If you’re looking for a comforting yet healthy recipe, you’ve come to the right place. Today I’ll show you how to make the absolute Best Vegan Shepherd’s Pie, perfect for the cooler weather starting to roll in. This tasty, simple recipe uses lentils as the base instead of the traditional ground beef in non-veg recipes. I promise the lentils are so so delicious, you won’t even notice the swap! This pie has the best fluffy potatoes on top of hearty lentils cooked to perfection with fresh-cut vegetables, all with a subtle hint of rosemary.
why we love this vegan shepherd’s pie
This vegan shepherd’s pie is the most savory, filling, hearty dinner. The lentils are PACKED with flavor thanks to veggie stock and vegan bouillon cubes. Topped off with loads of creamy mashed potatoes, this shepherd’s pie is warm and comforting. Did I mention that it’s pretty healthy too? This is one of my go-to dinners during the fall and winter because it’s so dang good.
what’s in shepherd’s pie
To start, what is Shepherd’s pie? Traditionally, it’s a meal made of ground meat served with mashed potatoes on top. Sometimes there may be veggies in the mix with some type of gravy or sauce.
We’re subbing out the ground meat for lentils which are full of iron, protein, and fiber. These are such a great substitute for meat because only ½ cup of cooked lentils has 12 grams of protein! That’s amazing!
To make this vegan shepherd’s pie, you’ll want to gather the following:
- Brown Lentils
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Veggie Stock
- Vegan Boullion Cubes
- Spices (Garlic, Onion, Rosemary, Salt & Pepper)
- Potatoes
- Dairy Free Milk
- Vegan Butter
the filling
This filling will also have lots of other good veggies. We’ll be using onion, carrots, and celery in this recipe. You could also add in green beans if you have them on hand! You’ll love this Vegan Shepherd’s Pie because you can basically throw whatever leftover veggies you have in your fridge into the filling.
how to get flavorful lentils:
The key to a super flavorful filling is in how we prepare the lentils. I love using a combination of premade veggie stock and vegan bouillon cubes. I love love love these Vegan Not Chick’n Boullion Cubes. What’s great about these versus normal stock is that you’re able to get a super concentrated flavor. Because these are in a cube, you can control how much water to mix in. My ratio for this recipe is 2 bouillon cubes to 3/4 cups of water. It really makes the lentils so tasty!!
how to make the lentil shepherd’s pie
Alrighty! Are you ready for some bubbly, broiled delicious dinner? This vegan shepherd’s pie is really easy to make with just a few steps.
- Saute the onion and garlic with olive oil on medium low heat.
- Add the chopped carrots and celery, plus the rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Saute until vegetables start to get slightly tender.
- Add the lentils and stock. Then, stir the 2 vegan bouillon cubes and the water. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for another 20 minutes.
- Make the mashed potatoes.
- The lentils should be tender and soft, and the liquid should be mostly absorbed when ready.
- In a 9 x13” pan add the lentil mixture and then cover the entire top with mashed potatoes.
- Bake for about 10 minutes until the potatoes start to brown.
the best vegan mashed potatoes
I love using Yukon gold potatoes for mashed potatoes. These potatoes make the finished product SO creamy. I like to peel the potatoes for a better texture and dice the potatoes into small pieces so they cook faster. In this recipe, I used almond milk to make these potatoes super creamy, but you could use any dairy-free milk you’d like. I recommend using dairy-free milk that is neutral in flavor like soy or oat milk. I don’t recommend using coconut milk in these mashed potatoes.
looking for more tasty vegan dinners?
- Vegan Chick’n Pot Pie
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Baked Mac & Cheese
- Vegan Chicken & Waffles
- Dairy Free Bechamel Lasagna
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to know! Leave a rating and comment below!
Hearty Lentil Vegan Shepherd's Pie
Savory, warm and full, this is seriously the Best Vegan Shepherd’s pie. Fluffy potatoes on top of hearty lentils cooked to perfection with fresh-cut vegetables, all with a subtle hint of rosemary.
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/4" cubes
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary, chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 cups of brown or green lentils
- 4 cups of vegetable stock
- 2 vegan and gluten free bouillon cubes
- 3/4 cup water
Mashed Potatoes
- 4 cups Yukon gold potatoes, peeled + diced (about 4-5 potatoes)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 4 tbsp salted vegan butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- Parsley, chopped for garnish
- Rosemary, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Heat up the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the heated pot. Saute until translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the chopped carrots and celery, plus the rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Saute until vegetables start to get slightly tender, about 4 more minutes.
- Add the lentils and stock.
- Add the bouillon cubes and water into the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for another 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- While the lentils cook, add the diced potatoes into a large pot and cover with warm tap water. Bring the potatoes to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Let the potatoes simmer until fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and add them back into the same pot. Add the almond milk, vegan butter, and salt & pepper. Mash the potatoes with a masher until smooth. If the potatoes aren’t as creamy as you’d like, add 2-3 more tbsp of almond milk at a time to reach your desired creamy consistency. *
- The lentils should be tender and soft, and the liquid should be mostly absorbed when ready.
- In a 9 x13” pan add the lentil mixture and then cover the entire top with mashed potatoes.
- Bake for about 10 minutes until the potatoes start to brown. Top with fresh chopped parsley and rosemary. Best served warm.
Notes
*I prefer the mashed potatoes to be on the wetter side since they will dry out a little in the oven. This will help keep the Shepherd's Pie moist.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 244Total Fat: 3gProtein: 10g
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