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 am not vegan, and love shepherd’s pie. This was possibly inspired by shepherd’s pie, but didn’t really hold a candle to the real thing.
This was a flavorful, filling and healthy meal though!
Hi Nisha,
Just wanted to say this mash is hands-down the best I’ve ever had!
I made the rookie error of undercooking my lentils(happens to the best of us) so I will defs have to make this dish again soon!
Thank you for sharing <3
This recipe is absolutely divine, and sooo comforting at this time of year. Thank you RainbowPlantLife 💖💝❤️
I reside in the UK and discovered your YouTube channel during lockdown and your red lentil curry recipe was the first thing I tried, was incredibly tasty. Just tried this shepherds pie recipe tonight and was completely blown away. One of the best recipes I’ve tried hands down. Please keep them coming, they’re always excellent!
Amazing recipe!
I’m so glad I found your blog! Going to try this recipe over the weekend. Have you ever done this with mashed sweet potato topping instead of regular potato? I have a ton of sweet potatoes I need to use up but want to make sure the flavors would go well together. Thanks!
One of the best meals ever! I have done twice and definitely I will make again, so yummy!!
Thanks for all the tips :)
I kept tasting with each step of flavor level added. I wasn’t I
Pressed u til the last step of adding the tahini and other ingredients…then OMG outstanding!! The flavor punch was so savory and delicious!! This is a 10!!!!! I will say it takes a lot longer than the recipe indicates. This is a keeper!!!
Absolutely delicious. I made it exactly as the recipe was written. Love it, will make it again!
OMG, made this the second time this month, because it’s absolutely amazing! I always make small changes to recipes (also used sweet potatoes in the mash, also hazelnut butter instead of vegan butter, because I haven’t found a good vegan butter yet here in Germany) and made some other small changes to the lentils‘ part, but the recipe is just great.
I‘m not vegan (yet), but I eat about 80% plant based and growing. This site definitely helps eating more and more plant based. Thanks a lot!
This tastes amazing. Made it today on a whim because my daughter saw the youtube video and wanted to make it. It’s super strait forward and so increadibly flavorful. Definitley going on our holiday menu.
I didn’t know shepherds pie could taste that good, far better than the meaty ones. As always, your recipes are blowing my mind! Thank you for your work!
I rate it a 5 on 1-5. I had paid for a cooking class with another vegan chef and they talked up a Shepherd’s pie for the holiday’s feast but I made it and it lacked flavor. After everyone left I came across your’s so I tried it two days ago. Oh MY GOSH! It is a definite do again and again recipe. I loved all the layers of flavor in the lentil section and the potato section. I will never do mash potatoes any other way. The cauliflower, rosemary sprig and the salt in the water while boiling. What a difference it made. I absolutely loved it and am so grateful to have found and tried it. Thank you for making and sharing it – I will treasure it by making it often :)
I just made this dish tonight. We are building a tiny home and my husband just hooked up the stove/oven last night. So my very first meal was your Shepherds Pie. I can’t believe how absolutely delicious this is!! Thank you so much. I’m floored by this recipe. I did add 1 med carrot and 1 celery stalk.
** Absolutely delicious, easy and fun to make (except for the crying ;) ** My wife is the cooking talent in the family and she made your Vegan Shepard’s Pie one night when we were going over to a (meat-eating) friend’s house. They loved it. We loved it. We had some extra onions and I decided to try my hand at it. I have trouble following recipes and sequencing cooking because I usually just cook basic items, but your recipe and the video were very easy and engaging to follow, and I will put it in writing ;) I think my attempt came out even a bit better than my very talented wife’s version ;) I used to enjoy a good steak but I agree with you that it makes me feel heavy and unhappy and I have not enjoyed eating chicken, fish or beef as much over the past few years. Many people go wrong in thinking this is a “meat substitute” or it “tastes just like *real* Shephard’s Pie”. The truth is, it tastes far better – and it is recipes like this that truly will help people understand that they really don’t need to rely on meat.
This was so flavorful and delicious! Definitely will be making again!
Made this last night and it was remarkably good. We’re not vegan but are trying to eat more plant based meals. I grew up eating shepherd’s pie on a regular basis so I am thrilled to have found this very tasty vegan version. I’ve tried making cauliflower mashed in the past and didn’t like very much but now I think I know why…too watery! So I appreciate learning to squeeze the water out of the cauliflower. Mixing in with some russets, I could barely detect they weren’t just great tasting mashed potatoes. This took me about 3 hrs to make… browning the onions took about 45 minutes because small burner on my stove and there was so much onion juice that had to boil off first but omg the onions reduced to about 1/4 their original volume and were so brown and yummy! Thank you for the great recipe! Can’t wait to try more.
I made this for my parents who thing not eating meat is insane. They loved it. It is so comforting and delicious. Made as written. It does get much better one or two days later!
This recipe looked delicious, so I decided to make it. It didn’t look or smell appealing as I was making it, but once it was all set and done it was incredible!!! To top it off it’s super easy to make. I highly recommend this recipe.
I have tried several of Nisha Vora’s recipies. This is the one that my family members want me to make again. It was a huge success. Thank you.