One of my favorite cozy winter recipes is this Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie. I came up with this recipe when I realized that the shepherd’s pie recipe from my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook was so popular.
It’s hearty winter comfort food that is packed with bold and rich flavors but is sneakily healthy. It’s impressive enough to serve as a holiday main dish, but works great for any cold weather dinner.
This lentil shepherd’s pie starts with a sticky, umami-packed lentil and onion filling. It gets topped with a buttery mashed potato-cauliflower topping, then baked in the oven until perfectly golden brown. It’s a community favorite adored by both vegans and omnivores alike!
In this post:
1. Ingredients in Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
2. Step-by-step Instructions
3. Tips for making this recipe
4. Frequently Asked Questions
5. Video: How to make Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients in Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
A traditional shepherd’s pie fillings contain onions, carrots, celery, peas, and of course meat (typically lamb).
My plant-based version starts with brown (or green) lentils and onions, which get cooked down until beautifully browned, alongside plenty of garlic. These ingredients pack in so much savory depth of flavor that there’s no need for carrots and celery. Also, I hate mushy peas.
A few other ingredients help take this recipe over the top:
- Tomato Paste gets cooked down, bringing a subtle tangy sweetness and amping up the umami.
- Red wine enhances the meaty earthiness of the lentils (see FAQ below for substitutes if you can’t have red wine).
- Tamari (or soy sauce) and vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional) add additional bold savoriness.
- Balsamic vinegar brings a slight sweet tang that balances everything out.
- And tahini adds a nutty creaminess that pulls the filling together
As for the mashed potato-cauliflower topping, I prefer Russet Potatoes because their high-starch content makes for the fluffiest mashed potatoes. This is especially useful to balance the cauliflower, which is not starchy.
Step-by-step Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat. Cook the onions until nicely browned, 8-10 minutes. Then add the garlic and fresh herbs and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook until darkened (2-3 minutes), then stir into the onions.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is jammy.
Add the vegetable broth, lentils, bay leaves, and paprika. Simmer for 30 minutes until lentils are al dente.
Finish the lentil filling by stirring in tahini, balsamic vinegar, tamari, vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional), and salt and pepper.
Stir well until the lentils are creamy and thickened.
While the lentils are cooking, make the mashed potato-cauliflower topping. Boil the cauliflower florets and potatoes in boiling salted water with rosemary for 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain and dry thoroughly.
Add the vegan butter, plant milk, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to the boiled cauliflower and potatoes. Use a potato masher or ricer (or an electric mixer on low speed) to mash until smooth.
Spoon the mashed potato-cauliflower topping on the lentil filling and gently spread out out with an offset or silicone spatula. Drizzle the top with extra virgin olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, and black pepper.
Bak for 20 minutes at 375°F/190°C. Afterwards, pop under the broiler for a few minutes for extra browning on top.
In the mood for even more cold weather vegan comfort food? Give these a try:
– Creamy Mushroom and Black Beluga Lentil Stew
– The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes
– Thai Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry
Tips for making this recipe
How to avoid a watery mashed potato-cauliflower topping.
- Once the cauliflower and potatoes are done boiling, drain them thoroughly in a colander. Let the potatoes sit in the colander to dry out while you work on the cauliflower.
- Transfer the cauliflower to a fine-mesh sieve, and place a bowl on top of the boiled cauliflower. Push down and squeeze out as much water as you can. There will be a lot more water than you think! Or wrap the cauliflower in a clean dish towel and tie it up. Then squeeze it into a ball and wring out all of the excess water.
How to make this recipe more indulgent (great for a holiday meal).
- If you taste the mashed potato filling and think it needs a bit more buttery goodness, add some more a little more vegan butter!
- Or just use all potatoes and skip the cauliflower. My Miso Butter Mashed Potatoes take this recipe over the top.
How to make this recipe as efficiently as possible.
- First, prep the lentil filling ingredients. Second, prep the topping ingredients.
- Third, start cooking the lentil filling. While that’s simmering, boil the potatoes and cauliflower + preheat the oven.
- Next, drain and dry the potatoes & cauliflower. And make the mashed potato-cauliflower topping.
- Assemble the shepherd’s pie and bake it off.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you do not consume alcohol, skip the step of deglazing the pan with red wine. Instead, just start deglazing the pan with the vegetable broth. It helps to use a vegetable broth that is quite flavorful and rich (a homemade one, or my favorites are Imagine Organic and this vegan “chicken” broth seasoning).
While I do think the wine adds something special, many readers have made this recipe without the wine with great results.
I recommend Russet potatoes when I make the topping with cauliflower. They are fluffier and work better with the cauliflower than, say, Yukon Golds. But if you make a mashed potato-only topping, either variety works great.
30 minutes should be enough time to cook your lentils al dente, but not overdone or soft. It’s okay if the lentils feel firmer than you’d expect, as they’ll also cook again in the oven.
Make the Lentil Filling in the largest skillet you have and then transfer it to a large (3 quart/3 liter) baking dish. Spread the topping on and bake as instructed.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, in the freezer, for up to 3 months.
To reheat, transfer portioned out leftovers to an ovenproof dish and tent with foil. Heat at 325°F/163°C until lentils and potato-cauliflower topping are both warmed through.
If frozen, I recommend allowing the shepherd’s pie to thaw before reheating (otherwise, the potato-cauliflower topping can be a bit icy and lend watery results).
– A hunk of rustic multigrain bread or sourdough
– A fall or winter salad like this Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad or this Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad
– Steamed or lightly sauteed broccoli or green beans
Watch! How to make Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
My YouTube video is packed with tips so give it a look if you’re interested in learning more!
A perfect vegan meal for cold winter days ❄️
If you love this Lentil Shepherd’s Pie recipe, be sure to rate and review the recipe below :)
The Best Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
Lentil Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 large yellow onions, diced
- 8 cloves garlic minced (use less if you’re not a huge fan of garlic)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir or Malbec)*
- 1 1/2 cups (10 ounces / 285g) green lentils (or brown lentils)
- 3 3/4 cups (900 mL) vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet or hot paprika
- 1/4 cup (56g) smooth tahini**
- 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)***
- 1 tablespoon good-quality balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)****
- Plenty of kosher salt or sea salt (I used 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons kosher salt)
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Mashed Potato Topping
- 20 ounces (680g) Russet potatoes
- 16 ounces (454g) cauliflower, cut into large florets
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 rosemary sprig (optional)
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter, softened at room temperature (or olive oil)
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) “lite” coconut milk*****
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Optional finishes and garnishes
- Extra virgin oil for baking and finishing
- Flaky sea salt and black pepper
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley
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
I turned veggie two years ago and always missed my shepherd’s pie with minced meat. I took this recipe as a base for a veggie version (with cheese) and thought this might be a decent substitute for it.
Actually it turned out a lot better than i thought. I love it!
Thank you Nisha!
Greetings from Bavaria/Germany
Thomas
Thomas, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
OMG how good is this!!! I’ve made many lentil Shepard’s pie over the years but this is by far the tastiest and richest one yet. I added some mushrooms and used a combination of half tahini, half miso paste. Didn’t have cauliflower so it was just a potato top with a bit of grated cheese melted on top 😋
Thanks for sharing, Simone!
It was SO good! I added a bunch of mushrooms which added to the “meatiness”.
Thanks for sharing, Trish!
Hello there! I have been waiting a week to make this and finally did. From start to plating and eating, it took 2.5 hours. Was expecting an amazing dish full of flavor for all the ingredients and time, but was slightly disappointed. I really wasn’t expecting it to be so dry and the wine flavor was overpowering. The lentil shepherds pie Ive had in england was savory and had a nice thin, dark ‘sauce’ in it that kept it moist and full of flavor. My son didnt like the potato topping for some reason, but next time I think i will add garlic to the potato/cauli mix and leave out the nutritional yeast. and to the pie I will add chopped mushrooms and less lentils, more veggies and less onions. Gotta figure out how to get that dark sauce too. This is a great starter recipe though…It looked absolutely gorgeous straight from the oven. Thank you for getting my gears going!
Sorry to hear the recipe didn’t live up to your expectations, but thank you for leaving an honest review! And we are happy it helped get the cooking gears going!
I make this in about 45 mins and it’s delicious. You messed up somewhere.
Hi Nisha!
I absolutely love this dish!
I want to make it for a dinner party, but rather make the lentils and mash ahead of time and then bake it in the oven on the night.
Do you recommend I keep the two components separately in the fridge, and then combine and bake on the night? Will it still taste as good? Do you think the mash might get watery?
Thanks in advance, and keep up the great work :) :)
Hi Stacy, you can definitely prepare the components ahead of time! Keeping the different components separate seems like it would be the best idea, so you can stir then combine and finish heating them together the day of! Enjoy :)
Thanks for the reply, Nisha! Much appreciated! Can’t wait to WOW my guests with your shepherds pie :D
Wonderful, we can’t wait for everyone to try it!
This is recipe is absolutely delicious! I made it for a family gathering and it was a huge hit! Thank you Nisha!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Zoe!
Can I give this 100 stars. Who knew food could taste this good?? Even your meat eating friends will be sold with this dish. It’s the yummiest thing ever. I literally could not stop eating and had about 4 helpings. OOPS :)
Thanks Nisha. Another A+++++++ for you. A = amazing
Sam, So glad to hear you loved this recipe! Thanks for the wonderful review :)
Update** made this for my family tonight and didn’t change a thing. It’s sooo good ❤️
I will see how it tastes cold tomorrow ;)
We are glad to hear it, Kami! :) Thanks for your comment!
Hi Nisha!
I’m curious to know if this will taste good cold?
I meal prep for people and not everyone has the opportunity to reheat. One client tends to eat the more savoury/ comfort dishes as her lunch while saving her salads for dinner.
Also, open to suggestions on other recipes you might suggest that would suit this particular client. Thank you for your help and all your amazing recipes!!
Kami
Hi Kami, glad to hear you’re a fan of the recipes! Not sure how great this one would taste cold, but any of the pastas on the blog, the vegan tuna salad sandwich, and lettuce wraps would likely be tasty cold. Cheers!
Loved this! Made this for my vegan son home from college and his girlfriend. They loved it! Used cranberry juice instead of wine and did not have rosemary or cauliflower – but it was still great! Just added extra potatoes. Will make again!
Also, I have made several of your dishes and they have all been a hit!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Lilia!
So delicious, absolute comfort food. YUMM
That’s so great to hear, Jill! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
Followed your recipe to a t and it was absolutely delicious! Even better the next day. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Kaiya! :) We’re so glad you loved the recipe.
This is the first recipe I’ve made by you, Nisha, but I’ve been following you for a few months. It turned out amazing!
However, I must admit I made a few adjustments…
• Left out the tahini
• No cauliflower! (I’m not a fan) I just used all potatoes, unpeeled
• Tossed 2 TB dried red pepper flakes in the oil with the onions for a smooth, round heat at the back of the throat (beautiful complementary flavor profile to the sharper black pepper)
• Replaced half the lentils with Impossible Sausage, sauteed first.
• Added some fresh veggies: mushrooms (sauteed), carrots, celery, a can of corn, and frozen peas, plus a handful of chopped parsley at the end
• Used 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Added 1 TB Marmite and 1 TB MSG for an extra umami punch
• Added 1 TB agave nectar
• Only a tiny dash of Himalayan sea salt in the mashed potatoes because the water was salted and the vegan butter too
• Dotted potato top with vegan butter and paprika instead of olive oil before baking
Magnifique!
I sorta combined it with a different recipe, the one from “Munchies” by Vice. After Frankensteining this dish, I realize it’s now not exactly an authentic Rainbow Plant Life recipe. I’m sorry – I couldn’t help myself, lol. Compromise is not my strength.
Exhausted head to toe after 4 hours in the kitchen. Fully wiped out. I cannot fathom the amount of work you have to do every day as a Youtuber!
Did I go way overboard? Yup. Worth it? ABSOLUTELY.
Hi Collin, made this tonight based off your suggestions – quite the recipe alteration – it took me 5 hrs in the kitchen but it was well worth it!! My main suggestion would be to add even more MSG! Flavour left in the jar is flavour untasted. Best wishes to you and your family, Marie
Thanks for sharing, Collin! Sounds like you have yourself a wonderful dish!
This turned out very well. I was skeptical of this use of tahini, but it tasted wonderful. We’re a family of four new (6 months) to plant-based meals and everyone enjoyed this dinner.
My only alterations were using a pinch of MSG in place of Worcestershire, and in future I might parboil the lentils beforehand. I had to simmer them for more like 40 minutes to reach the desired tenderness!
Thanks for sharing, Kate!
Made this last and it was a huge hit. Followed the recipe and it was delicious. I had to use frozen cauliflower as no fresh cauliflower was to be found, but it worked perfectly. The mashed potato was so good! I will definitely be making this again.
Awesome, Kaye. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
i was super excited to try this recipe today Nisha,as the reviews were so stellar and your video version looked so yummy! but honestly i was really disappointed. i should have gone with my gut and left the tahini out. it gave an underlying nuance in flavor i didn’t like. i felt the dish needed more vegetables too . this was a little too laborious for the end result being what it was, considering i kept adjusting the seasoning to somehow mask that tahini. shoulda woulda coulda … :/
Sorry to hear you weren’t a fan of the recipe, Lisa. We hope you have better luck with the other recipes on the RPL site!
Lisa, I can relate. I just made this and it took so long! I am exhausted head to toe after 4 hours in the kitchen.
However, I did make some changes and sort of combined it with a different vegan shepherd’s pie recipe. I left out the tahini, and added a bunch of fresh veggies: mushrooms, carrots, celery, and frozen peas, plus a handful of chopped parsley at the end. I also subbed out half the lentils for Impossible Sausage which I sauteed first. It actually turned out fantastic! If you can recruit a helper and maybe make a few adjustments to suit your taste, I think this one is worth a second try!
Amazing recipe 👏
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Litsa!
I am just putting this in the oven – but everything tastes fantastic. Next time i will double the potatoes/cauliflower mash so I have leftover for another meal. I don’t think I will ever make “regular” mashed potatoes again. And I am no longer afraid of cooking lentils! Do not skip the tahini! Thank you so much Nisha.
Michelle, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
Mine is in the oven right now!! I can’t wait to try it… I do have to say, I taste-tested the mashed potatoes (I only did potatoes, no cauliflower) and they were the BEST I’ve ever had…. vegan or regular. I’m going to just make a batch of those for my next Thanksgiving get together!! Yum Yum.
Yay, that’s wonderful to hear! Thanks for sharing, Traci :)
Delicious! We made this exactly according to your recipe, and it is wonderful. I put it in two 8″ pie pans so that I can keep one and bring one to the Irish festivities tonight. The amounts worked out perfectly.
Awesome, Kat. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Mine is in the oven right now!! I can’t wait to try it… I do have to say, I taste-tested the mashed potatoes (I only did potatoes, no cauliflower) and they were the BEST I’ve ever had…. vegan or regular. I’m going to just make a batch of those for my next Thanksgiving get together!! Yum Yum.