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    Home » Recipes » HOLIDAY MAINS

    Sam TurnbullAuthor: Sam Turnbull Updated: March 4, 2025

    The Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie

    4.97 from 143 votes
    | 262 Comments
    Save Saved! Pin ↓ Jump to Recipe

    There was a moment where I wasn't going to post this recipe for The Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie. After all, there are a TON of lentil shepherd's pie recipes floating around. It's not exactly ground-breaking material.

    But then something happened… I pulled some of my leftover lentil shepherd's pie from the freezer, warmed it up, and devoured the whole thing. And guess what? It really is The Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie.

    Seriously the Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie. Perfect for the holidays or a hearty weekend meal. The garlic mashed potatoes take this from ordinary to extraordinary! Can be made ahead of time and reheated. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free. #itdoesnttastelikechickenSo maybe there are a lot of lentil shepherd's pies out there, but none of them are THIS recipe, and THIS recipe is Seriously The Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie. I needed to publish this recipe, if for no other reason, but so that I can make it again, and again.

    What makes this Lentil Shepherd's Pie the best?

    Why thank you for asking. There are 3 simple and scrumptious reasons.

    1. These lentils are jam-packed full of veggie deliciousness: carrots, mushrooms, peas, and are seasoned perfectly with thyme, onions, garlic, and an extra zing of BBQ sauce. Boom! Simple and totally drool-worthy.
    2. Garlic mashed potatoes. Those aren't any plain old regular mashed potatoes, they're packed full of garlic and creamy coconut milk making them light years above any other mash.
    3. This hearty meal is perfect for a holiday, weekend, or just something to last you throughout the week. It can be made in advance and then just warmed in the oven. You can serve it in a fancy casserole dish or go rustic like I like to do, and serve it in a skillet. This pie will satisfy anyone and everyone making it a perfect dish for any occasion!

    I hope you love it as much as I do.

    To Make the Lentil Shepherd's Pie:

    Seriously the Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie. Perfect for the holidays or a hearty weekend meal. The garlic mashed potatoes take this from ordinary to extraordinary! Can be made ahead of time and reheated. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Chop up your veggies, and prep for the mash potatoes.

    Seriously the Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie. Perfect for the holidays or a hearty weekend meal. The garlic mashed potatoes take this from ordinary to extraordinary! Can be made ahead of time and reheated. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Heat the oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, and thyme and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until softened and bits are browned. Remove from pan, and set aside.

    Seriously the Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie. Perfect for the holidays or a hearty weekend meal. The garlic mashed potatoes take this from ordinary to extraordinary! Can be made ahead of time and reheated. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Return the pan to heat, add in the lentils, and vegetable broth. Cover, and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the lentils are tender.

    Seriously the Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie. Perfect for the holidays or a hearty weekend meal. The garlic mashed potatoes take this from ordinary to extraordinary! Can be made ahead of time and reheated. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    While the lentils cook, prepare the mashed potatoes and try not to eat them all.

    Seriously the Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie. Perfect for the holidays or a hearty weekend meal. The garlic mashed potatoes take this from ordinary to extraordinary! Can be made ahead of time and reheated. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    When the lentils are cooked through, add the vegetables back to the pan, and add the peas, BBQ sauce, and soy sauce. Heat through. Scoop the mixture into a casserole dish or large skillet and then spread the mashed potatoes on top.

    Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until the lentil shepherd's pie is hot and bubbling around the edges.

    Seriously the Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie. Perfect for the holidays or a hearty weekend meal. The garlic mashed potatoes take this from ordinary to extraordinary! Can be made ahead of time and reheated. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    4.97 from 143 votes
    (click stars to vote)

    Seriously The Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie

    Perfect for the holidays or a hearty weekend meal. The garlic mashed potatoes take this from ordinary to extraordinary! Can be made ahead of time and reheated. 
    Prep: 10 minutes mins
    Cook: 45 minutes mins
    Total: 55 minutes mins
    Servings: 8
    PRINT PIN Save Saved! Video COMMENT

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon oil, (olive, canola, vegetable)
    • 1 onion, , chopped
    • 2 carrots, , peeled and chopped
    • 16 oz mushrooms, , sliced
    • 4 cloves garlic, , minced
    • 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
    • 1 ½ cups brown or green lentils, (or 38oz canned lentils, see notes)
    • 3 cups vegetable broth, (or 1 vegetable bouillon cube, see notes)
    • 1 cup peas, , fresh or frozen
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • ¼ cup BBQ sauce, (check to make sure it's vegan)
    • 1 recipe Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 425F (220C).
    • Heat the oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, and thyme and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until softened and bits are browned. Remove from pan, and set aside.
    • Return the pan to heat, add in the lentils, and vegetable broth. Cover, and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the lentils are tender. While the lentils cook, prepare the mashed potatoes according to the directions.
    • Add the vegetables back to the pan with the lentils, and add the peas, BBQ sauce, and soy sauce. Heat through. Scoop the mixture into a casserole dish or large skillet and then spread the mashed potatoes on top.
    • Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until the pie is hot and bubbling around the edges.

    Notes

    Quick Prep: For a quicker prep, you can use canned cooked lentils. Just drain and rinse before using and crumble 1 vegetable bouillon cube in with the lentils and stir to combine.
    Oil-free: cut down on oil by doing a water or broth sauté.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 8) | Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 1891mg | Potassium: 1690mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2918IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 7mg

    ⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?

    I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕
    Author: Sam Turnbull
    Cuisine: American
    Course: Main Course

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam.


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    Comments

    1. Julie says

      October 02, 2026 at 10:25 am

      5 stars
      Advice please: I'm planning on making this for a dinner party tomorrow, so I'd like to prep it in the morning. As such, when I go to cook it later that day, I'm assuming I should cook it for longer than what you have in your recipe because it will no longer be warm from just being made. Any suggestions?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says

        October 03, 2026 at 12:18 pm

        Hi Julie! Yes, if you're assembling it ahead of time and refrigerating it, it will likely need a little extra time in the oven. I'd suggest covering it with foil initially so the top doesn't brown too quickly, then uncovering it toward the end. Just make sure it's heated all the way through before serving. Hope your dinner party is a huge success! 🙂

        Reply
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