Recommended Vegan Shepherd’s pie Recipe
This vegan shepherd’s pie recipe is all about simple, nourishing ingredients being made into something that’s truly special and enjoyable. The base for this shepherd’s pie is a filling of lentils and vegetables, that you cook until it becomes tender in a rich, flavorful sauce. Lentils give the dish that meaty bite, while the mix of carrots, celery, peas, and mushrooms bring natural sweetness and texture. A little tomato paste and vegetable broth help create a sauce that’s perfectly seasoned and just thick enough to hold everything together without feeling heavy.
On top, you have the fluffiest mashed potatoes, made creamy with a touch of vegan butter and plant milk. They get spooned over the filling and smoothed out into an even layer. You can keep the top silky smooth or run a fork over the surface to make ridges that crisp up beautifully in the oven. As it bakes, the potatoes turn golden in spots, and the filling underneath bubbles gently, sending out the most delicious aroma.
By the way, you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, swap in sweet potatoes for a slightly sweet twist, or even make it ahead of time and just pop it into the oven when you’re ready to eat. You can actually tweak this recipe to your taste and still arrive at a very great result.
However you like your vegan shepherd’s pie, the recipe below has been crafted to guide you through the process of making something that your family would love.

Homemade Vegan Shepherd's pie Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place diced potatoes in a large pot of salted water.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, or until tender.
- Drain and return potatoes to the pot.
- Add vegan butter and vegan milk, then mash until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add mushrooms and cook another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in lentils, peas, corn, tomato paste, vegetable broth, thyme, rosemary, paprika, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
- If desired, stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Spread the lentil-vegetable filling evenly in a baking dish.
- Top with mashed potatoes, spreading evenly with a spatula.
- Use a fork to create light ridges for a golden finish.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and filling is bubbling.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.