A simple, hearty Vegan Shepherd’s Pie made with vegetables and lentils — a comforting, family-friendly meal that even non-vegans will enjoy. I recently served this to my two little boys and they devoured it — mom win!
With warmer weather approaching, cozy dishes like Shepherd’s Pie may soon feel out of season. Before you tuck away your favorite slippers, consider making one last casserole to savor the comfort of a baked, savory pie. This version uses lentils instead of a meat substitute and combines both russet and sweet potato toppings for layered flavor and visual appeal. If you prefer the classic look, you can omit the sweet potato layer; reduce the dairy-free milk and vegan butter by half if you skip it.
How to Make Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
This Vegan Shepherd’s Pie relies on green lentils and a mix of mushrooms and vegetables for a rich, savory filling. I used unsweetened oat milk and vegan butter to mash the potatoes until they were creamy and smooth, but you can substitute homemade cashew cream if you prefer. The double potato topping — sweet potato layered under mashed russet — offers contrast in color and flavor, though either topping alone works well.
Make Shepherd’s Pie Ahead of Time
This casserole can be assembled the night before and baked the next day. If you prefer not to use wine, replace it with extra vegetable stock. For less garlicky mashed potatoes, omit the crushed garlic in the russet mash. If you require a gluten-free version, ensure all ingredients (including ketchup and tamari) are certified gluten-free.
Although it takes some time to prepare, the result is worth the effort: a filling, vegetable-packed dish that’s hearty, nutritious, and perfect for sharing.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
A simple, hearty Vegan Shepherd’s Pie made with vegetables and lentils. The perfect comfort meal for family dinners.
Dinner
lentil, mushroom, shepherd’s pie, vegan
1 hour
10
Fraîche
Ingredients
Potato Topping Ingredients:
- 2 pounds peeled russet potatoes, cut into 1” chunksaround 5 large potatoes
- 2 pounds peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1” chunksaround 2 medium potatoes
- ½ cup vegan “butter”divided
- ½ cup unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- salt and pepper to taste
Filling Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups finely chopped yellow onion1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup diced celery (2-3 stalks)
- 10 ounces sliced white mushrooms
- 2 portabello mushrooms, gills removed and diced
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 3/4 cup red wine*
- 1 Litre vegetable stock
- 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
- 7 sprigs thyme tied togetherplus extra for garnish if desired
- ¼ cup tomato ketchup
- 2 teaspoons tamari**
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Bring two large pots of salted water to a boil. Add sweet potatoes to one pot and russet potatoes to the other. Cook until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Drain and return each variety to its pot, keeping them separate.
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Warm the vegan butter and dairy-free milk together until the butter melts. Mash the russet and sweet potatoes separately, gradually adding half of the warm milk/butter mixture to each pot. Add the crushed garlic to the russet mash if using, and season both with salt and pepper. Set aside.
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Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion until translucent, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. Add celery, white mushrooms, portabello, and carrots; cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
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Pour in the red wine and cook until reduced to about one-quarter of its original volume. Stir in the lentils, vegetable stock, and tied thyme. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
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Stir in ketchup, tamari, peas, and corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Spread the lentil mixture evenly in a 13×9” oven-proof baking dish. Layer the sweet potato mash over the lentils, then top with the russet mash, smoothing each layer to the edges.
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Bake until the filling begins to bubble at the edges, about 20 minutes. If desired, broil briefly to brown the top, watching carefully to prevent burning. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
*Not all wine is vegan; choose accordingly.
**You can substitute gluten-free soy sauce or gluten-free Worcestershire sauce for tamari if needed.