved it.
Yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Jasmine. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Deidre says
I love this recipe! My only critique is to move steps 1 & 2 AFTER step 5 since the lentils take so much longer than the potatoes! Thank you for a yummy recipe!
Thank you for the feedback, Deidre! We’re glad you still enjoyed it! xo
Stephanie says
I followed the recipe exactly and it came out wonderfully. I would definitely make it again. The recipe looks involved but was actually pretty easy.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Stephanie. Thank you for sharing! xo
Saoirse says
Grew up on Shepards Pie but had never tried a vegan version. Prepared exactly as instructed and was honestly one of my favourite meals I have ever made/eaten! Will definitely become a regular – thank you so much!!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed this version, Saoirse. Thank you for sharing! xo
Jayne says
I made this again for the umpteenth time. I omit the tomato paste. I cut it up once it is cool and freeze individual squares and reheat for lunch. Love this recipe, its a meal-prep staple for me!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Jayne. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your great meal prep method! xo
Katie says
Thanks for sharing that this is freezer friendly! I want to make this ahead of time for Thanksgiving and wasn’t sure if freezing was an option. :-)
Michelle Rinella says
How would the recipe need to be adjusted to be made in advance and heated from refrigerated termperature?
Hi Michelle, We would recommend preparing up to the point of putting the mashed potatoes on top. Then refrigerate and bake as instructed later on. Hope that helps!
Mat says
So to be clear prepare the entire dish and put in fridge? Cook at same temp and time noted in recipe? I want to make this today and bake tomorrow.
Thanks
Mat
Hi Mat, yes! It may need ~5 minutes longer just because it’s starting at a colder temperature.
Dalarama says
How many cans or ml of lentils do you think would replace 1.5 cups of uncooked lentils?
You’ll need about three 15-oz cans of lentils and probably 1-2 cups broth. We suggest cooking it for less time and use less broth. Let us know how it goes!
Gerri says
Hi, I made this tonight, and it came out great! I followed the recipe as written, and it was perfect. Very yummy and makes a lot!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Gerri! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Jessica says
I’ve been using this recipe for years and my family loves it! I always add in a little bit of BBQ sauce into the lentil mix for some extra “meat” like flavor. When I don’t have tomato paste I substitute with 2 tablespons ketchup and it works amazingly. Make sure to cook the spices in with the onions for more flavor, and don’t skip out on fresh cracked pepper and salt! I always use instant potatoes rather than mashed potatoes from scratch in a pinch as well. All around amazing dish!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Jessica! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Kathy says
I made this exactly as written and it was delicious but definitely not a 1-Hour recipe! If I make this again I will plan to make the filling in my Instant Pot the day before.
That will definitely help save time! Thanks for sharing your experience, Kathy!
Jo says
I made this for Christmas today. I honestly found it underwhelming. :( I don’t know what I did wrong. It didn’t taste savory to me. It was just ok. I appreciate MB and follow them on Instagram. Maybe I didn’t season it enough, Idk. I found the potatoes a bit bland, and I wish there were more vegetables or at least a better balance between veggies and lentils. I don’t know if I would make it again. Perhaps, vegan shepherds pie just isn’t for me, but again, I appreciate everything MB does.
We’re so sorry this one wasn’t a winner for you, Jo! It sounds like it needed more salt.
Pamela says
Can I use canned lentils instead of dry lentils? If so, how much broth would I use?
Hi Pamela, yes that should work well – just cook for less time and use less broth. You’ll need about three 15-oz cans of lentils and probably 1-2 cups broth. Let us know how it goes!
jeremy says
think i can sub fresh carrots and corn for frozen?
Yes, that should work! You may need to cook the carrots slightly longer and/or cut into very small pieces to get them to soften. Let us know how it goes!
Michelle says
So, I made this tonight. It was really good. Next time I’m going to try to remember to leave a little more liquid in the lentil mix otherwise it was a little too thick for our taste. Other than that, it was great and I’m going to add it to our repertoire of vegan dishes that we are starting to accumulate.
Thank you for the feedback, Michelle! We’re glad you enjoyed it overall.
Therese says
I made this for the first time and it came out so good. I’ve been using vegan meatless crumbs but have been wanting to try lentil based ones, as it’s not processed. This will be my go to recipe for vegan lentil Shepard’s pie. Thank you for this!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed this version, Therese. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Lindsey says
Loved this recipe. Just felt like something was missing with the mashed potatoes. I added about 3/4 cup of nondairy milk.
Thank you for sharing, Lindsey! We’re glad you enjoyed it with that modification!
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