Name: Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 1 large onion (about 200 g), finely chopped; 2 carrots (about 150 g), finely diced; 2 celery sticks (about 100 g), finely diced; 250 g (9 oz) mushrooms, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 1 tbsp (8 g) plain flour (or cornflour for gluten-free); 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce or tamari; 1 tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp dried thyme; ½ tsp dried rosemary; 1 bay leaf; 250 g (1 ¼ cups) dried brown or green lentils, rinsed; 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock, plus more if needed; 150 g (1 cup) frozen peas; salt and black pepper; 1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 cm (1 ½ in) chunks; 2 tsp fine salt, for the cooking water; 60 g (4 tbsp) vegan butter or 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil; 120–180 ml (½–¾ cup) unsweetened plant milk, warmed; ½ tsp fine salt; ¼ tsp pepper; 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

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This vegan shepherd’s pie has a filling of brown lentils, mushrooms and vegetables cooked in a deeply savoury gravy, with a thick layer of fluffy mashed potato on top that browns in the oven. It’s a full meal in one dish, it costs little to make, and it can be assembled a day ahead or frozen.

The flavour comes from layering savoury ingredients rather than from meat. Well-browned vegetables, mushrooms cooked until dry, tomato paste fried in the pan, and soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and thyme together give the gravy real depth.

Serves 6. Allow about 30 minutes of prep, 45 minutes on the hob and 25 minutes in the oven.

A word on the name

Strictly speaking, shepherd’s pie is made with minced lamb, and the beef version is cottage pie. Both are British and Irish dishes that go back to the 18th and 19th centuries, when a potato crust was a thrifty way to stretch leftover roast meat. A lentil version borrows the format, a savoury filling under mash, and it has become a fixture of vegetarian and vegan cooking in Britain. Calling it shepherd’s pie is a convention rather than a claim to tradition.

Ingredients

Lentil filling

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 large onion (about 200 g), finely chopped
2 carrots (about 150 g), finely diced
2 celery sticks (about 100 g), finely diced
250 g (9 oz) chestnut or button mushrooms, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1 tbsp (8 g) plain flour (or cornflour for gluten-free)
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
½ tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1 bay leaf
250 g (1 ¼ cups) dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock, plus a little more if needed
150 g (1 cup) frozen peas
Salt and black pepper

Mashed potato topping

1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, King Edward or russet, peeled and cut into 4 cm (1 ½ in) chunks
2 tsp fine salt, for the cooking water
60 g (4 tbsp) vegan butter or 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil
120–180 ml (½–¾ cup) unsweetened plant milk, warmed
½ tsp fine salt, or to taste
¼ tsp white or black pepper
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Choosing ingredients

Lentils. Brown or green lentils hold their shape and give the filling a texture similar to mince. French-style Puy lentils work too but take a little longer. Red lentils break down to a purée, which is good for soup but makes a mushy pie. Canned lentils are a shortcut: use two 400 g (14 oz) cans, drained, which gives about 480 g cooked, and cut the stock to 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups).

Mushrooms add savouriness and meaty texture. Chop them finely, almost to crumbs, and cook them until all their liquid has evaporated.

Soy sauce and balsamic give the savoury depth and slight sweetness you’d get from a meat gravy. If you like Worcestershire sauce, note that the standard kind contains anchovies, so look for one labelled vegan. A teaspoon of yeast extract, such as Marmite, is a good addition if you have it.

Potatoes. Floury, starchy potatoes make a light, fluffy mash that browns well. Waxy potatoes turn gluey when mashed.

Method

Make the filling

Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan or casserole over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, for 10 minutes, until soft and starting to colour.
Add the mushrooms and turn up the heat a little. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until they’ve released their liquid and it has evaporated, and they’re starting to brown.
Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then the tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until it darkens to a brick red. Sprinkle over the flour and stir for 1 minute.
Add the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, lentils and stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 30–35 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are tender but not falling apart. Add a splash more stock if it gets too dry before they’re done.
Stir in the peas, take out the bay leaf, and season well with salt and pepper. The filling should be thick and glossy, like a rich mince. If it’s still soupy, simmer uncovered for a few minutes more.

Make the mash

While the lentils cook, put the potatoes in a large pan, cover with cold water by 2–3 cm (1 in) and add the salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance.
Drain well and leave the potatoes in the colander for 2 minutes to steam dry. Return them to the pan and mash, or pass through a ricer, until smooth. Beat in the vegan butter or oil, then the warm milk a little at a time, until soft but still thick enough to hold peaks. Add the nutritional yeast, if using, and season with the salt and pepper.

Assemble and bake

Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F), or 180°C (350°F) fan.
Spread the filling in a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13-inch) baking dish, or a 2.5–3 litre (2 ½–3 quart) dish of a similar size. Leave it to cool for 10 minutes so the mash doesn’t sink.
Spoon the mash over in dollops, starting at the edges, then spread it to seal in the filling. Rough up the surface with a fork; the ridges brown nicely.
Set the dish on a baking tray to catch drips and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the peaks are golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges. For a darker top, finish under the grill for 2–3 minutes.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

What goes wrong, and how to avoid it

Watery filling. Under-reduced gravy floods the plate. It should be thick before it goes into the dish, as it won’t thicken in the oven.
Bland filling. Lentils need generous seasoning. Taste carefully at the end and add salt, pepper or a splash more soy sauce.
Sinking mash. Hot, loose filling lets the mash sink in. Cool the filling briefly and keep the mash fairly stiff.
Gluey mash. Overworking potatoes, especially in a food processor, makes them sticky. Mash by hand or use a ricer.
Undercooked lentils. Old lentils can take longer. Taste a few before you add the peas.

Variations

Root vegetable topping: replace up to half the potatoes with sweet potato, parsnip or celeriac, boiled and mashed together.
Extra vegetables: add diced swede, a handful of chopped kale or some sweetcorn with the peas.
Cheesy top: scatter 50 g (½ cup) grated vegan cheese over the mash before baking.
Not vegan: use butter and milk in the mash and sprinkle with grated Cheddar.

Smaller dishes and individual pies

For 2–3 people, halve every ingredient (125 g lentils, 500 ml stock, 600 g potatoes and so on) and use a 20 cm (8 in) square dish or a 1.5 litre (1 ½ quart) dish of a similar size. The layers stay the same depth, so the baking time is about the same: 25–30 minutes, until golden and bubbling at the edges. If your dish is a different shape, our kitchen conversions guide explains how to match dishes by area.

Individual pies are handy for the freezer. Divide the filling and mash between 6 small ovenproof dishes, then cool, wrap and freeze them as in the next section. Small dishes heat through faster than a full pie, so start checking after about 25 minutes and make sure the centre is piping hot before serving. Our spinach and ricotta stuffed shells (vegetarian rather than vegan) freeze well in portions the same way.

Make ahead, storage and freezing

Make ahead: assemble the pie, cool completely, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bake from cold at 190°C (375°F) for 40–45 minutes, until piping hot in the centre.
Freeze: freeze the assembled, unbaked pie, well wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as above.
Leftovers: keep in the fridge for 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until steaming, or reheat the dish under foil in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 25–30 minutes.

Serving ideas

Serve it with steamed greens such as cabbage, kale or green beans, or with buttered carrots. A spoonful of brown sauce or ketchup is a popular British addition at the table. For a vegan meal from start to finish, begin with a bowl of our Turkish red lentil soup and finish with a slice of our one-bowl vegan banana bread.

For more on cooling, freezing and reheating, see our make-ahead, storage and freezing guide.

For another British classic, see our fish and chips.

Common questions

Can I make it gluten-free? Yes. Use cornflour instead of plain flour and tamari instead of soy sauce, and check the labels on your stock and vegan butter. The potatoes, lentils and vegetables are naturally gluten-free.

Can I bake it straight from frozen? It’s better to thaw it overnight in the fridge first, as in the recipe. Baked from frozen, a full pie takes much longer, and the top can over-brown while the centre is still cold.

Can I top it with sweet potato only? You can, but sweet potato mash is softer and wetter than potato mash, so it spreads rather than holding peaks and browns less. Add little or no plant milk, and set the dish on a tray in case it bubbles over.

What can I use instead of mushrooms? Leave them out and add an extra carrot and celery stick. The filling will taste lighter, so a teaspoon of yeast extract or an extra splash of soy sauce helps make up the savoury depth.

Why is the filling drier after a day in the fridge? The lentils keep soaking up gravy as the pie sits. If you’re assembling it a day or two ahead, leave the filling slightly saucier than you would for baking straight away. It should still be thick, not soupy.