Vegan Lentil Shepherds Pie (Printable)

Savory lentils and vegetables topped with spiced sweet potato mash in a comforting main dish.

# What you'll need:

→ Sweet Potato Mash

01 - 7 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
03 - 1/4 cup plant-based milk (soy, almond, or oat)
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
05 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Lentil Filling

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 medium carrots, diced
10 - 2 celery stalks, diced
11 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
12 - 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
15 - 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
16 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
18 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
19 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
20 - 1 cup frozen peas
21 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Mash the drained sweet potatoes with olive oil or vegan butter, plant-based milk, ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, diced carrots, diced celery, and diced red bell pepper; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in rinsed lentils, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, dried thyme, dried rosemary, smoked paprika, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and the mixture thickens.
06 - Incorporate frozen peas into the lentil mixture. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Transfer the lentil filling into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the sweet potato mash evenly over the top.
08 - Use a fork to create decorative ridges on the sweet potato mash. Optionally, drizzle with a little olive oil for added browning.
09 - Place the assembled dish in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the topping is lightly golden and the filling is bubbling.
10 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes outside the oven before serving to enhance flavors and texture.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It feels like a hug on a plate without any of the heaviness that comes from traditional shepherds pie.
  • The sweet potato topping turns golden and slightly crispy at the edges, which is honestly the best part.
  • You can make it ahead and just pop it in the oven when people arrive, which saved me more than once during busy weeks.
02 -
  • Drain the sweet potatoes really well after boiling, or the mash will be runny and slide right off the filling.
  • Let the lentil mixture simmer long enough to thicken, otherwise the pie will be soupy and messy to serve.
  • Resting the pie for 10 minutes after baking is not optional, it makes all the difference when you try to portion it out.
03 -
  • Use a potato masher instead of a blender for the sweet potatoes, it keeps the texture fluffy instead of gluey.
  • Taste the filling before assembling and adjust the salt and soy sauce, thats where you can really make it your own.
  • If the sweet potato mash feels too thick to spread, stir in another tablespoon of plant-based milk until it loosens up just enough.

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