Easy Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
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This vegan lentil shepherd’s pie layers golden, buttery mashed potatoes over a hearty, savory lentil filling. It’s a wholesome twist on a comforting classic!
Protein-packed lentils bring the meaty bite in this vegan remake of the cozy, holiday-ready classic: the shepherd’s pie.
With a crispy, golden mashed potato topping, you better make extra because one batch won’t be enough!
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Got extra lentils? Turn them into vegetarian Sloppy Joes or coconut lentil curry!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- This veggie shepherd’s pie is more budget-friendly than traditional shepherd’s pie made with meat.
- With golden mashed potatoes on top and rich, meaty lentil filling underneath, this vegan lentil shepherd’s pie is full of comforting flavors, just like the classic.
- This lentil shepherd’s pie can feed a crowd and make the perfect leftovers!
Ingredients And Substitutions
Olive oil – For cooking the aromatics.
Yellow onion and garlic – These aromatics create a flavorful base for the lentil shepherd’s pie filling.
Carrots, button mushrooms, and peas – The veggies are up to you; you can even use a bag of frozen veggies for convenience! The natural sweetness of carrots will be great for the herby lentil filling.
Tomato paste – Lends a tangy-sweet flavor that complements the savory, umami filling of the lentil and vegetable pie.
All-purpose flour – You can use brown rice flour as your thickener for a gluten-free option.
Salt, black pepper, and paprika – Extra seasonings to give the veggie mixture depth of flavor.
Fresh thyme and parsley – Fresh herbs are wonderful for this comforting lentil shepherds pie, but dried ones will also work. Bay leaves are a great addition to the vegetable filling!
Veggie broth – The base of the lentil mixture.
Soy sauce – For an umami boost. Tamari also works for this veggie-filled dish’s tasty gravy.
Brown lentils – Cooked lentils are the protein-packed, meaty star of this meatless shepherd’s pie. You can use dry lentils or canned lentils.
Non-stick cooking spray – For easier clean-up of the baking dish!
Mashed Potato Topping:
Yukon Gold potatoes – You can also use red potatoes.
Unsweetened almond milk – Adds richness and creaminess to the vegan lentil shepherd’s pie topping. You can also use other kinds of non-dairy milk, like oat milk or cashew milk.
Vegan butter – For that familiar buttery goodness on the creamy mashed potatoes.
Garlic powder and salt – To amp up the flavor of the potatoes.
Tips For Making This Recipe
Get the Perfect Golden Brown Topping
You can turn the broiler on for the last minute of baking to help brown the mashed potatoes. You can also brush a bit of vegan butter or olive oil on top of the mashed potatoes before baking!
Keep Your Pie from Turning into a Pile of Mush
Let the lentil filling cool slightly before adding the mashed potatoes in small dollops. Otherwise, the mashed potatoes will sink and mix with the filling.
Variations to Try
You can add shredded vegan cheese on top of the mashed potatoes or swap mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower for the topping! You can also add plant-based ground beef to the filling of this vegan lentil shepherd’s pie for extra meatiness.
Lentil Shepherd’s Pie Recipe FAQs
What is the difference between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie?
Shepherd’s pie uses ground lamb, while cottage pie uses ground beef. Vegans can also make their own shepherd’s pie with lentils!
What type of potatoes are best for mashed potatoes?
Yukon Gold potatoes are great for the mashed potato topping of this meatless shepherd’s pie because of their buttery flavor and creamy texture. They also won’t require peeling because of their thin skins!
What are the best lentils for vegan shepherd’s pie?
Brown and green lentils have the best meat-like texture for lentil shepherds pie. Red and yellow lentils, on the other hand, will get too mushy in the vegetable mixture.
How to stop vegan lentil shepherd’s pie from falling apart?
Make sure the lentil filling is thick enough and has cooled slightly before adding the mashed potatoes. The potatoes should also be dry for a firm mashed potato topping that won’t sink.
How to store leftover lentil shepherd’s pie?
You can keep the leftover vegan lentil shepherds pie covered with foil or plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days. For make-ahead, assemble the veggie shepherd’s pie, allow it to cool to room temperature, cover it with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze it for 1 month. Bake for 60 to 90 minutes from frozen!
More Delicious Vegan Comfort Food Recipes
- Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Vegan Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- Chili Baked Potato
I found this recipe for Vegan Creamy Cannellini Pie that I HAVE to try!
Yay! You have made it this far, and I am so glad! Hey – If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Your comment and/or rating helps other readers!
Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, cooked
- 1 cup peas
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
- Non-stick cooking spray
Mashed Potato Topping:
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed clean and quartered
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 2-qt baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Add the olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add the onion, garlic, and carrot. Cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Reduce to medium-low heat and stir in the flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Pour in the broth and soy sauce. Add the lentils and peas and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the lentil filling into the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer. Set aside.
- Add the potatoes to a large stock pot. Cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the stockpot. Place the pot onto the stove with the burner turned off. Allow the potatoes to dry out for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Microwave almond milk for 30 seconds. Add half of the plant milk, vegan butter, garlic powder, and salt to the pot with the potatoes.
- Mash with a potato masher. Add more almond milk if needed while mashing.
- Spread the mashed potatoes over the lentil filling evenly.
- Bake the vegan lentil’s shepherd’s pie for 20 to 25 minutes or until the mashed potato topping is lightly golden.
Notes
- You can turn the broiler on for the last minute of baking to help brown the mashed potatoes. You can also brush a bit of vegan butter or olive oil on top of the mashed potatoes before baking!
- Let the lentil filling cool slightly before adding the mashed potatoes in small dollops. Otherwise, the mashed potatoes will sink and mix with the filling.
- You can add shredded vegan cheese on top of the mashed potatoes or swap mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower for the topping! You can also add plant-based ground beef to the filling of this vegan lentil shepherd’s pie for extra meatiness.
PIN FOR LATER!
Updated in March 2025 with new photos and minor recipe adjustments for improved quality. Enjoy!
I don’t often leave ratings on recipes, but this one was so awesome I decided to come back to the site to give it five stars. Really great comfort food. So yummy!
OMG! Thanks, Erin. So glad you loved this recipe.
I just made the Lentil Shepherd’s Pie from this recipe, and it was incredible! The lentils provide such a hearty and satisfying base, and the flavors meld together perfectly. It’s comforting, nutritious, and a fantastic plant-based take on the classic Shepherd’s Pie. This dish was a hit with my whole family, and I love how it packs so much nutrition in such a delicious way. It’s definitely going to be a regular in our meal rotation!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Bonnie! We’re so pleased to hear that the Lentil Shepherd’s Pie was a hit with your family. It’s great that you found the lentils to be a hearty and satisfying base and that the flavors came together just right for you. We’re thrilled that this plant-based take on a classic dish fits so well into your family meals and nutrition goals. Knowing that it will become a regular in your meal rotation is exactly the kind of success we aim for with our recipes. Your experience and insights are greatly appreciated!
Warm regards,
The HFHL Team
This recipe is SO good. The whole family loved it, even the picky eaters. We’ll be making it again soon!
Hi Cheryl, thank you for coming back to leave a comment, I am so glad to hear your entire family loved the lentil shepherd’s pie! Yay!
My lentils aren’t cooked in the time allotted for the casserole, I guess I’ll cover and keep cooking. I didn’t see where it said to cook the lentils first:(
Hi Naomi! Shoot, I am sorry you didn’t see that in Step 7. I would add a little broth to the pie, cover it and bake a little longer, that will hopefully give it some moisture/heat to get those lentils cooked! I think you can remedy it! 🙂 Let me know!
I made this in my iron pan and simply put the mashed potatoes on top. No need for more pans to clean up .I then put the iron pan straight into the oven. I also added some red wine to add flavour. It was delicious!!
Hi Pam, that is GREAT news, so glad you loved it. Thanks for sharing what you did!
🙂 The HFHL Team
Did I miss the baking temperature somewhere? I just guessed. 🙂 The dish was delicious. Very flavorful. I will definitely make it again.
I’m so glad you made and loved this one! That made my day.
So sorry the baking temperature was left off – that was my mistake and should be baked at 375°F. I’m glad you took a guess at 350° and that it worked out!