Name: Vegan Shepherd's Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 kg Potatoes; 2 Carrots; 25 ml Vegan Milk; Salt and Pepper; 1 Teaspoon Mixed Dried Herbs; 1 Tablespoon Oil; 1 Onion, chopped; 1 Clove Garlic, chopped; 2 Carrots, sliced; 1 Stalk Celery, chopped; 1 400g tin Chopped tomatoes; 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce; 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce; 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika; 85 ml Red Wine; 100 ml Vegetable Stock; 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar; 1 400g tin Puy Lentils; 1 Tablespoon Mixed dried herbs; 250 g Frozen Peas

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This Vegan Shepherd’s Pie features creamy mashed potatoes and carrots on top of a rich vegetable and lentil filling that the whole family will love.

Shepherd’s pie is a very traditional dish in Ireland and the UK. It is basically a casserole with a layer of cooked meat and vegetables, topped with mashed potatoes, and baked in the oven until the mashed potatoes are well browned.

This lentil and vegetable version is full of fibre, nutrients, and is low in fat with a crispy mashed potato and carrot topping.

The filling is traditionally made with lamb but my vegan version uses lentils as a nourishing base instead. I also added carrots into the potato topping for extra flavour and vitamins. Vegan shepherd’s pie is also sometimes called Shepherdess Pie.

How to make Vegan Shepherd’s Pie:

Prepare the potato and and carrot topping:

First, peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch pieces, and transfer them to a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, and then cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Then drain well.

Slice the carrots and cook them in boiling water until tender.

Transfer the potatoes back to the pot with the vegan butter, milk, and seasonings. Mash with a potato masher until smooth.

Add in the carrots and mash again. I like to leave the carrots a bit chunky as it adds texture to the topping but you can mash them to a smoother consistency if you prefer. If you want the carrots smooth then you can skip cooking them separately and just cook them with the potatoes.

Potatoes – use starchy, soft cooking potatoes. Rooster potatoes or Maris Piper are best for mashing. Waxy, salad potatoes or new potatoes are not suitable.
Carrots – I used carrots but any vegetable that can be mashed can be used.
Vegan butter – this gives smoothness to the potatoes and carrots.
Salt and pepper – use plenty to season so potatoes are not bland.
Non-dairy milk – soy, oat, almond, etc… you can use whichever you prefer. Add enough milk to make the potato and carrot smooth and easy to spread. Be careful not to make it too wet or it will be sloppy and will not hold up on the filling when you try to serve it.

Root vegetables or cauliflower can also be used as a potato alternative.You can also use sweet potatoes to make the mash. A mix of regular potatoes and sweet potatoes is also great. If you have leftover mashed potatoes, that’s a great option too!

Prepare the lentil and vegetable filling:

For the lentil mixture

Oil – olive oil or any vegetable oil
Onion – white, brown or white onion can be used
Garlic – chopped or crushed
Carrots – peeled, chopped into small pieces
Celery – stalk, trimmed, chopped into small pieces
Tomatoes – tin of crushed or use passata
Soy sauce – can use tamari sauce instead
Worcestershire Sauce – only use this if you can find a vegan version as the original contains anchovies
Smoked paprika – adds dept of flavour but use regular paprika if you don’t have smoked
Red wine – this can be replaced with vegetable stock if you prefer
Vegetable stock – fresh, from a stock cube or ready made
Dried herbs – Mixed Herbs or Italian Mixed Herbs, thyme, rosemary or marjoram all work well too
Balsamic vinegar – can use cider vinegar instead
Cornflour – this thickens the sauce
Tomato puree – this adds flavour and helps thicken the sauce
Lentils –
Peas – frozen or fresh

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. First, mince the garlic and finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery. If you haven’t already, the lentils will also need cooking (use canned for convenience).

Then, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and all the spices. Stir and sauté until the vegetables are becoming golden brown. This caramelized flavor will enhance the flavor of this vegan shepherd’s pie.

Add the cornflour, tomato puree, worchester sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and stir.

Next, add the cooked green or brown lentils, wine and stock. Bring to a boil, and then allow the mixture to simmer for between 5-7 minutes, or until slightly reduced.

Assemble and cook:

Preheat the oven to 200C/390F

Then, spoon the lentil mixture into the baking dish (e.g. a 9-inch baking/casserole dish). Sprinkle on the frozen peas and top with the mashed potato carrot layer, spreading it with to cover the top of the pie.

Use a fork to create a pattern on the top of the mashed potato and carrot topping Not only does it look great, but it gives plenty of fluffy ridges to become crispy and browned. Sprinkle with mixed herbs.

Place the dish on a baking tray (to protect the bottom of your oven in case of any leaks). Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. If you want you can grill at the end until the top is golden brown.

Canned lentils vs cooked

You can use canned lentils instead of cooked for this vegan shepherd’s pie recipe. This speeds up the recipe so you don’t have to get out yet another pot. Here are a few notes:

Look for canned lentils near the canned beans in the supermarket. Use any type of canned lentils you can find. I don’t drain them as the liquid adds goodness. You can also find cooked lentils in pouches.
To cook your own lentils: Cook in a saucepan, using 3 cups of liquid (water, stock, etc) to 1 cup of dry lentils. Be sure to use a large enough saucepan as the lentils will double or triple in size. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer until they are tender. For whole lentils, cook time is typically 15-20 minutes. If possible, do this step in advance and refrigerate until making the filling. They can be frozen after cooking.

I don’t recommend using red lentils in the filling. They cook differently and will produce a more soft, mushy textured filling.

Can I substitute the lentils?

I’ve tried this vegan shepherd’s pie recipe before with other pulses, too, with excellent results. Black beans and kidney beans would be my first suggestions.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered dish or container.

Can I freeze Vegan Shepherd’s Pie?

You can freeze this Vegan Shepherd’s Pie before or after baking.

If you use a freezer-friendly oven dish you can freeze it directly in that. When cool, cover the dish with clingfilm and foil, or an airtight lid, and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual portions in an airtight container.

Reheat in the oven for best results. Cover the dish with foil, and place the shepherd’s pie in the oven at 180°C / 350°F heat for 30 to 40 minutes until hot throughout. You can remove the foil after 20 minutes to allow the top to crisp up.

To reheat frozen pie, thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat/bake as above. Or cook from frozen and allow double the about of time (60 – 80 minutes) for it to reheat.

Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals until piping hot.

Tips for success:

Fluff up the potato: Using your fork will help create lots of ridges to crisp up.
Bake over a tray: The filling can sometimes bubble up and over the sides of your baking dish, so placing it on a tray makes clean-up a breeze!
Experiment with veggies: This recipe is versatile, you can use fresh or frozen veggies, so experiment and have fun!
Avoid red lentils: They’ll turn to mush in this vegan shepherd’s pie recipe.
To use dried lentils: Combine ¾ cup lentils with 3 cups water or veg stock, bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until the lentils are tender (usually between 20-25 minutes). Then drain and continue with this recipe.
Make individual serve portions: Bake and serve the lentil pie in ramekins topped with tall piped potato mash.
Drain the potatoes well: make sure your potatoes are thoroughly drained before making the mashed potatoes, so the topping is not too sloppy.
Don’t make the filling too runny: Make sure that the filling is very thick or the potato will sink into it. If your casserole is too runny, you haven’t reduced and thickened the lentil filling enough. It can help to allow the filling to cool slightly before topping with the mash (it thickens as it cools).
Spreading the potatoes: Place spoonfuls of mashed potato all over, then spread it with a fork. Don’t just tip the mashed potato in the middle of the filling or you won’t be able to spread it out.
It can be made in about 1 hour. A shepherd’s pie recipe can often take multiple hours to make. But I’ve created this one to be as easy as possible.