Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
I hadn’t had a classic Shepherd’s Pie for years before creating this recipe. I believe any dish can be made healthier using whole food ingredients, while still maintaining classic flavours. This Vegan Shepherd’s Pie is rich and delicious. Seasoned hearty lentils and mushrooms are combined with carrots and peas to create the base of this dish. They’re topped with a thick and creamy mashed potato topping and broiled until crispy and golden.
This version of Shepherd’s Pie is vegan and gluten-free. The mashed potatoes are made creamy with a combination of coconut oil and cashew cream. I used classic seasonings like thyme, paprika, and tarragon to create a flavourful lentil mushroom filling.
For more healthy dinner ideas, try my West African Peanut Stew, Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole, or Creamy Chipotle Pasta.
Tag me and follow along on Instagram @livesimplyhealthy for more healthy recipes and nutrition tips.
Vegan Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
Lentil Mushroom Filling:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup carrot diced (about 1 large carrot)
- One 8oz package mushrooms diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 1/2 cup dried lentils soaked and drained
- 2 cups water or veggie broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce gluten-free if needed
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
Mashed Potatoes:
- 5 cups potatoes chopped (about 5-6 medium potatoes)
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- To prepare the lentil mushroom filling, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, and tarragon. Stir occasionally until soft, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the lentils, water or veggie broth, tomato paste, tamari, and red wine vinegar. Simmer over medium-low heat until the lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. Add the frozen peas right after cooking. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil for about 20 minutes, until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the cashew cream by blending the soaked cashews and water in a small blender until smooth.
- To prepare the mashed potatoes, drain the cooked potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash them to your desired consistency. Add the prepared cashew cream, coconut oil, and remaining seasonings. Stir until smooth and combined. Set aside.
- To assemble the Shepherd's Pie, add the cooked lentil mushroom filling to a 8x12 baking dish. Top the lentils with the prepared mashed potatoes. Garnish with additional dried parsley if desired. Broil on high until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Save this recipe for later:
Nancy says
The lentil filling was delicious. I added corn to mine instead of peas
livesimplyhealthy says
Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Liz says
This was absolutely delicious . I followed recipe as indicated but had no dried parsley, so substituted fresh chopped chives as potato topping. Even my carnivore husband went for seconds and asked that this recipe be put on our regular rotation. 😋
livesimplyhealthy says
Hi Liz, thanks so much for your comment. I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed the recipe!
coiclaypool says
I saved this recipe when I first saw it posted here, and I finally just made this tonight. I didn’t have lentils so I used some par-boiled great northern beans instead. I also have to admit I’m a fairly recent vegetarian, so I used butter and milk for the potatoes instead of the coconut oil and cashew cream. That said, it came out amazing! I think this is definitely going to be a staple meal prep item for me. I think I’m going to do it actually vegan next time I make it too 🙂 Thank you so much! This recipe made a budding vegetarian realize how easy it is to make something insanely delicious while still cutting out meat <3
livesimplyhealthy says
Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out. I am so happy you made the recipe work for you and ended up enjoying it!
Anonymous says
Great staple recipe for winter time!
livesimplyhealthy says
Exactly!
Elizabeth Portolese says
On our Christmas menu! Thanks for this awesome recipe.
livesimplyhealthy says
I hope you enjoyed it! Merry Christmas!