This Lentil Shepherd's Pie is a budget-friendly recipe that is perfect for meal prepping. It's so hearty, comforting, and filling you will NOT miss the meat! Plus it's freezable!
What is a Shepherd's Pie?
Shepherd's pie is traditionally an Irish meal made with ground beef filling and a mashed potato crust. Technically it's called a "cottage pie" as a shepherd's pie refers more to a pie that has a lamb filling (hence the name "shepherd").
So technically this vegan version would probably be more accurate if we called it a "shepherdless pie."
What do you eat with Shepherd's Pie?
- Eat it with nothing! It's good on its own.
- Paired with roasted, sauteed, or raw veggies
- A nice large green salad.
- With homemade vegan garlic bread!
How to make Lentil Shepherd's Pie?
*Please read detailed and printable recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
Make Mashed Potatoes
- Get water boiling and add in chopped and peeled potatoes. (Photos 1 & 2)
- Drain potatoes and begin to add seasonings and vegan butter. Mash your potatoes until creamy and set aside. (Photos 3 & 4)
Make Lentil Filling
- Saute your veggies in a cast iron. Then add in tomato paste and flour fully incorporating the flour with the vegetables. (Photos 1 & 2)
- Add in vegetable broth and red wine along with lentils and peas. Mix well and allow your sauce to simmer until it slightly thickens. (Photos 3 & 4)
Assemble and Bake
- Once the filling is done, top with mashed potatoes and spread evenly. Use a fork to comb across your mash potatoes to create texture. (Photos 1 & 2)
- Top with fresh parsley and then bake for 30 minutes until topping is browned. Allow it to cool before you serve. (Photos 3 & 4)
Substitution, Cook, & Storage Tips:
- I like brown lentils for this recipe as they hold their shape but you can substitute for red lentils and see how that works if you want to!
- If you desire a ground beef texture, use your favorite vegan ground beef crumbles and mince up your mushrooms in advance.
- Both white potatoes and sweet potatoes work extremely well. You can even do a mixture of both!
- The type of veggies you use is up to you. If you don't like peas or carrots simply omit them. Use squash, corn, broccoli, etc whatever you like!
- Spillage will occur. Make sure you are using a 15 inch cast iron, a large 3-quart glass baking pan, or a very deep cast-iron skillet. As a precaution place a pizza pan in your oven and place your prepared pie on top of it while baking to catch any spillage.
- Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator 5-6 days and can be frozen for up to 1 month covered. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven before serving.
How Does This Recipe Help With Vegan Weight Gain?
This is a protein-packed vegan dish because of the lentils and the right type of protein is needed for building curves. One serving of this vegan lentil shepherd's pie has 10 grams of protein. Great as a post-workout meal.
How Does This Recipe Help With Vegan Weight Loss?
To make this more weight loss (waste/weight release friendly) you could:
- Use cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoes.
- Serve your portions with a large green salad instead of bread.
What People Are Saying About This Recipe
I made this tonight and my husband and I loved it. Thanks for the recipe! -Abi (via comments)
I just made your wonderful Shepherd's pie for the first time yesterday and the taste was so delicious. It was a hit in my family! -Christy (via email)
More Lentil Recipes You'll Love:
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Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Lentil Shepherd's Pie is made with AFFORDABLE ingredeints like lentils, peas, mushrooms, and topped with creamy vegan mash potatoes. It's so hearty, comforting, and filling you will NOT miss the meat! Plus it's freezable!
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 332kcal
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 6-8 cups filtered water
- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 5 tablespoon vegan butter
- 3 teaspoon garlic paste (crushed garlic) note 1
- ¼ cup unsweetened plain soy milk note 2
- salt & pepper to taste
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- ½ medium onions, sliced or chopped note 3
- 1 medium celery stalk, chopped note 3
- 2 medium carrot sticks, peeled and chopped note 3
- 16 ounce sliced mushrooms note 3
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste (crushed garlic) or 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh or dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon chickpea flour note 5
- 1½ cup water
- 1½ cube vegetable bouillon
- ½ cup red cooking wine (not vinegar) optional
- 2 16 ounce can of lentils or 4 cups of pre-cooked dried lentils
- 1 cup frozen peas note 3
Topping
- additional oil and butter (enough to drizzle on top)
- chopped fresh parsley (just to sprinkle on top)
Equipment
Cast Iron Skillet
Large Boiling Pot
Instructions
Mashed Potatoes
- Grab a large pot, pour in water, and bring to a boil. Peel and chop potatoes and add them to a pot of boiling water. Cook until fork-tender (soft and cooked through) for about 20 to 25 minutes
- When the potatoes are cooked, drain add back to the pot and in vegan butter, garlic paste (crushed garlic), soy milk, and salt and pepper. Use a potato masher, large fork, or immersion blender to mash until smooth. Adjust seasonings to your liking. Cover and set aside.
Filling
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). While the potatoes are cooking, start preparing the filling. In a large deep 12-15 inch cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat, drizzle oil and add in 1 tablespoon of vegan butter.
- Add chopped or sliced onions, chopped celery, and chopped carrots and cook down until softened for 3 minutes. Then add your mushrooms, and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until mushrooms are tender. If needed add more oil so that the vegetables don't stick to the pan.
- Next add in garlic paste (crushed garlic), tomato paste, rosemary, sea salt, pepper, and chickpea flour and mix thoroughly completely coating your vegetables with the flour.
- To your vegetables, add in water, vegetable bouillon, and red wine. Mix to fully combine. Then add in lentils and peas and mix together into your sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 12 minutes until your sauce thickens slightly.
- Once the filling is done, remove from heat. In your cast-iron skillet, carefully top with mashed potatoes. Evenly smooth down with a spoon or rubber spatula. Use a fork to lightly comb over your potatoes creating texture and design to your potato crust.
- NOTE: If you DO NOT have a cast-iron skillet, cook your filling in a large pot or large deep skillet. When done, transfer filling into a lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish or 9x13 baking pan. Then proceed to top with mashed potatoes.
- Drizzle with additional oil or vegan butter to create that browning effect and sprinkle fresh parsley on top (optional).
- Add a baking sheet or pizza pan to your oven and place your cast iron skillet or baking dish on top. This is to catch the overflow of the filling. Bake in your preheated oven for about 25 minutes until top is golden brown.
- Let cool briefly before serving as the longer it sits, the more it will thicken and be easier it will be to see those two layers between potatoes and filling. Serve with a large green saladb or additional steam vegetables.
- Divide evenly into 6 portions storing in individual containers for meal prepping. (Or you can keep it in your baking dish covered). Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator 5-6 days and can be frozen for up to 1 month covered. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave or oven.
Video
Notes
- GARLIC: I used crushed garlic you can buy in the store (garlic pasted in a tube in the refridrater section.) For mashed potatoes you can subsititute with garlic powder adjusting the how much you use to suit your taste buds.
- PLANT BASED MILK: I used soy milk but you can use whatever plant based milk you like just as long as you ensure it is UNSWEETNED and unflavored. You can use vegetable broth or stock instead.
- VEGETABLES: Onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and peas are all optional vegetables. Omit and swap out what you do not like. Try this with squash, corn, broccoli, etc whatever you like!
- OPTIONAL: Red wine can be omitted from this recipe and it will not lack in flavor. If you can find it, 1 tablespoon of Vegan Worcestershire Sauce added to your filling would be delicious! If you desire a ground beef texture, use your favorite vegan ground beef crumbles and mince up your mushrooms in advance.
- ADDITIONS & OTHER SUBSTITUTIONS: If you don't have chickpea flour use whatever flour you have on hand. I made this lentil shepherd's pie with white potatoes and sweet potatoes and they both work extremely well. I like brown lentils for this recipe as they hold their shape but you can substitute for red lentils.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Amount Per Serving (6 servings)
Calories 332
Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Sodium 270mg12%
Potassium 1239mg35%
Carbohydrates 45g15%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 4247IU85%
Vitamin C 26mg32%
Calcium 65mg7%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Be sure to PIN IT on Pinterest, leave a comment below, rate it, and mention @_VeganWithCurves using #veganwithcurves hashtag on Instagram so I can see it!
Update Notes: This post was originally published on October 18, 2018, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, a video, and reader's testimonials on March 16, 2020.
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Tiffany Minka
I made this for my bookclub and everyone couldn't stop raving over it! There are so many flavors! It was delicious! I'm making it again tonight. So good! Thank you!
missamae
Can I just say -- I am not vegan -- but I adore this recipe. I was in search for a recipe to make for my vegan friend and now it's main staple dish that continues to assist my stubborn a** with my vegetable intake.
Thank you for sharing this recipe and in turn contributing to my wellness & food journey.
I'm back looking for more!
Gina Marie
You are very welcome!!!
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Gina Marie
yes, it is freezable!
Gina Marie
Yes, it's even freezable!
Suzanne
This looks so good! I love that i can still enjoy this cozy classic while still getting protein and staying vegan!
Denise
So delish.....the only thing I changed was instead of 2 cans of lentils I used 1 plus 1 package of ground “meat” (meatless) protein. I did this as we loved your meatloaf recipe, so that inspired me. Thank you 🙏🏽 Took pics but I can’t seem to add them 🤷🏽♀️
Gina Marie
Thank you for the feedback! So glad you and your family loved it! Right there isn't a way to add photos to my website comment section, but this is a good idea and something I will be looking into!
Lisa
Does the recipe call for red wine or red wine vinegar? I feel like I just ruined it but the recipe says vinegar
Gina Marie
Oh, I'm sorry that was a typo. My apologies for the oversight that is fixed now. It's red wine. Also, red wine is optional. I made those correcitons.
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Does it reheat well?
Gina Marie
yes it does!
Suzanne
This looks so good! I love the switch for lentils! What a great way to keep the texture and protein!
Crystal
I can’t wait to try sounds delish!
Gina Marie
Let me know how it turns out for you!!!
Abi
I made this tonight and my husband and I loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Gina Marie
This makes me so happy hear! You are very welcomed!
Meghan
I'm always looking for meatless dishes that my family would love and this definitely fits the bill!
Gina Marie
Awesome! Yes, your family will love it! It's so filling!
georgie
I LOVE lentil shepherds pie!!! it's so comforting for the fall!
Gina Marie
Thank you!