Flavorful lentils and mixed vegetables are topped with a thick layer of creamy dairy free mashed potatoes to create this vegan lentil shepherd’s pie. The ultimate comfort food dish that deserves a spot at your Thanksgiving table this year.
One of the benefits of doing a vegetarian or vegan Thanksgiving dinner is that you can be as creative as you want with your main dish since you aren’t having turkey. We love doing a hearty vegan Thanksgiving main dish like this vegan lentil shepherd’s pie.
This dish is so flavorful, no one will miss the turkey. It is just as filling with plenty of vegetables and protein-rich lentils. Just like a traditional cottage pie, this vegan version is topped with a layer of creamy and delicious mashed potatoes made vegan with dairy free butter and plant-based milk.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Potatoes: for creamy mashed potatoes, I like to use Yukon gold potatoes. Just peel and add to boiling water until fork tender. However, you can also use russet potatoes. You could also use sweet potatoes – they are delicious and add a really fun pop of color.
- Lentils: use brown or large green lentils for this recipe. To save time, you can substitute with pre-cooked or canned lentils.
- Vegetable broth: use a good quality vegetable broth for the best flavor. We like to use the vegetarian no chicken broth base from Better than Bouillon. Homemade vegetable stock works too if you happen to have it.
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce & tomato paste: since there isn’t any meat in the filling of this shepherd’s pie, we use Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste to add that rich umami/meaty flavor without any animal products. Not all Worcestershire sauce is vegan, so be sure to look for one that is labelled vegan. (We like this one.) Use a gluten free Worcestershire sauce to make this recipe gluten free.
- Thyme & Rosemary: this combination of herbs is perfect for pairing with the lentils in this dish. Use dried or fresh herbs – whichever you have on hand. We also like to use fresh thyme leaves as garnish for the top of the shepherd’s pie.
How to Make Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Step One: Add the cubed potatoes to a pot of boiling water over medium-high heat. Cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander. Add back to the pot and mash with the vegan butter, garlic powder, and milk with a potato masher until smooth and creamy. While the potatoes boil, simmer the lentils for 15-20 minutes until tender.
Step Two: While the potatoes are boiling, start on the filling. Add olive oil and chopped onion to an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sauté until translucent and add the garlic, herbs, tomato paste, and Worcestershire. Sauté again for 2-3 minutes.
Step Three: add the broth, lentils, mixed frozen vegetables to the skillet. Bring to a simmer for 6-8 minutes to thicken slightly. If you don’t have an oven safe skillet, transfer the lentil filling to an 8×8 inch casserole dish for the baking step.
Step Four: top the lentil mixture with the mashed potatoes and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the mashed potatoes are just starting to turn golden brown. Serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Use pre-cooked lentils: if you are short on time or want to save yourself from having an extra pot to clean, use pre-cooked lentils in a vacuum-sealed package or can instead of making dried lentils from scratch for this shepherd’s pie.
- Use a good quality vegetable broth: I’ve been disappointed with the flavor of so many grocery store vegetable broths. Using the right broth can add so much more flavor to this dish! We like the vegetarian no-chicken broth from the brand Better than Bouillon. (Just add to hot water according to the package directions for a flavorful broth.)
- Use an oven-safe skillet: you can save yourself an extra pan to wash by using an oven safe skillet for this dish if you have one. Otherwise, transfer the filling to an 8×8 in glass baking dish for the baking step.
What to Serve with Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
One of the reasons we love this vegan cottage pie so much is that there really isn’t much need to serve anything with it since you cover all the bases (protein, vegetable, carbohydrate) in just one dish. However, if you are looking for something to add on the side, we really like this pear arugula salad or this kale apple walnut salad. If you are serving this for a Thanksgiving, be sure to check out my vegan Thanksgiving recipes for some side dish options!
Storage
- Fridge: allow the vegetarian shepherd’s pie to cool before covering with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and storing in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave.
- Freezer: this dish is a freezer friendly and tastes great when reheated. We like to divide it into individual portions in an airtight container for freezing. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: you can reheat a cooked lentil shepherd’s pie in the oven by wrapping in aluminum foil and baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can easily make this recipe gluten free by using a gluten-free certified Worcestershire sauce. (Many brands have soy sauce in them which is not gluten-free.)
Traditional shepherd’s pie has meat in the filling and lots of butter in the mashed potato topping. In this version, we swap the meat with lentils and use vegan alternatives for the butter and milk in the mashed potatoes.
Our favorite spices for adding flavor to shepherd’s pie include rosemary and thyme. Some recipes may also include a bay leaf or mustard powder. In addition to spices, aromatics like garlic and onion infuse this dish with flavor. We add umami with tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.
More Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
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Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Vegan Mashed Potatoes
- 2 lbs yellow gold potatoes, peeled
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter
- 3 tablespoons plant-based milk (plain and unsweetened)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Lentils:
- 1 1/2 cup dried brown lentils
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
For the Filling:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Chop the peeled potatoes into large 2 inch pieces. Add to a pot of boiling salted water. Cook until fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Use a colander to drain.
- Add the butter, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the pot and mash well. (You can also mash in a stand mixer if you prefer.) Set aside.
Make the Lentils
- Add the lentils and broth to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until broth is absorbed and lentils are tender.
Make the Filling
- Add the olive oil and onion to an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Saute until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, tomato paste, and worcestershire sauce. Saute another minute or two.
- Stir in the lentils, vegetable broth, and mixed vegetables. Bring to a simmer to thicken slightly, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to an 8×8 inch baking dish if not using an oven safe skillet.
- Top with the mashed potatoes and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the potato topping is just beginning to brown.
Notes
- To make it gluten free: use a gluten-free certified Worcestershire sauce.
- Use an oven-safe skillet: you can save yourself an extra pan to wash by using an oven safe skillet for this dish if you have one. Otherwise, transfer the filling to an 8×8 in glass baking dish for the baking step.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Pretty AND delicious! We probably didn’t need to preheat the oven THAT early, but it still worked out nicely. We halved the recipe and replaced the rutabaga with an extra turnip.
Ah, LOVE adding the beets for color! So fun!