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
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!
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
This was absolutely delicious! I’ve tried a few Rainbow Plant Life recipes now and though I’ve liked most of them, this one I LOVED. The flavor was so rich and comforting. The only issue I had was that the lentils were just a tad undercooked in the end, they didn’t seem to cook anymore in the oven once they were off the stove. Unfortunately lentils don’t agree with my partner, so I’m not sure how often I’ll get to make this for myself. Maybe I’ll attempt a version with Beyond meat or crumbled tofu so he can enjoy it too.
Hi Molly, we’re over the moon to hear you love the recipe! :) Thanks for the lovely comment!
Oh my goodness! Just made this – soooooo delicious, flavorful and warming! This is going to be a go-to recipe for sure! Yum! Thanks Nisha ❤️🙂
Your positive feedback is the best reward for our hard work. Thank you, Nidhi!
Can you please get rid of your “sign up for my newsletter” modal popup? Modals are the current scourge of the internet, whether newsletter or cookie-related, and they are ableist. Every single time you view a page, you’re trying to read something, and then suddenly this pops up and you have to dismiss it – every time, even if, on the off chance, you do sign up.
Yes, I know everyone else does it, but please take a stand and get rid of it.
Your recipes are really good. I just wish I could actually read them without having to copy and paste the whole page into a text editor.
I made this recipe Vegan Shepherd’s Pie for this past Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks for the recipe Nisha. I make it often and Love it!
We’re so glad you love the recipe, Mary! Thanks for being a loyal reader.
I made this to use up leftover mashed potatoes from Christmas dinner, so it cut the prep significantly. On top of the cooked lentils, I added an even layer of mixed frozen vegetable (corn, beans, peas and carrots) then topped with potatoes. Totally divine. This recipe is a definite keeper.
Thanks for sharing, Sarah! Lovely to hear this recipe helped you use up leftovers!
My son made this for Christmas. It’s fantastic & my husband’s new favorite vegan main dish. It’s time-consuming to make. 😊
We’re glad everyone enjoyed the shepherd’s pie, Jane!
I honestly can’t get over how delicious all of your recipes are! Thank you for providing accurate measurements and clear instructions. I just put this in the oven to bake! But even the individual components I tasted were so good! I can’t have wine and replaced this with dealcoholized wine and it turned out just as yummy! :)
Emma, Thank you for your thoughtful review! We hope you enjoyed the shepherd’s pie!
Made this for Christmas dinner tonight and it was a hit! There’s almost nothing left for leftovers. I decided to do the more decadent topping of just mashed potatoes but added some peas and spinach to the lentil mixture to add some nutrition back in. Yum!!
Hi Maggie, we’re so glad it was a hit! Peas and spinach sound like delightful additions to the shepherd’s pie. Cheers!
Hi Nisha, thanks for a wonderful recipe. We made this today for the main dish for Christmas dinner. Very warm and satisfying on a cold winter day! The tastes and textures were great. Might make the cauliflower mash potatoes on their own. Bonus, I got to cook it with my daughter!
Thank you for your lovely comment, Eric! It makes us happy to know that you enjoyed the recipe.
Just made this for Christmas, it was amazing. Only added in some carrots. Lovely recipe!
Hi Patrick, it’s great to hear you had success with the recipe. Thanks for the review!
Hello,
I want to make this recipe on Xmas eve but I have a few questions. But unfortunately one of my stoves has broken down so I’m quite stressed out!!
1) Can I premake the lentil mix tomorrow (without the wine)
2) what about the potato mixture?
Basically I would prefer to prep tomorrow and assemble on Sunday?
Hi Mamta, sorry to hear you’re stressed out! Yes you can definitely cook the lentil mix and potato mixture ahead of time and assemble on Sunday!
I made this recipe last night. I added mushrooms, peas and fresh carrots and left out the coconut milk. It was fantastic! My husband said he wouldn’t mind a bit if I made this every week. Love love love this recipe!!
Thanks for sharing, Debbie! It makes us happy to know you two are huge fans of the recipe.
This was probably the most amazing vegan dish I have ever made. I see a few people suggest a few changes but I would not change a thing. It is so perfect. Yum!!! My jaw dropped after the first bite!
Hi Stacy, it’s great to hear you had success with the recipe. Thanks for the review!
Take the umami factor to a new level. Skip the tamari and instead add 2 tsp marmite. It’s a flavor bomb.
We’re happy to hear you enjoy the Shepherd’s Pie! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Made it with a regular mashed potato crust and used just one onion, celery and carrots for the filling. The balsamic and tahini make the filling wonderful.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Haley! It makes us happy to know that you enjoyed the recipe.
Nisha, next time you make this I highly recommend adding some peas and carrots to the stuffing. Really adds to the flavour and nutrition. You don’t have to change anything else, just add half to 3/4 of a cup of frozen peas and one large carrot diced. Try it – you’ll like it!
Have a great holiday season!
Hi Geoff, thanks for the tip! We hope you enjoyed the recipe otherwise!
Another delicious dinner! I didn’t have tahini so I subbed almond butter which was still delicious, but I’m going to follow the recipe to the T next time. RPL never disappoints!
Hi Sarah, we’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the shepherd’s pie. We can’t wait for you to try the recipe as written!
Being new to vegan food I thought I wild try this recipe as it was one of my favourites before I stopped eating meat. Honestly, although the prep took a little long the flavour was really good! I added carrots and corn to mine and didn’t add the cauliflower to the mash ( was just being lazy lol). I would definitely make this again!
Your positive feedback is the best reward for our hard work. Thank you, Rianna!
I have telling my partner about making a lentil shepherd’s pie since last year – finally did it! I was worried about the lentil filling becoming watery at the bottom after cooking – that was not the case, the tahini really assisted in making it creamy and consistent. A few tweaks – didn’t have cauliflower on hand, so did straight potatoes. I preferred to have more veggies so I decreased the onion and added celery, carrot, peas. I will definitely be repeating/perfecting this again.
We’re over the moon to hear you enjoyed the recipe, J. Thanks for your kind words!
This recipe is divine! My entire family of meat eaters loves this dish. Thankyou for this amazing recipe 💖
Your positive feedback is the best reward for our hard work. Thank you, Ashlyn!