Vegan Lentil Shepherds Pie

Hearty vegan lentil shepherds pie with savory filling and creamy mashed potato crust, 100% plant based. ♡

This vegan lentil shepherds pie is the plant based comfort food I make on cold Sunday nights. Savory lentils and vegetables in a rich gravy, topped with buttery vegan mashed potatoes that broil into golden peaks. For more ideas, see our Vegan Creamy Cashew Pasta.

100% plant based and dairy free with 18g of plant protein per serving. Tastes exactly like the classic but totally vegan. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Vegan Lentil Shepherds Pie

• 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 tbsp vegan butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk, warm
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1.5 cups green or brown lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• salt and pepper, to taste

How to Make Vegan Lentil Shepherds Pie

1. **Boil.** Cover potatoes with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, cook 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain.
2. **Filling.** Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onion, carrots, and celery 8 minutes until soft. Add garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce, worcestershire, and thyme. Cook 1 minute.
3. **Simmer.** Add lentils and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 25 minutes until lentils are tender and the gravy is thick. Stir in peas.
4. **Mash.** Mash drained potatoes with vegan butter, warm plant milk, salt, and pepper until fluffy.
5. **Assemble.** Preheat broiler. Spread lentil filling in a baking dish. Top evenly with mash, making peaks with a fork.
6. **Broil.** Broil 3 to 4 minutes until the top is golden with crisp peaks. Serve hot.

Why This Recipe Works

Using green or brown lentils (not red) is critical because they hold their shape through the full cook. Red lentils collapse into mush, which gives you a puree filling instead of a hearty, meat like texture. Green lentils mimic ground beef in both appearance and bite, which is what makes this plant based shepherds pie feel like the real thing.

Building the filling with tomato paste, soy sauce, and vegan worcestershire creates the deep umami that traditional shepherds pie gets from beef. These three ingredients together deliver the glutamates that make meat taste meaty, so you get rich, savory flavor with zero animal products.

Mashing the potatoes with vegan butter and plant milk, then broiling the top for 3 minutes at the end, is what turns this into a real bakery. The broiler crisps the peaks and edges of the mash while the inside stays pillowy. Skip the broil and you miss the golden crust that defines a classic shepherds pie. For more ideas, see our Vegan Buddha Bowl Tahini Dressing.

Tips

• Use green or brown lentils only. Red lentils turn to mush.
• Vegan swap: vegan butter and plant milk replace butter and cream in the mash here.
• Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheat covered in a 350F oven for 20 minutes to bring back the crust.
• Use a ricer or masher for fluffy mash. A food processor makes it gluey.
• Add the frozen peas at the very end so they stay bright green.

Variations

• Add diced mushrooms to the lentil mix for an extra meaty texture.
• Swap potatoes for a mix of sweet potato and cauliflower mash for lower carb.
• Stir in fresh thyme and rosemary into the gravy for herby warmth.
• Add a splash of red wine to the filling for richer depth.
• Top with crispy vegan bacon bits before serving for smoky crunch.
• Make individual portions in ramekins for dinner party presentation.

Looking for more vegan ideas? Try our Vegan Chickpea Curry or Vegan Banana Bread next.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using red lentils: Only green or brown lentils work. Red lentils collapse and the filling turns to mush.
• Watery filling: Simmer uncovered until the gravy is thick. A thin filling soaks into the mash and ruins the texture.
• Overworking the mash: Use a masher or ricer. A food processor develops starch and makes gluey potatoes.
• Skipping the broil: Always finish under the broiler for 3 minutes. The golden crust is the signature.

Vegan Lentil Shepherds Pie

Vegan lentil shepherds pie with creamy mashed potato crust and savory lentil filling. 100% plant based comfort food.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 420

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 4 tbsp vegan butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk warm
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 3 large carrots diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1.5 cups green or brown lentils rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

 

1. **Boil.** Cover potatoes with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, cook 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain.
2. **Filling.** Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onion, carrots, and celery 8 minutes until soft. Add garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce, worcestershire, and thyme. Cook 1 minute.
3. **Simmer.** Add lentils and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 25 minutes until lentils are tender and the gravy is thick. Stir in peas.
4. **Mash.** Mash drained potatoes with vegan butter, warm plant milk, salt, and pepper until fluffy.
5. **Assemble.** Preheat broiler. Spread lentil filling in a baking dish. Top evenly with mash, making peaks with a fork.
6. **Broil.** Broil 3 to 4 minutes until the top is golden with crisp peaks. Serve hot.

Notes

Use green or brown lentils only. Red lentils turn to mush. Vegan swap: vegan butter and plant milk replace butter and cream in the mash here. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Sources: USDA FoodData Central for nutrition data and Physicians Committee plant based nutrition reference.

FAQ

Something you might like :

Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff Vegan Black Bean Burgers