Author: 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.
So 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
Chop up your veggies, and prep for the mash potatoes.
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 and try not to eat them all.
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.
(click stars to vote)
Seriously The Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Servings:
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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
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
Nutrition
⭐ 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! 💕Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Jacqui says
I've been looking at this recipe for awhile. Finally, all the stars aligned and...Wow! So good! Another of your recipes to add to my repertoire. Thanks for all the deliciousness you bring to the world!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome 🙂
Millika says
Oh Girl!!
This is what I am talking about! My husband and son (17) loved this! We are so happy to find you and your awesome vegan recipes!
This pie has so much flavor and we will have leftovers for lunch!
Keep it up Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
That's wonderful!! Glad it was a hit 🙂
Justin says
This is the 3rd vegan shepherds pie recipe that I’ve tried now, and it’s going to be the last one. This was amazing and will be my go-to from this point forward
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Yay!!!!!
Nicki says
The snow is coming down and it was the perfect night for this shepherd's pie! We made the filling as written but cut back on the thyme just a bit (personal preference), and just made up a mashed potato recipe as we went along. This was so good! We will definitely keep this one in the winter rotation. Also we had a lot of leftovers because it's so filling. Thumbs up for dinner being done for tomorrow. My husband said you should open a restaurant. I second that! Thanks for the recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, thank you so much, Nicki!
Daisy says
Hello! I'd really like to the vegan lentil Shepard's pie, but is it necessary to make 4lbs of mashed potatoes?
Sam Turnbull says
You can reduce the amount if you like but your potato layer will be thinner.
Susan S says
Hi!
I’m about to make this for the first time. If I’m using canned lentils, can I combine them with veggie broth? And if so, how much? And should I heat them together before mixing them with the cooked veggies?
Thanks so much! (I’m extremely cooking-challenged!)
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Susan, if you are using canned lentils, skip the broth and just add the lentils and heat through a couple of minutes. You may need to add a little extra seasoning. Enjoy!
Susan S says
Thank you so much!!
I absolutely LOVED this recipe. It was so delicious and I will be sharing it with friends (who will be wondering why I - who usually hates to cook - am sounding like a domestic diva!)
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Love it 🙂
Merrill says
I've never made mashed potatoes, so this may be an odd question --- I don't want the potatoes to be like a lead blob.... If I am making this a day ahead is it best to make the recipe as you describe and then refrigerate overnight - to reheat the next day, or keep the lentil-veggie mixture and mashed potatoes separate to put together and heat the next day? Thanks.
Sam Turnbull says
Either way works great for this recipe! The potatoes will hold up just fine 🙂
Merrill says
Thank you for responding. And thank you for not teasing me about my never making mashed potatoes before. My friends and family are all teasing me about this...
Francine says
Love this recipe with vegan cheese grated on top. I sent it to my sister in law in US who is also a fan. Thank you x
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!!
Panna says
Hi Sam! I made this Shepherd's pie today for lunch and it was awesome! My whole family was enjoying it so much that I don't think there will be any leftovers for tomorrow. Thank you so much for this great recipe! Also I didn't use vegetable broth and didn't put anything in the mashed potatoes just the garlic and it was still the best!! I put it on my insta if you don't mind and I tagged you (@vegansforgenerations)
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome, Panna! Thrilled you enjoyed so much 🙂 I will keep an eye out for it on Instagram 🙂
Marie Roberts says
Delicious, my hubby and I loved this shepherds pie! i forgot to put the soya sauce in and it was still outstanding! Love it, definitely recommend.
Marie Roberts says
Oh, I forgot to ask, definitely spent more than 10 min as per the "suggested prep time". How can I prep all of this in 10 minutes? That would be ideal!! It took me at least 30 minutes.
Sam Turnbull says
It's just a lot of chopping so if you don't already, use a large 8 inch chef knife and make sure it's sharp! This will help speed up the chopping 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Marie 🙂
Erin says
You're totally right, Sam, this seriously is the best shepherds pie. The fam agreed, polishing off eight servings between four people. Thanks for another great recipe! One of the guests is a new vegan, so I immediately got him your book, always my go-to for good recipes and for recommended reading.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww shucks, thank you so much Erin! Thrilled you liked it so much and thank you so much for your support with my cookbook 🙂
Heidi says
I love this recipe. Make it all the time over winter. The Smokey bbq sauce really brings out the earthiness of the lentils. Thanks for sharing it. Once the chopping up is done it’s so easy although I cheat and use a can of organic brown lentils, drained and rinsed. If there are any leftovers it’s the perfect work lunch the next day. Thanks again.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Heidi! Thrilled you love it so much 🙂
Mardy says
Oh man... where do I begin? Maybe from a comment my F-I-L made, “If this is what eating vegan is like, I could happily be a vegan!” I brought this to an Easter dinner and everyone loved it! Thanks Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Wow! That's so awesome, Mardy! That's exactly my goal of vegan cooking 🙂
Laura Rowe says
Hi Sam,
My barbershop chorus has potlucks a few times a year. There's another vegan (she's also gluten free) and a couple vegetarians, so I'm always looking for recipes I can take to these dos.
This one was a hit with more than just the veggie-types for sure! Looked fab in my cast iron pan, and wrapped up in towels that pan kept the food warm during the 35 min drive, thanks for that too 🙂
I'm going to bring another one to Easter dinner at my bro's where those really tasty garlic mashed will surely tempt even the ones who make jokes about vegan stuff
Homerun of a recipe again! Merci Madame!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful, Laura!! Thrilled everyone enjoyed it so much 🙂
Justin Belanger says
I just made this recipe and it turned out delicious! Thank you for sharing it!
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed!
Nal says
Hi- do you think this would work with your baked tofu from your chilli recipe.? I am obsessed with it. Or am I overdoing it?
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! So happy you're obsessed with it. I'm sure it would work great although the recipe would need a little tweaking to be perfect. Feel free to experiment! Enjoy!
Jeanine says
my 6year old just gave this 2 thumbs AND 2 toes up! AND asked to have it as her school lunch tomorrow !!!!!! (she NEVER takes leftover for her school lunch - it is a sandwich everyday) so this is a MASSIVE compliment! and she did not dawdle eating it either!
Sam Turnbull says
Wow that's amazing!!! So happy it was so well received, Jeanine 🙂
Haley says
Is there a substitute I could use for BBQ sauce? I'm really not a fan of that stuff at all.
Sam Turnbull says
You could try ketchup. Enjoy!
Rachael Smith says
My meat-eating husband loved it. I will make it more often! Delicious!
Britney says
I’m about to have a baby and filling my freezer with some meals. Do you think this would freeze well? And my fam doesn’t do mushrooms, do you have any suggestions for a different veggie to replace them? Thanks !!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Britney! From my experience, potatoes don't freeze that well, but apparently mashed potatoes freeze a little better. You can just skip the mushrooms. Enjoy!
Kim says
Chose this recipe as my first vegan dish for a guest coming to my Christmas brunch. When I cooked the lentil filling, I initially thought it was too much thyme. But when I tasted both the vegan mashed potatoes and the lentils together, the flavors really melded together nicely!! I added a little extra bbq sauce for a little more kick. It was a hit among all of my guests!! Thank you for sharing this recipe Sam!!!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome! I'm so happy you love the recipe so much, Kim 🙂