Vegan Shepherd’s Pie | gluten-free recipe

Healthy Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

“Delicious lentil veggie pie with mashed potato topping”. That’s what I made for dinner quite often during the past few weeks. However, when I use this phrase to name this dish, nobody will find my recipe, obviously.  It’s probably easier and much shorter when I call it “Vegan Shepherd’s Pie“. The name isn’t very important though. The taste is what matters. And let me tell you, this dish tastes awesome. And it’s free of lamb (the main ingredient of a Shepherd’s Pie).

I know, I didn’t want to write about the name any longer, however, some people mix up Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie. The difference between a Shepherd’s Pie and a Cottage Pie is the filling. As mentioned before, a Shepherd’s Pie contains lamb, whereas a Cottage Pie contains beef. Of course, as a vegan, I definitely won’t use lamb or beef. I made the recipe with lentils instead. Because not only are lentils delicious, they are also rich in protein, fiber, many minerals and therefore very healthy. And cruelty-free.

Use your favorite veggies

I made this Vegan Shepherd’s Pie with onion, carrots, peas, corn, and celery. You can also add broccoli, cauliflower or any other veggies of choice. What about mushrooms?! Yes! Why not. Simply add what you love most and leave out what you dislike. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Easy recipe

You probably already have all ingredients at home to make this healthy Vegan Shepherd’s Pie. The recipe isn’t complicated at all and is ready in less than one hour. All you need is lentils, potatoes, veggies of choice, a couple of condiments and a baking dish. That’s it.

As stated before, you can vary the filling as you wish. For example, if you don’t like lentils, simply use black beans or kidney beans. And if you prefer sweet potatoes over regular potatoes, why not use them instead. I really love to vary my dishes and try out new recipes. Also, it’s so much more fun to experiment in the kitchen.

This Vegan Shepherd’s Pie is:

• Gluten-free
• Protein-rich
• Plant-based
• Easy to make
• Healthy
• Comforting
• Ready in less than 60 minutes
• Hearty

The recipe serves 4 but my boyfriend actually went completely crazy about this Vegan Shepherd’s Pie when I made it for the first time. We both gobbled up the whole dish within minutes, haha. Guess what we had for Thanksgiving this year? Yes, this yumminess, of course. And I can’t wait to make it again soon.

If you make this tasty dish and maybe even take a photo of it, then I would love to see it. You can DM it to me on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag me in your Insta caption + photo with @elavegan and use the hashtag #elavegan and I will gladly check out your post.

And if you love casseroles with potatoes, then definitely also check out my creamy potato bake.

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

This Vegan Shepherd's Pie is the perfect comfort food which is gluten-free and easy to make. Made with lentils, veggies, and mashed potatoes.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Filling:

• 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced (*see recipe notes)
• Spice mix: 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tsp fresh), 1/2 tsp dried rosemary (or tarragon), 1/2 tsp sugar (or maple syrup), salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup red wine OR more veggie stock
• 2 cups cooked lentils (cooked from dry or canned)
• 1/2 cup peas (frozen or canned)
• 1/2 cup fresh corn or canned

Mashed Potatoes:

• 2 pounds potatoes
• 1/4 cup plant-based milk
• 2 tbsp vegan butter OR vegetable oil (or use plant-based milk if oil-free)
• nutmeg, salt and black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

• Peel and chop potatoes, transfer them to a pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until tender, drain.
• Transfer back to the pot, add vegan butter, plant-based milk, nutmeg, black pepper and sea salt to taste and mash with a potato masher (don't use a food processor or blender).
• In the meantime, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and all spices. Fry for about 3 minutes.
• Add tomato paste, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.
• Add cooked lentils, corn, and peas and pour in the red wine and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 5-7 minutes or until slightly reduced.
• Preheat oven to 390 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Spoon the lentil mixture into a baking dish (I used a square 9" baker). Spoon the mashed potatoes over the lentil mixture.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to get it golden brown on top.
• Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy!

Notes

You can leave out the celery if you don't like the taste and use any other vegetables instead (for example cauliflower, broccoli etc).

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