This Vegan Shepherd's Pie is cozy, hearty comfort food at its best. It's rich and savory, with a deeply flavorful lentil-and-vegetable filling topped with creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes, baked until golden and crisp.
This shepherd's pie is perfect for Sunday dinners, meal prep, or even a St. Patrick's Day celebration - and if you are cooking for the holiday, pair it with my Classic Vegan Irish Stew Recipe for the ultimate feast!
Lentils do the heavy lifting here. They soak up the savory, herb-laced broth and, along with the mushrooms and walnuts, give the filling a thick, hearty bite you expect from a proper shepherd's pie.
If you love how lentils soak up rich, savory flavors, you have to try One-Pot Lentil & Ditalini Pasta and Easy Carrot and Red Lentil Soup.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- All the cozy flavor of classic shepherd's pie without the meat or dairy.
- It reheats beautifully, making it great for meal prep or leftovers.
- Great for feeding a crowd. It scales easily and looks impressive straight from a Dutch oven.
Ingredients
Lentils: For this recipe, you can use canned lentils as I do in my Lentil Loaf (I purchase them at Trader Joe's). If using dried lentils cooked at home, cook about 1 cup of dried lentils, which yields about 3 cups cooked. Brown or green lentils work best here. If you're already cooking lentils, you might want to make extra -they're perfect for tossing into Lentil Vegetable Soup later in the week.
Potatoes: For the mashed potato topping, use a combination of Idaho and gold potatoes. Idaho potatoes are starchy and fluffy, which makes them perfect for mashing, while gold potatoes add a naturally buttery, creamy flavor.
Veggie Broth: I use Better Than Bouillon mixed with water, so I can control the depth and salt level of the broth. Cartons work just fine, but I like having that extra flexibility.
Walnut and Mushrooms: This shepherd's pie uses both walnuts and mushrooms in the filling, inspired by my Easy Walnut Taco Meat recipe, which adds a rich, meaty texture.
See the printable recipe card for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
Variations
I've tried each of these variations myself, so feel free vary this dish.
- Add 2 links of vegan sausage, like Beyond Meat. Remove from its casing and add it to the pot with the veggies. Break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon while mixing it into the onion mixture.
- Omit the walnuts if needed
- Vary the veggies with corn, green beans, or chopped spinach.
- Use a gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the filling.
How To Make Vegan Shepherd's Pie
See the complete printable recipe card below for the details.
Step 1: Boil the cubed potatoes in a saucepan of water and salt until tender.
Step 2: Warm the plant milk and vegan butter together in a small saucepan on the stovetop.
Step 3: Rice the cooked potatoes using a potato ricer or masher.
Step 4: Pour the warm butter-and-plant milk mixture over the riced potatoes.
Step 5: Stir the seasonings into the mashed potato mixture until well combined.
Step 6: Add the chopped onions, celery, and carrots to an oven-safe pan or pot on the stovetop.
Step 7: Add the chopped mushrooms and walnuts to the sautéed vegetables and stir to combine.
Step 8: Stir in the tomato paste, dried herbs, spices, and flour into the vegetable mixture.
Step 9: Pour in the veggie broth and stir the filling together until everything is well combined.
Step 10: Add the peas, lentils, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to the pot and stir to incorporate.
Step 11: Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the filling and drag a fork across the top to create ridges in rows or swirls.
Step 12: Bake the shepherd's pie until the mashed potato topping is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
Top Tips
- Use a mix of Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes for fluffy, creamy mashed potatoes.
- Let it rest before serving so the layers set and scoop cleanly.
- Score the mashed potato top with a fork before baking or leave some peaks when smoothing it out for ridges that are golden and crispy.
- Use an oven-safe pot so you can go straight from the stovetop to the oven without extra dishes.
Serving Suggestions
- I recommend serving this with a simple green salad and Homemade Italian Vinaigrette to balance the richness.
- Pair with roasted cabbage or sautéed greens for a classic, cozy side.
- Add a side of vegan Irish soda bread or crusty bread for dipping into the savory filling.
Recipe FAQS
Yes. Prepare the filling and mashed potatoes separately, then assemble and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Bake just before serving.
Yes. Assemble the pie and freeze before baking, or bake first and then freeze. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.
Traditionally, shepherd's pie is made with lamb and cottage pie is made with beef. Since this version uses lentils, it is technically neither, but shepherd's pie is the term most people search for when looking for this type of dish, so that is what we are going with!
Don't leave me hanging and drop a comment to tell me how this Vegan Shepherd's Pie turned out! Was it love at first bite? Surprisingly edible? Or a full-on yuck? And if my directions helped (or didn't), please let me know so I can continue to improve these recipes for you.
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Recipe Card
Vegan Shepherd's Pie
Equipment
- Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Braiser, 3.5 qt. or any large pot or deep pan
Ingredients
For the mashed potato topping
- 2 ½ pounds potatoes peeled and cut into chunks; use a combo of Idaho and Gold potatoes for the best texture*
- 2 teaspoons salt to salt the water
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter or olive oil
- ¾ cup plant milk like oat or soy
- 2 fat cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
For the filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion 280 grams or 1¼ cups diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced finely
- 1 heaping cup carrots diced; 150 grams
- 1 cup celery diced; 100 grams
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 1 cup mushrooms diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- 2 tablespoons flour for thickening
- 2 15-ounce cans cooked lentils or 3 cups of brown or green lentils; for reference I use Trader Joe's canned lentils
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth or 1 tablespoon of Better than Bouillon mixed with 1 ½ cups of water
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- parsley or chives optional for garnish
Instructions
Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Boil the Potatoes: Add the peeled and chopped potatoes to a large pot of water with 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 large cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Warm the Milk & Butter: While the potatoes cook, gently heat the plant milk and vegan butter together in a small saucepan (or microwave until warm).
- Mash the Potatoes: Drain the potatoes and garlic. Mash using a potato masher or ricer until smooth. Gradually add the warm milk and butter mixture until creamy. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
Make the Filling
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven at 400°F (205°C).
- Sauté the Base Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery, and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Add Mushrooms & Walnuts: Add mushrooms and walnuts and sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Build the Filling: Stir in tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, smoked paprika, and flour. Cook for 1 minute. Add lentils, broth, peas, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 6-8 minutes until thickened.
Assemble and Bake
- Assemble the Pie: If your pot isn't oven-safe, transfer the filling to a casserole or baking dish - otherwise, keep it right in the Dutch oven. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top and spread into an even layer, then drag a fork across the surface in lines or swirls to create ridges. Those little peaks are what turn golden and crispy in the oven, so don't skip this step.
- Bake: Bake for 20 minutes until golden on top. Broil for the last 2-3 minutes for extra color.
- Finish: Let the shepherd's pie rest briefly so the filling sets. Scoop and serve warm, topped with fresh chopped parsley or chives if desired.
Vger says
The lentil and walnut filling came together beautifully - rich, savory, and satisfying in a way that made it hard to believe there's no meat involved. That crispy forked mashed potato topping was the perfect finishing touch.
Regi Pearce says
This makes me so happy to read — thank you! The lentil and walnut combo really add a little something, and I love that you noticed. And yes… those forked mashed potatoes getting all golden and crispy on top are the best part! So glad you enjoyed it and took the time to share.
Regi Pearce says
I make this shepherd's pie sometimes for Christmas but always for St. Patty's. It's definitely a crowd pleaser for all types of diets.