Lentil Shepherd's Pie

vegan shepherd's pie in a cast iron skillet

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!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword lentil shepherd's pie, vegan shepherd's pie

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 332kcal

Author Gina Marie

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet
Large Boiling Pot

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)

US Customary - Metric

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