Hearty Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

SERVES: 4
PREP: 20 minutes
COOK: 40 minutes

Hearty Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

  • For the lentil filling
    ☐ 1 tbsp olive oil
    ☐ 1 small yellow onion, diced
    ☐ 2 carrots, diced
    ☐ 2 celery stalks, diced
    ☐ 3 cloves garlic, minced
    ☐ 2 cups cooked brown or green lentils
    ☐ 1 cup frozen peas
    ☐ 1 tbsp tomato paste
    ☐ 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
    ☐ 1 tsp dried thyme
    ☐ 1 tsp smoked paprika
    ☐ 1 cup vegetable broth
    ☐ ½ tsp salt
    ☐ ¼ tsp black pepper

    For the mashed potato topping
    ☐ 2 lbs (900 g) Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
    ☐ ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
    ☐ 2 tbsp vegan butter or olive oil
    ☐ ½ tsp salt
    ☐ ¼ tsp black pepper
    ☐ 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, optional

Nutrition Per Serving

alories: 510
Protein: 21 g
Carbohydrates: 88 g
Fat: 10 g
Fibre: 19 g
Sodium: 650 mg

Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the brands and specific ingredients used.

Instructions

nstructions

1. Cook the potatoes
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15–18 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain well.

2. Make the mashed potatoes
Mash the potatoes with plant milk, vegan butter or olive oil, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast if using. Set aside.

3. Cook the vegetables
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 5–6 minutes until beginning to soften. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

4. Make the lentil filling
Stir in the lentils, peas, tomato paste, soy sauce, thyme, smoked paprika and vegetable broth. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Assemble
Transfer the lentil mixture to a baking dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top and spread evenly. Use a fork to create a few ridges on top.

6. Bake
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes, until hot and bubbling around the edges. For a more golden top, broil for the final 2–3 minutes, watching carefully.

Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

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Chef Perry’s Kitchen Notes

Helpful tips, simple swaps and a little extra guidance from my kitchen to yours.

👨‍🍳 Chef Perry’s Tips

Let the shepherd’s pie rest for about 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This gives the lentil filling time to thicken slightly and makes it much easier to serve. For a beautiful golden top, run a fork over the mashed potatoes before baking to create ridges that will brown nicely.

🔄 Easy Substitutions

Lentils → Black beans or finely crumbled tempeh
Yukon Gold potatoes → Russet or sweet potatoes
Peas → Corn or green beans
Plant milk → Unsweetened oat or soy milk
Vegan butter → Olive oil
Soy sauce → Tamari for a gluten-free option

🎥 Cook With Chef Perry
Watch me make this recipe step-by-step.

Cooking video coming soon