The ULTIMATE Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Vegan Shepherd's Pie with crispy golden potato crust in white casserole dish with gold serving spoon

The ULTIMATE Vegan Shepherd's Pie

This Vegan Shepherd’s Pie is inspired by the original cottage pie. It’s made with a lentil, mushroom and vegetable filling and topped with buttery vegan mashed potatoes. Gluten-free option, oil-free option, make-ahead option.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Oven, Stovetop

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings people

Calories 398kcal

Author Caitlin Shoemaker

Ingredients

For the Potato Topping:

3 lbs. russet potatoes peeled and cubed (about 3-4 large)
4 tablespoons vegan butter divided (½ stick)
2/3 cup creamy non-dairy milk see notes
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (optional)

For the Filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
6 ounces cremini mushrooms finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley finely chopped*
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced*
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves*
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Vegan Worcestershire sauce Optional, but recommended
3-5 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour or brown rice flour for gluten-free
4 cups cooked green lentils see note
2 cups frozen vegetable blend* peas, carrot, and corn
1 ½ cups imitation "beef" broth or sub vegetable broth

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep: Cook the lentils, if you haven’t already. Peel and chop your potatoes first, then prepare the rest of the ingredients. Set a 9x13” casserole dish aside. Preheat the oven to 400F.
Cook the Potatoes: Add the potatoes to a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-high heat and boil for 10 to 15 minutes, until fork-tender. Remove the pot from the heat, drain the potatoes well, and return to the pot to cool.
Prep the Filling: In the meantime, warm the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté onion 3 minutes, until translucent. Then, add in the tomato paste and stir it into the onion. Fry for an additional 3 minutes. Add in the mushrooms, rosemary, thyme, parsley, black pepper, and salt. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have reduced in size. Add the garlic, vegan Worcestershire (optional), and flour, then sauté for an additional minute. Finally, add in the lentils, vegetables, and broth. Mix well and bring to a low simmer, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Mash the Potatoes: Add 3 tablespoons of the vegan butter, milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper (to taste) to the potatoes in the large pot. Mash well with a potato masher, then use a spoon or spatula to mix well, until you get a creamy uniform texture.
Assemble: Transfer the lentil mixture to the base of the casserole dish, then dollop spoonfuls of mashed potatoes evenly over the mixture. Use a spatula to spread the potatoes evenly. Then, use a fork to create a wavy or crosshatched textured pattern over the top of the potatoes - this helps then brown more. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter, then brush it over the top of the potatoes.
Bake: If the casserole dish is full, place it on top of a baking dish when putting it in the oven, so it does not spill onto the oven base. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 27 to 30 minutes, until bubbly. Transfer the casserole to the top rack of the oven and Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, with the door slightly ajar, for a crispier finish. Let the shepherd’s pie cool (and set) for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm; leftovers can be store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and reheated in the oven, toaster oven, or microwave.

Notes

Lentils: I prefer to use French lentils because they are smaller and firmer, but brown lentils will work in a pinch. To cook your lentils, add 1 1/2 cups dried lentils to a pot with at least 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat until fork tender, 25-40 minutes.
Herbs: FFresh herbs help to give this dish its best flavor, but you can also used dried. If you choose to do so, use 1 tsp fresh rosemary, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 tbsp dried parsley instead of the fresh measurements, as dried herbs are more potent.
Milk: full-fat coconut or oat milk will work best for this recipe, but cashew milk will work well, too. I would advise against store-bought almond milk, as it’s rather thin and not creamy.
Other Substitutions: Cremini mushrooms can be substituted with another variety, or replaced with an extra 1/2 cup of lentils if you don’t like them. If you aren’t using Worcestershire Sauce, add 1 extra tablespoon of tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari along with the spices for a more balanced flavor.
Frozen Vegetables: if you can’t find a frozen vegetable blend, use 2/3 cup each of corn, carrots, and peas. You could also add in some green beans, if you’d like!
Make-Ahead: The lentil filling can be made up to 3 days before baking the shepherd’s pie and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. I would recommend making the potatoes day-of baking.
Low Fat / Oil Free: This recipe tastes best with the amounts of butter/oil as stated in the recipe. However, you can cut the oil in half, or reduce it in and sauté the filling in vegetable broth. Use 1/4 cup of coconut cream or cashew cream with the potatoes if you do not wish to use butter. You can skip brushing the potatoes with butter, or spray them with nonstick cooking spray before baking.
This recipe is inspired by The Wholesome Dish

Nutrition