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Today, I’m sharing a recipe from my childhood with a little twist. This meatless shepherd’s pie has all the warmth, spice and heartiness of the traditional recipe yet it’s a vegetarian Shepherd’s pie with lentils. It might just be the most delicious thing on your menu this week.

meatless shepherd's pie in white casserole dish next to black serving spoon.

What's in this post

My version uses cashew milk mashed potatoes, vegetable stock and a variety of vegetables that are both filling and protein-packed. So no need to worry about not feeling full after a serving of this satisfying gluten-free dinner!

Ingredients in Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

This recipe contains several ingredients yet they make the perfect flavor profile. Homemade all the way with this incredible meat-free dish! Here’s what I’m using in my easy shepherd’s pie with lentils:

Ingredients for meatless shepherd\'s pie including vegetable stock, yellow onion, fresh herbs, celery, and frozen peas.

For the Filling:

  • Olive oil: Since we aren’t frying or using high heat in this recipe, extra virgin olive oil works great to help sauté the vegetables.
  • Yellow onion: I primarily use yellow onions in cooking as they aren’t too potent and are a bit buttery.
  • Carrot: Such an easy way to add color and earthy flavor.
  • Celery: If you love a crunch, wait a bit before adding the celery. That way it gets soft without losing its texture.
  • Leek: Use leeks for their mild onion-like flavor. If this is a new to you vegetable then learn how to cut leeks like a pro.
  • Garlic cloves: I’m not sure you can ever have too much garlic, yet three cloves should be plenty to spice up this dish.
  • Mushrooms: Baby Bella mushrooms are the perfect texture and “meatiness” I’m going for in this meatless recipe.
  • Fresh herbs: rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley and a bay leaf are the herbs that create the aromatic, traditional smell and taste in this vegetarian shepherd’s pie.
  • Tomato paste: This great paste adds warmth to the filling as well as helps it all bind together.
  • Tamari: This gluten-free sauce works like soy sauce without gluten.
  • Dijon mustard: My fav way to add a deeper kick of flavor.
  • Brown lentils: The mild, slightly earthy flavor of this type of lentil is perfect in a savory shepherd’s pie.
  • Vegetable Stock: Look for a store-bought brand without any additives, or learn how to make your own vegetable stock for the best flavor!
  • Frozen peas: Adding a pop of green to this dark dish.
  • Sea salt and black pepper: Helps to bring out the flavor of all the vegetables.
ingredients for mashed potatoes including sea salt, golden potatoes, cashew milk and grass-fed butter.

For the Mashed Potatoes:

  • Golden potatoes: These buttery beauties make the best mashed potatoes.
  • Grass-fed butter: I use this for the rich flavor and creaminess.
  • Cashew milk: This plant milk created the fluffiest result.
  • Sea Salt: Brightens the flavor in this yummy topping.
freeA bowl of ready-to-eat creamy vegetable soup next to silver spoons.

November 9-13, 2026

Jen’s Free Soup Challenge

I’d love for you to soup it up with me! For 5 days, I’ll send you a daily veggie-packed soup that’s easy enough for a busy weeknight and makes enough to freeze and pull out all winter.

Easy Ingredient Swaps

If soy is something you try to avoid then swap tamari with coconut aminos. Use the plant-based milk of your choice in the mashed potatoes. Vegan butter can replace grass-fed butter to make this recipe vegan.

If you aren’t able to find fresh herbs then feel free to use dried herbs anywhere you need to. The brown lentils can be swapped out for red lentils to keep a similar flavor.

How to Make Meatless Shepherd’s Pie

Before you dive into this recipe, read through the ingredients to determine what needs to be rinsed, chopped, etc. This “pre-prep” will help you move more quickly through the recipe itself since it does take a few steps.

For the Filling:

stainless steel skillet full of chopped vegetables ready to be sautéd.

Step 1: Using a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat for 30 seconds, or before it starts to smoke. Sauté the onion, carrot, celery and leek for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables just begin to soften.

Person pouring chopped mushrooms into a pan with vegetables.

Step 2: Add the garlic and sauté 60 seconds, constantly stirring so it doesn’t burn. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring to keep the mushrooms from burning.

Person holding a small plate of herbs over a pan of vegetables.
Lentils in a pot of vegetables and stock.

Step 3: Add all the herbs and tomato paste to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds, stirring continually. Stir in the tamari, mustard and broth.

Step 4: Add the rinsed lentils and bring just to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the mashed potatoes:

Whole potatoes in a pan.
Potato masher in a pan with mashed potatoes.

Step 1: While the skillet is simmering, start on the potatoes. Add them to a large pot then cover with just enough water to keep them submerged. Bring to a boil then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.

Step 2: Drain the water from the potatoes and place them back in the pot. Add in the butter and mash well with a fork, potato masher or immersion blender until creamy. As you are mashing, slowly stir in just enough cashew milk to make the potatoes smooth without getting runny. I like the liquid a few tablespoons at a time so I don’t get too much.

To bake:

Pile of frozen peas on a vegetable and lentil mixture.
Vegetarian shepherd\'s pie partially covered with mashed potato topping.

Step 1: To Assemble: Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove the bay leaf from the skillet then stir in the peas, salt and pepper. Bay leaves just add flavor to a dish, they aren’t meant to be eaten.

Step 2: Transfer to a 4qt casserole dish and spread out evenly. Spoon the mashed potatoes over top and gently spread to the edges of the dish. I sometimes leave about a 1/4 inch of space around the edge of my dish so I can see the filling as it bakes to determine if it is heating properly, yet you can take the potatoes all the way to the edge if you want.

Mashed potato topping over a dish of vegetarian shepherd\'s pie.
Mashed potato topping cooked with a crispy edge.

Step 3: Bake for 25 minutes or until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the mashed potatoes are golden on top. Check the topping to make sure the potatoes don’t burn.

Step 4: Remove from oven and allow the dish to cool for 15 minutes before serving. This allows the whole pie to stay warm yet not burn you when trying to serve. Feel free to add a few pats of butter over the top once you remove it from the oven, as well as fresh parsley.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie FAQs

What’s the difference between Shepherd’s pie and Cottage pie?

This difference really has to do with the meat filling. shepherd’s pie traditionally contains lamb while cottage pie contains beef. Yet no need to worry about this with my vegetarian version!

What are the nutrition facts of vegetarian shepherd’s pie?

My meatless shepherd’s pie recipe creates a complete meal in just one dish. Per serving there are 627 calories, 92 carbs, 24 grams of protein and 20 grams of fat. It also contains 25 grams of fiber and only 31 mg of cholesterol. Meat-free and still filling!

How do you stop the mashed potatoes from sinking into the shepherd’s pie?

I find that simmering the filling in the skillet until the lentils are well cooked (softened) and making sure there isn’t too much liquid before transferring it to a casserole dish to bake helps hold the filling together. This way there are no gaps for the mashed potatoes to sink through. Likewise, make sure your mashed potatoes are not super liquidy or runny before adding them to the top of your baking dish so they don’t easily run through.

2 white plates with 1 serving each of shepherd's pie with lentils and black forks.

More Vegetarian Comfort Food Meals

If you’re ready for some warm and comforting meals this season then check out the delectable recipes below. I love seasonal cooking as it brings about a wide variety of produce and lets me play around with new flavor combinations. Winter doesn’t have to be bland, boring or fresh food free, just check out this Winter Meal Plan!

  • Potato Curry: This lovely curry recipe is great for a weeknight.
  • Minestrone Soup: A little bit of everything without too much of anything goes into this yummy soup.
  • Loaded Sweet Potato: Who knew savory sweet potatoes could taste so dreamy?!
  • Vegan Potato Soup: A soup that’s incredibly savory + creamy yet without the dairy.

Don’t forget to leave a rating + review for my Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with Lentils; I’d love to read about how yours turned out!

Recipe Card

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with Lentils

Jen Hansard
5 (3)
This vegetarian shepherd’s pie simmers brown lentils, baby bella mushrooms, leek and fresh rosemary, sage and thyme into a savory filling under creamy mashed potatoes. Each hearty serving brings 24 grams of protein and 25 grams of fiber, no meat needed.
Review Save Print Pin
Serving spoon in a serving dish of vegetarian shepherd's pie.
Serves4 (2 cups)
Prep1 hour
Cook25 minutes
Total time1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 1 celery diced
  • 1 leek rinsed well to remove any dirt and thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic clove minced
  • 1 pound baby bella mushrooms chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup brown lentils uncooked, rinsed well
  • 3 cup vegetable stock
  • 1 cup peas frozen
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground ground

Toppings

  • 2 pounds golden potatoes quartered
  • ¼ cup grass-fed butter
  • ½ cup cashew milk unsweetened
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, unrefined
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ground ground

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and leek and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring so the vegetables don’t burn, for 5 minutes more.
  • Add the rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Stir in the tamari, mustard and vegetable stock.
  • Add the lentils and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a large pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer until fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the butter and mash well, then slowly stir in just enough cashew milk to make the potatoes creamy and smooth.

To Assemble:

  • Heat the oven to 400 °F.
  • Remove the bay leaf from the skillet and stir in the peas. Season with the salt and pepper.
  • Transfer the filling to a 4-quart casserole dish and spread it evenly. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top and gently spread them to the edges of the dish.
  • Bake until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the potatoes are golden on top, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Equipment

enameled cast iron skillet
Lodge enameled skillet
dutch oven enamel blue
6-qt enameled Dutch oven
Red Le Creuset baking dish on a kitchen counter with a towel and flowers.
4-qt casserole dish
Set of gold measuring cups with white powder on marble surface.
Le Creuset measuring cups

Recipe Notes

  • Vegan Swap: Use vegan butter in place of the grass-fed butter. Any unsweetened dairy-free milk works in place of the cashew milk.
  • Make Ahead: Assemble the pie up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time.
  • Baking Tip: Bake time varies with the size and depth of your dish, so check the top after 20 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if the potatoes brown too quickly.
  • Storing: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze individual portions for up to 3 months. Reheat at 350 °F until hot in the center, covering with foil so the top doesn’t dry out.

Nutrition

Calories627 kcal
Carbohydrates92 g
Protein24 g
Fat20 g
Fiber25 g

Serving: 2 cups | Saturated Fat: 9 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g | Trans Fat: 0.5 g | Cholesterol: 31 mg | Sodium: 1282 mg | Potassium: 2305 mg | Sugar: 12 g | Vitamin A: 4305 IU | Vitamin C: 74 mg | Calcium: 148 mg | Iron: 8 mg

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