This insanely Easy Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie is made in less than 30 minutes! This hearty meatless recipe is just 10 main ingredients, gluten-free, allergy-free, featuring protein-packed lentils, veggies, and simple dairy-free mashed potatoes! Healthy and budget-friendly comfort food the whole family will love and devour!
If you are looking for the EASIEST, the SIMPLIEST, and the QUICKEST vegan shepherd's pie recipe out there, this is it! This recipe features all the hacks and shortcuts you need to make a delicious lentil shepherd's pie with budget-friendly, pantry staples, that truly make this meal live up to the traditional ethos of a cheap and easy casserole! Plus, you can make it all in one pan or divide it out into individual ramekins for easy, breezy serving!
Reasons to Love this Easy Vegan Shepherd's Pie
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan & Vegetarian
- Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
- Grain-Free
- Sugar-Free & Oil-Free
- Packed with 100% Plant-Based Protein (No mock meats!)
- Healthy Comfort Food
- Quick, Easy, Freezer-Friendly, and Budget-Friendly
- Super Kid-Friendly
Ingredients for Lentil Shepherd's Pie
- Lentils: Tender and protein-packed lentils are the perfect hearty meatless substitute to the traditional beef or lamb you'd find in a traditional shepherds or cottage pie! To make it super easy for you, this recipe uses two cans of pre-cooked lentils! No need to dirty an extra pot on the stove or waste time. However, if you do prefer to take the long route, you can cook 1.5 cups of dried lentils and use them in this recipe.
- Mixed Veggies: Whatever you have on hand is perfect! They can be frozen or canned. I used canned mixed veggies, carrots, peas, and corn. Along with the mixed veggies, you'll need some chopped onion for flavor!
- Sauce + Seasonings: To bring this casserole together and add flavor to the lentils and veggies, a great sauce is key! All you need is plain canned tomato sauce, some tomato paste for that deep concentrated flavor, a splash of coconut aminos (aka: soy-free soy sauce and in place of classic Worcestershire sauce), and any seasonings you'd like. I used black pepper, dried thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder!
- Mashed Potatoes: To top this savory pie off, you need the mashed potatoes! You can use leftover mashed potatoes you've already cooked, boil and mash some peeled and cubed potatoes in a pot on the stove (about 15 to 20 minutes. I recommend you use russet or red potatoes), or take a super shortcut and use frozen or steamable potatoes! Pop them in the microwave, then mash them with some vegan butter and a splash of dairy-free milk. Want to lighten it up? You can use mashed cauliflower or you can even use mashed sweet potato if you want to add some natural sweetness!
How to Make it in 30 Minutes or Less
This recipe is SO easy and so quick! Just follow these simple steps for a perfect budget and time-budget-friendly casserole!
- Saute the onion in a large skillet on the stove, then add the canned or frozen mixed vegetables.
- Add in your cooked lentils and give everything a stir together until the excess liquids are cooked off.
- Then add in our sauce and seasonings, adjust to taste!
- While all that is cooking on the stove you can prepare the potatoes and have them ready to top!
You have two options for baking this easy shepherd's pie
- Right in the skillet or casserole dish: If you want to make one large shepherd's pie, you can simply keep the lentils and veggies in the skillet you used to warm them and top with the mashed potatoes. If you're not using a large cast iron skillet and need to transfer your filling to a casserole dish, you can do that as well.
- In individual ramekins: If you want a super-easy way to serve individual portions of this casserole, you can use 8 oz ramekins! Portion out the filling between about 6 ramekins and top with the potatoes before baking.
The last thing you need to do is give the pie a quick bake in the oven at 425°F for just 10 minutes!
Additional Tips & Tricks
- Why is my filling so liquidly? Don't worry! The filling will thicken up on the stove and again in the oven. If you are using frozen veggies, make sure to cook off as much liquid as possible before adding the lentils. If you are using canned veggies (and lentils) make sure you drain and rice them before adding them to the skillet.
- How do you store leftover shepherd's pie? You can store the lentil shepherd's pie in the fridge for 5-6 days. If you made it in ramekins, seal the tops with foil. If you made it in a cast iron or casserole dish, you can place foil over the top and store it in an airtight container.
- How do you reheat leftovers? You can heat up your leftovers right in the microwave (super easy with the ramekins!) or if you want to warm a whole casserole and archive a nice crisp potato topping again, you can heat it in the oven at 350ºF for about 5-10 minutes!
- How do you freeze it? You can freeze unbaked vegan shepherd's pie fully assembled in your chosen baking vessel. Tightly wrap it in freezer wrap or foil and freeze it for up to 3 months. Bake it directly from frozen at 425°F for about 25 minutes or defrosted overnight in the fridge for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through. You can freeze an already-baked casserole the same way.
- What should you serve it with? Some hearty roasted veggies like broccoli, green beans, or cauliflower would be great; a simple side salad or a warm piece of soda bread!
More Irish Recipes to Try:
- Traditional Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread
- Traditional Irish Colcannon
- Irish Potato Bread (Potato Farls)
- Rustic Mung Bean Shepherd's Pie
- Irish Boiled Dinner Vegetables
- Irish Potato Candy
Easy Lentil Shepherd's Pie (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
This insanely Easy Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie is made in less than 30 minutes! This hearty meatless recipe is just 10 main ingredients, gluten-free, allergy-free, featuring protein-packed lentils, veggies, and simple dairy-free mashed potatoes! Healthy and budget-friendly comfort food the whole family will love and devour!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients
Lentil Filling:
- 1 Cup Chopped Vidalia Onion
- 2 ½ Cups Mixed Veggies (Frozen or Canned)
- 4 Cups Cooked Canned Lentils (Green or Brown)
- 1 Cup Plain Unsalted Tomato Sauce
- 2 TB Tomato Paste
- 1 TB Coconut Aminos
- 1 ½ Tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 ½ Tsp Dried Rosemary (crushed)
- ½ Tsp Garlic Powder
- Black Pepper (to taste)
Quick Mashed Potato Topping:
- 1 LB Peeled, Cubed Russet or Red Potato (steamed or boiled)
- 3 TB Vegan/ Allergy-Free Butter
- 2 TB Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- If you need to boil your potatoes, start them now while you make the lentil filling, otherwise, steam the frozen potatoes in the microwave according to package directions.
- In a large seasoned skillet, saute the onion for about 3 minutes before adding the drained or frozen mixed veggies. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until most of the liquid is cooked off.
- Now add in the cooked lentils and stir everything together. Continue cooking until excess liquid is cooked off.
- Finally, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, coconut aminos, and seasonings. Mix everything together until combined and adjust seasonings to taste before turning off the heat.
- To finish the potato topping, use a fork or potato masher to mash the boiled or steam potatoes with the vegan butter and milk in a bowl. Mash them to your desired consistency.
- Smooth out the lentil filling in the skillet you used, a deep casserole dish, or about 6, 8 oz ramekins. Then top with the mashed potatoes.
- Bake the shepherd's pie(s) for 10 minutes, just until the mashed potato begins to crisp and get golden brown on top.
- Remove and serve with a sprinkle of parsley, if desired.
Notes
- You can use a mix of veggies like peas, corn, and carrots!
- If using dried lentils, cook 1 ½ cups of dried lentils ahead of time for about 4 cups cooked.
- Feel free to adjust seasonings (thyme, rosemary, garlic, and pepper) to taste! Swap in and out what you prefer.
- I used a frozen, steamable bag of peeled russet potatoes. You can use leftover mashed potatoes for this recipe of peel, cube, and boil russet or red potatoes. You can also use mashed sweet potato.
- Store leftovers covered and sealed in the fridge for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven for a crisper topping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving (8 oz)
Shepherd's pie may be an essential for St. Patrick's Day, but it's also such a great and easy casserole to make for a comforting weeknight dinner your family will love! Give it a try and let us know what you think!
So tell me:
+ What's the easiest casserole recipe you like to make? You can't go wrong with this Lemon Chickpea & Rice Casserole or this Italian Chickpea Casserole!
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Geeky Daddy
This sounds like a recipe we will be trying! My wife has been having digestive issues lately and tested negative for Celiac, but I think she might have a level of intolerance. Trying to got gluten free when possible now.
Rebecca Pytell
Well this shepherd's pie is an inherently gluten-free dish to begin with, so you're level of knowledge is lacking and if she isn't celiac, there is no need to avoid a grain-based protein that has ample benefits for 99% of the population.
Anna
This was so easy to make and tasty! I changed a little bit: i didn't have vegan butter so I added vegan milk to the potatoes and then put a sprinkle of vegan cheese on top. And I put in a casserole dish. I think I added way more lentils to the dish and I put in minced garlic instead of powder. It is incredibly filling - yay! Thank you SO much for posting this recipe!!
Rebecca Pytell
Glad you enjoyed it, Anna!
Laurie
Pinned this! Def a meatless Monday option to try out!
Rebecca Pytell
Awesome, enjoy!
Marie B.
Thank you for the recipe and I can't wait to try it. I printed it with the intention of making it tomorrow night.
Rebecca Pytell
Let us know what you think!
Donna
Shepherd's Pie is such wonderful comfort food. Thanks for sharing a great healthy version with us.
Rebecca Pytell
Comforting, hearty, and healthy are all you need!
Sara Mondaini
Well I think that's dinner sorted for our house today. Lentils are a power house of protein and really tasty and I love vegan whole food recipes like this. I'm going to dig my ramekins out and get making this. It's a good food store cupboard recipe.
Rebecca Pytell
Lentils are fantastic! From protein to iron, they are a wonderful vegan "meat" sub!
Let me know what you think!
Nina
I've never thought of using frozen potatoes for a shepherds pie! (I don't know why . . . ) What a time saving tip if you don't have left over mashed potatoes.
Rebecca Pytell
Frozen and steamable veggies are the best!
Kevin
Love the Vegan twist on a shepherd's pie. I am surprised you didn't have to use a meat alternative like TVP or Beyond Meats. The lentils are a great protein source.
Rebecca Pytell
100% plant-based REAL food here!