Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Name: Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 large yellow onion (diced); 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 4 stalks celery (diced); 2 large carrots (peeled and diced); 2 cloves garlic (crushed); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp dried thyme; 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper; 1 1/2 cups lentils (puy or beluga lentils); 14 oz diced tomatoes; 2 cups vegetable broth; 1 cup frozen peas; 4 cups mashed potatoes

Published: Mar 22, 2022 · Last Updated: Mar 18, 2023 by Katie Trant · 41 Comments

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Lentil Shepherd's Pie! This vegan shepherd's pie recipe is easy to make in your Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stove top. Simply top with mashed potatoes for a healthy gluten-free vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, Cottage Pie, or whatever else you want to call it!

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Friends, we're here today to talk about making a vegan shepherd's pie, and I want to get one thing out of the way right off the bat: no shepherds were harmed in the making of this pie.

In all seriousness, we're here to make an easy and delicious Lentil Shepherd's Pie, and I'm going to show you THREE different ways you could make it!

Want to make Instant Pot Shepherds Pie? You can! Slow cooker lentil shepherd's pie? We can do that! Want to keep this situation classic and make your vegetarian shepherd's pie filling on the stove top? You're in luck!

But first things first:

What is Shepherd's Pie?

You may have heard to this dish referred to as shepherd's pie or cottage pie. According to Jamie Oliver, the difference is in the type of meat. Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with lamb, whereas cottage pie is made with beef.

Either way, the filling is topped with mashed potatoes, and baked to bubbly, delicious, comfort food perfection.

We're keeping things vegetarian and are using lentils to replace the meat, so you can call it lentil cottage pie or vegan lentil shepherd's pie as you wish. Either way, it's packed with lovely savory flavor and your house will smell amazing while the dish bakes.

Ingredients:

Alrighty then, get your ingredients ready! We're going to be using:

Lentils --> I'll discuss lentil choices below.
Onions --> A big ol' yellow guy will do.
Celery --> Fiber and whatnot.
Carrots --> Getting those veggies in!
Peas --> We're using frozen this time. You can also sub in green beans if you prefer.
Tomatoes --> A couple of cans will do the trick.
Mashed potatoes --> Leftovers work great! My favourite are these Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes.
Garlic and spices --> Makes everything taste great!

Equipment:

The fastest and easiest way to make the lentil filling for your vegetarian shepherd's pie is in the Instant Pot. I have the 6-quart model, and it's the perfect size for this recipe.

Alternatively you could make the filling in your slow cooker. I have a glass lid that allows me to use my Instant Pot as a slow cooker, so that's what I usually use.

If you're going to make the filling on the stovetop, I recommend a large, heavy-bottomed pot. I love my Le Creuset Dutch Oven for jobs like this.

Tips for making this recipe:

Both the lentil mixture and the mashed potatoes can be made up to a day in advance and kept, covered, in the fridge.
You can chop the onion, carrots, and celery ahead of time and keep them in the fridge or freezer. I love these reusable silicon bags for storing chopped veggies in.
You can assemble the shepherd's pie and keep it, covered, in the fridge, for up to 24 hours, or until you're ready to bake it. If you're cooking it directly from the fridge be sure to add another 10 minutes to the cooking time.
You can also freeze unbaked shepherd's pie, wrapped tightly in foil or plastic wrap. I don't recommend baking from frozen, so plan to mostly thaw it before baking.
If you don't have leftover mashed potatoes, just boil up a couple of russet potatoes until they're fork tender and mash them with a bit of butter (or vegan butter!) and a splash of milk and you're good to go.
You can also mix things up with mashed sweet potatoes if you prefer.

What kind of lentils are best?

I recommend you use a small, firm lentil such as Puy or beluga lentils. Larger brown lentils would work as well, but I prefer the texture of the smaller ones.

While red lentils are awesome in other recipes, I do not recommend them in this shepherd's pie recipe.

Is lentil shepherd's pie vegan?

The filling is totally vegan, so as long as you use vegan mashed potatoes, then you bet it is! I use Greek yogurt in my mashed potatoes, but I love this recipe for vegan mashed potatoes if you need one.

How long will leftovers last?

Leftover Lentil Shepherd's Pie will last about three days in the fridge. You can also wrap leftover portions in foil and throw them in the freezer and they'll last about three months.

Hey Nutrition Lady, are lentils healthy?

You bet they are! These lovely little legumes are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber. The soluble fiber in lentils helps to keep blood sugar stable, while providing a steady source of energy.

But the energy benefits don’t stop there, lentils are a rich source of iron, as well as being a good source of plant-based protein, which is good news for us veg heads.

Lentils are also a great source of vitamins and minerals, such as heart-healthy folate and magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, zinc, potassium, and B6.

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Vegan Lentil Soup
Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Squash Noodles
Baked Pumpkin Risotto
Black Bean and Quinoa Freezer Burritos
Mung Bean and Coconut Curry
Vegetarian Baked Ziti
Vegan Sloppy Joes with Lentils
Vegan Lentil Loaf
Spicy Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup

lentil shepherd's pie on a blue plate topped with chives

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