Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

This delicious Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie is comforting, satisfying, and healthy. The mashed potato topping is creamy and luscious. This main dish recipe is a family favorite! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and 100% plant-based.

Shepherd’s pie is classic comfort food. You may have seen my Paleo Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie, but this vegan version replaces meat with cooked lentils. The thick layer of creamy mashed potatoes brings together this savory dish and makes it a guaranteed winner.

Plant-based shepherd’s pie is a healthier version of the classic but just as satisfying! Lentils are high in plant-based protein and fiber which makes them filling especially when paired with dairy-free whipped potatoes.

Why You Need This Recipe

• This shepherd’s pie makes 5-6 servings. It’s perfect for a family, or for meal prepping for the week.
• You can easily swap out the white potatoes for sweet potatoes, if you prefer.
• Lentils are a budget-friendly and plant-based substitute for meat or ground beef. They’re also easy to cook which makes this recipe even simpler.
• This cozy lentil pie is perfect for a chilly weeknight or a holiday dinner. Everyone loves comfort food, especially when it’s healthy too.

Key Ingredients

Lentils – Use green or brown lentils as they hold their shape well during cooking. They’re also high in fiber, protein, and iron with little to no fat.

White potatoes – If you’re avoiding white potatoes you can also use sweet potatoes in their place. White potatoes make for very creamy mashed potatoes especially when mixed with vegan butter.

Unsweetened almond milk – This is my go-to plant based dairy-free milk. It has a neutral flavor which makes it great for savory recipes. Feel free to use your favorite dairy-free milk or use regular milk if you can eat dairy.

Vegan butter – You can also use ghee or butter in its place if you don’t follow a vegan or dairy-free diet. Butter will make this a vegetarian shepherd’s pie.

Onions & garlic – Onions and garlic give the lentils lots of flavor. You can use garlic powder or garlic cloves. You can use sweet, white, or yellow onions.

Tomato paste adds depth of flavor to the lentil mixture.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

Let me show you how to make this Vegan Shepherd’s Pie that is perfect at any time of year. It’s the ultimate comfort food!

Step One

The first step to making a shepherd’s pie is to make the mashed potatoes. You can make the potatoes up to several days in advance.

I like using my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe. It’s the easiest way to make mashed potatoes, in my opinion. You can also cook your potatoes on the stove. You’ll need about a pound of potatoes.

After you cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop, just mash them with some unsweetened almond milk, vegan butter, and salt and pepper. Feel free to add up to 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor with no dairy.

Whether you like to make mashed potatoes in the pressure cooker or on the stovetop, you’ll need about four cups of cooked mashed potatoes to make the shepherd’s pie.

Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes.

Step Two

The next step to this recipe is to cook your lentils in a large saucepan or large pot. Cook them in vegetable broth or water with a pinch of salt.

Or, I also like to make Instant Pot Brown Lentils for this shepherd’s pie. You can also cook your lentils on the stovetop over medium heat using the directions on the package.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Three

Then, sauté your chopped onion, garlic, lentils, and tomato paste for just a few minutes. Some people also like to add soy sauce or worcestershire sauce to add even more flavor to the lentils (use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option to soy sauce).

Add the cooked lentil mixture to the bottom of a baking dish or casserole dish.

Step Four

Lastly, spread the cooked and mashed potatoes in an even layer on top of the lentil filling and then bake the whole thing for a cooking time of 20 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees F.

Let the shepherd’s pie cool for a few minutes before serving. I hope you’ll agree that this is a tasty and fairly easy-to-make casserole.

I hope you love this vegan shepherd’s pie as much as I do! It’s a great recipe that is just as good as a traditional shepherd’s pie, but made plant-based.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

• You can make the mashed potatoes up to several days in advance. Store them covered in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you’re ready to use them.
• You can use fresh or dried thyme, rosemary, or oregano in place of the sage, if you prefer.
• Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.

Recipe FAQs

More Healthy Vegan Recipes You Might Like

• Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal
• Baked Sweet Potato & Kale
• Vegan Taco Casserole
• Air Fryer Crispy Tofu
• Dairy-Free Waffles

Or, check out my entire index of Vegan and Gluten-Free Recipes.

Don’t Miss These Lentil Recipes

Instant Pot Brown Lentils

Wild Rice Lentil Salad

Carrot Ginger Lentil Soup (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

Chickpea and Lentil Curry with Coconut Milk

Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

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This delicious Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie is comforting, satisfying, and healthy. The mashed potato topping is creamy and luscious. This main dish recipe is a family favorite! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and 100% plant-based.

• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 5 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound white potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed well (this will yield about 5 cups of cooked lentils)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 onion or 2 medium shallots, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves

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Instructions

1. The first step to making a shepherd’s pie is to make the mashed potatoes. I like using my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe. It’s the easiest way to make mashed potatoes, in my opinion. You can also cook your potatoes on the stove.
2. After you cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop, transfer them to a mixing bowl and use a fork or potato masher to mash them with the almond milk, vegan butter, and salt and pepper. Set the mashed potatoes aside.
3. The next step to this recipe is to cook your lentils. I also like to make Instant Pot Brown Lentils for this shepherd’s pie. Or, you can cook your lentils on the stovetop using the directions on the package.
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Then, heat up your oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté your chopped onion, garlic, lentils, tomato paste, and chopped sage for just a few minutes. Add the cooked lentil mixture to the bottom of a baking dish.
6. Lastly, spread the cooked and mashed potatoes on top of the lentils and then bake the whole thing for 20 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees F.
7. Let the shepherd’s pie cool for a few minutes before serving. 

Notes

1. You can make the mashed potatoes up to several days in advance. Store them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them.
2. You can use fresh or dried thyme, rosemary, or oregano in place of the sage, if you prefer.
3. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.

• Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 90 minutes
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: Healthy
• Diet: Vegan

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 377
• Sugar: 4.8 g
• Sodium: 310.5 mg
• Fat: 3.4 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 68.1 g
• Fiber: 11.5 g
• Protein: 21.4 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

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