Name: Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 min
Ingredients: 1 russet potato (peeled and cut into cubes); 4 cups cauliflower (about 1 head cut into florets); 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk; 1 tbsp vegan butter; 2 tsp minced garlic; 1 onion (diced); 2 tsp minced garlic; 12 oz sliced mushrooms; 2 cups cooked green lentils; 1 cup vegetable stock; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1/2 tsp ground sage; 1/2 tsp oregano; 1 tsp thyme; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper

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This warm and comforting vegan lentil shepherd’s pie is layered with a hearty and rich mushroom and lentil base topped with cauliflower mashed potatoes. It’s a healthy filling meal for the whole family!

serving of vegan lentil shepherd's pie on white plate topped with fresh herbs

Way back in 2007 my husband and I took a trip to Ireland! Back then we were young, childless, and super excited to take our first European trip together.

We had one week in Ireland, followed by one week in England. Not wanting to miss ANYTHING, I packed in as many sights as I could in that one week!

We started off in Dublin, then rented a car and drove through the country. One of our favorite stops was Blarney Castle, followed by Waterford, and the Cliffs of Moher.

In every big and small city we visited, my husband was on a mission to find Shepherd’s Pie. It is his favorite Irish meal, and he couldn’t leave Ireland without trying an authentic version.

Strangely enough, we had the most difficult time finding shepherd’s pie on the menu in the pubs we stopped in. What we discovered is this dish is more English than it is Irish. In Ireland it is called pióg an aoire.

In any case, we finally stumbled upon a pub that had it on the menu, and my husband was very pleased!

Although this dish is not exactly Irish as I had originally thought, I still think of it when preparing Irish themed meals.

So, in honor of our 2007 trip I decided to make a healthy vegan version with lentils for the family.

Shepherd’s pie was first created in the 1800’s. It was a recipe made to use up extra meat and vegetables. A traditional recipe includes lamb or mutton, with a variety of vegetables, topped with a mashed potato crust.

This version uses lentils instead of ground meat, and is simmered with onions, garlic, mushrooms, carrots, and peas. It’s seasoned with a variety of warm comforting spices, and has a mashed potato top that is a combination of cauliflower and russet potatoes that lightens this dish up!

vegan lentil shepherd's pie in casserole dish with serving taken out, on white plate with fork

Why you’ll love this Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie…

Vegan and Dairy-Free
High in Plant Protein
Rich in Vitamins and Nutrients
Gluten-Free
Warm and hearty meal
Light and fluffy mashed potato topping
Thick and rich lentil base with meaty mushrooms

Recipe Ingredients and Notes

healthy mashed potato ingredients: cubed russet potato, cauliflower florets, soy milk, garlic, vegan butter, salt, and pepper

Mashed Potato Topping:

These mashed potatoes are made with a combination of russet potatoes and cauliflower. The combination creates a light and fluffy potato topping. Soy milk, vegan, butter, garlic, salt and pepper create a creamy and rich flavor.

Lentil Filling:

Lentil Shepherd's pie filling: lentils, peas and carrots, mushrooms, onions, garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper, and dried herbs

Green Lentils: There are many different types of lentils. I recommend using green lentils for this dish. Green lentils hold their shape when cooked, and create a nice meaty texture.

Sliced Mushrooms: I recommend baby bellas, or white mushrooms sliced. They provide more “meatiness” and flavor.

Spices and Seasoning: This recipe is seasoned with thyme, sage, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. I used dried seasoning, however you can use fresh thyme and sage if you prefer. Just be sure to double the amount if you decide to use fresh.

Tools and Equipment

Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven: I use two large pots, one for the mashed potatoes, and one for the lentil filling, however, you could transfer the potatoes to a bowl, wash the pot, and use the same one to make your filling.

Potato Masher to cream the potatoes and cauliflower.

How to Make Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie – Step by Step

To Make the Mashed Potatoes:

Step 1: Peel the russet potato and chop into large chunks. Chop your head of cauliflower into florets, or use frozen cauliflower florets (that’s what I did!) Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the potatoes and cauliflower. Cook until potatoes are fork tender about 15 minutes.

Step 2: Drain the water from the potatoes, and return to the pot. Add soy milk, vegan butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Using your potato masher, mash the potatoes until the fluffy. Set aside.

To Make the Lentil Filling:

Step 1: Prepare the lentils, or use packed cooked lentils. To prepare dried lentils, rinse the lentils. Transfer to a medium size pot. Add two cups of water for every 1 cup of lentils. When water comes to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and allow to cook for 15 minutes. Check that lentils are cooked. Most of the water should be absorbed and lentils should be firm, yet soft to the bite.

Step 2: Add 1/4 cup of vegetable stock to a large pot on medium-high heat. Add diced onions and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes of until onions become translucent.

Step 3: Add sliced mushrooms, and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Step 4: Add the cooked lentils, the rest of the vegetable stock (about 3/4 cup), tomato paste, spices, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add the frozen peas and carrots. Stir to combine and cook for another 2 minutes, or until peas and carrots have thawed.

carrots and peas added to pot of lentils

Assembling the Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F. Pour the lentil filling into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.

lentils, mushrooms, peas and carrots in baking dish

Step 2: Top the lentil filling with the mashed potatoes. Gently spread the potatoes over the top.

pre cooked lentil shepherd's pie in baking dish topped with mashed potatoes

Step 3: Bake for 15 minutes. Filling will bubble and mashed potatoes will brown a bit. Top with fresh chopped herbs, and serve!

vegan lentil shepherd's pie topped with fresh herbs in baking dish

Top Tips for Making Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

To save time, use prepared lentils. You can buy these canned, or packaged near the tofu section of your grocery store.
If you prefer not to use cauliflower in the mashed potatoes, use 3 russet potatoes instead.
I prefer to use frozen peas and carrots, because it’s quicker than chopping carrots on my own, but feel free to use fresh carrots. You will need to add some cooking time to soften the carrots if you do so.

lentil shepherd's pie with mushrooms and carrots on white plate with fork

What makes this version of shepherd’s pie healthy?

High in Protein: The lentils in this dish provide a great source of plant-protein. One serving has 9 grams of protein.

High in Fiber: The combination of vegetables, and lentils make this dish an excellent source of fiber at 7 grams per serving. That’s about a quarter of your recommended fiber per day.

Low in Fat and Calories: One serving is only 137 calories, and 2 grams of fat, so go ahead and eat a double serving without any guilt! That would only be 274 calories, and you’d get double the protein, 18 grams, and double the fiber, 14 grams!

How to Serve

This is really a complete one dish meal. You’ve got your protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates combined in one dish.

If you’d like to serve something along with this one dish meal, I’d recommend a light vegan salad, or a side of sautéd vegetables like these air fryer squash.

This dish would be excellent to make for a dinner party, because it serves a lot of people!

It’s also a warm and comforting meal for a cozy night at home.

Or if you’re looking for something to make in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, this is it!

How to Store and Keep

Store: Cover the baking dish with saran wrap or aluminum foil. You could also transfer the dish to another container. The challenge is when you transfer the shepherd’s pie to another container the potato topping and the lentil filling gets all mixed together, and I prefer the nice division of the two toppings.

Keep: This recipe will keep for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Reheat: When ready to warm, transfer your serving to a microwave safe dish, cover, and heat for about 45 seconds to a minute depending on your microwave and serving size. Another option is to place the baking dish back in the oven and warm for about 10 minutes at 350 F.

Can you freeze vegan shepherd’s pie?

Yes, you can freeze this recipe! I recommend layering the lentils, and mashed potatoes in a a freezer safe aluminum baking dish. Cover, and make sure to keep out any air, so that you don’t get freezer burn. Add a layer of saran wrap or aluminum foil over the top, then cover with the baking lid.

Store in the freezer for 2-3 months.

When ready to reheat, place in a preheated oven at 350 F. Bake for 45 minutes, or until dish is warm and bubbly.

lentil and mushrooms topped with mashed potatoes and chopped herbs on white serving plate with fork

Check out these other vegan Irish dishes!

Vegan Irish Stew
Tofu Corned Beef (Vegan)
Vegan Shamrock Shake
Guinness Chocolate Cake (Vegan) by Wallflower Kitchen

If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and let me know how it turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more vegan plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!