The Best Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie
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5
998 reviews
Excellent
The Best Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie
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This vegan shepherd's pie features a hearty lentil filling cooked with onions, garlic, fresh herbs, tomato paste, and a splash of red wine or broth for depth. The mixture is topped with creamy mashed potatoes blended with cauliflower, vegan butter, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast for richness. The dish offers a comforting, savory texture with aromatic herbs and a satisfying balance between the savory lentils and smooth topping, making it suitable for a robust plant-based main course.
Description
The Best Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie combines seasoned green or brown lentils simmered with aromatic onions, garlic, fresh thyme, rosemary, tomato paste, and optional red wine to develop a rich filling. The lentils absorb vegetable broth flavors and are brightened with tamari, balsamic vinegar, and optional vegan Worcestershire sauce for complexity. This filling is topped with a smooth mash made from russet potatoes and cauliflower mixed with vegan butter, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast, adding a subtly cheesy taste without dairy.
Cooking involves browning onions to build flavor, then layering the filling and topping before baking to meld the components and lightly brown the surface. The pie balances a slightly firm but tender lentil texture against a creamy, buttery mash, delivering warm savory notes enhanced by fresh and dried herbs.
This nourishing vegan main can be served as a filling meal on its own, pairing well with simple steamed greens or a crisp side salad for contrast. It also works well as a comforting dish for colder months or when a wholesome plant-based option is desired.
To adjust the recipe, the red wine can be omitted if avoiding alcohol, substituting vegetable broth to deglaze the pan. Using room temperature tahini is recommended for easier mixing. If allergic to coconut, full-fat unsweetened oat milk can replace coconut milk. For softer mashed potatoes, avoid using an immersion blender with golden potatoes, opting for a masher to prevent a gummy texture.
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Ingredients
Lentil Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 onions diced, large, yellow
- 8 cloves garlic minced (use less if you’re not a huge fan of garlic)
- 1 tablespoon thyme roughly chopped, fresh, leaves
- 2 teaspoons rosemary roughly chopped, fresh leaves
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine 120 mL, such as Pinot Noir or Malbec
- 1 1/2 cups green lentils or brown lentils, 10 ounces / 285g
- 3 3/4 cups vegetable broth 900 mL
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika or hot paprika
- 1/4 cup tahini smooth, 56g
- 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)***
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar good-quality
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce optional, vegan
- kosher salt I used 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or sea salt
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
Mashed Potato Topping
- 20 ounces russet potato 680g
- 16 ounces cauliflower 454g, cut into large florets
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 rosemary optional, sprig
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter softened at room temperature (or olive oil
- 1/2 cup coconut milk 120 mL, lite
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
Optional finishes and garnishes
- extra virgin olive oil for baking and finishing
- sea salt flaky
- black pepper flaky
- thyme fresh leaves
- parsley flat-leaf, chopped
Instructions
- Make the Lentil Filling. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium to medium-high heat until hot. If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, you’ll need to transfer the cooked lentil filling to a baking dish when it’s time to bake.
- Add the onions with a couple pinches of salt and sauté for 8-10 minutes, or until most of the onions are browned. Stir occasionally to prevent burning, but not too often so that they can brown. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Push the onions to the edges of the pan so there’s an empty space in the middle of the pan. Add the tomato paste into the empty space and stir for 2-3 minutes, or until it darkens in color. Reduce the heat to medium, as needed.
- Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pan, stirring up any browned bits, until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the smell of alcohol has dissipated, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth, along with the lentils, bay leaves, and paprika. Stir to combine and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a rapid simmer, and simmer until the lentils are just tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 25-30 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low. Add the tahini, tamari, balsamic vinegar, and vegan Worcestershire sauce (if using). Stir until well incorporated. Taste for seasonings, adding a generous amount of salt (I used about 1 teaspoon kosher salt) and black pepper. Set aside.
- Make the Mashed Potato Topping. Peel the Russet potatoes and then rinse them under cold water. Chop the potatoes into eighths.
- Place the potatoes and cauliflower florets in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and add just enough water to cover. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and stir to combine. Place the rosemary sprig on top. Bring to a boil and cook until both potatoes and cauliflower are fork-tender and are very soft when poked, about 15 minutes.
- Thoroughly drain the potatoes and cauliflower in a colander and discard the rosemary sprig. For the potatoes, pat them dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel. For the cauliflower, you’ll need to squeeze out the excess water or it’ll be very watery.NOTE: See the “tips” section in the post for details on how to squeeze out the excess water.
- Return the vegetables to the saucepan or transfer them to a large bowl. Add in the softened vegan butter, lite coconut milk, nutritional yeast, along with salt and black pepper to taste. You can mash everything together using a handheld potato masher, but I use an immersion blender. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt as needed (I used about 1 teaspoon kosher salt).
- Assemble the Shepherd’s Pie. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. If your skillet is ovenproof and has enough space, leave the Lentil Filling in there. If not, transfer it to a large (3 quart/3 liter) baking dish. Smooth the Lentil Filling out. Then, spoon and carefully spread out the Mashed Potato Topping on top, covering the whole surface. For more flavor, drizzle the top with extra virgin olive oil and some extra pinches of salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the lentil filling starts to bubble up. Remove from the oven and turn on your oven’s broiler. Place the pan under the broiler for a few minutes until the crust is golden brown. To finish, drizzle with more olive oil and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
- Note: if you want the pie to solidify more, allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes in the pan. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Omit the red wine and use vegetable broth if avoiding alcohol.
- Use room temperature tahini for better consistency with the lentils.
- To keep this recipe soy-free, skip tamari and add salt to taste instead.
- If allergic to coconut, substitute coconut milk with full-fat unsweetened oat milk.
- When using golden potatoes, mash by hand rather than blending to avoid a gummy texture.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
360kcal
(18%)
Carbohydrates
49g
(16%)
Protein
15g
(30%)
Fat
12g
(18%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
(24%)
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Sodium
1432mg
(60%)
Potassium
1040mg
(22%)
Fiber
15g
(60%)
Sugar
7g
(14%)
Vitamin A
842IU
(17%)
Vitamin C
41mg
(46%)
Calcium
79mg
(8%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 360 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 360kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 49g | 16% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Sodium | 1432mg | 60% |
| Potassium | 1040mg | 22% |
| Fiber | 15g | 60% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 842IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 41mg | 46% |
| Calcium | 79mg | 8% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
998 reviews
Excellent
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