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You won’t miss the meat in this Vegan Shepherd’s Pie! It’s a hearty, comfort-filled dish that’s much healthier than the classic version. Even the carnivore and toddler of the house enjoyed it, and there were plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. The flavor and texture in this Shepherd’s Pie were fantastic, and I’ll definitely be this cooking well into spring. This is a great dish to make ahead, so feel free to double up on the recipe and make two pies!
What’s in a vegan shepherd’s pie?
Traditional shepherd’s pie is made using ground meat, but in this recipe, we’re replacing the meat with lentils. We’re making this pie without using plant-based meat alternatives, and instead using whole, natural foods. A layer of fragrant vegetables and gravy is topped with green peas, then finished with a creamy layer of mashed potatoes. It’s hearty, filling, flavorful, and so comforting!
Frequently Asked Questions
I like brown or green lentils in this recipe. I tested this with red lentils, and the texture was too mushy. Brown or green lentils will give you a bit more bite. Make sure you are using canned or pre-cooked lentils. Dried lentils will not have enough time to cook in this recipe.
Yukon Gold are my favorite potatoes to use in this because they offer a soft buttery flavor to the pie. You can also use red potatoes if you’d like to save time and leave the skins on. Any white potato that you prefer should work.
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Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 2 lbs white potatoes peeled and chopped into small chunks
- 1 onion diced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 carrots peeled and diced
- 15 oz brown or green cooked lentils canned works, drained and rinsed
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1/4 cup nondairy milk unsweetened
- 6 oz frozen peas
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 spring thyme
Instructions
- Heat your oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.
- Add your onion, celery and mushrooms, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are brown and the onions are nice and soft.
- Add your garlic and carrots, cook for 2 minutes, then add your vegetable stock.
- Toss in your rosemary, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower your heat and continue on a low simmer for 45 minutes. Remove your rosemary sprig and discard. Add your lentils, and give it a nice stir.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. While your vegetables are simmering, boil your potatoes until soft enough to mash. Drain them well, and add your butter to the hot pot. Melt your butter, then add your potatoes back to the pan, and also the milk. Mash well to your desired texture, and salt and pepper to taste.
- In a 9 x 13 baking dish, layer your vegetables. Spread your frozen peas evenly over the veggies, then spread your potatoes over the evenly over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly and the top starts to brown. Let sit for ten minutes, then enjoy!
I am a new Vegan (about 3 months) although I haven’t had any real cravings for meat I crave the comfort foods associated with it. So when I saw this I had to try it. It was really good. I really love your recipes because they fresh veggies and not not man made veggie protein products. Keep up the good work !
This looks great, but I think there’s a word missing! Where it says “I like milk,” did you mean to say what type of milk you like to use in this recipe? Thanks!
Woops! I meant “I like rice milk”. Thanks for letting me know.
Thanks! With fall having just arrived today in the mid-Atlantic area, I am eager to try this cozy autumnal dish.
Are you supposed to cook the lentils first? … Then add them to the vegetable mixture?
Hi Amber, I used canned lentils. If you’re using dry, bagged lentils then you would want to cook them first. Enjoy!
I made this for at least the third time tonight. It is delicious! Because I am not vegan I use homemade beef stock (and regular milk and butter.) I also use dry lentils that I first cook in beef stock while I am chopping up the veggies.
I cannot wait to try this recipe! One recipe I have missed making is shepards pie and this looks absolutely awesome!! Thank you so much for this recipe!