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    Home > Recipes > Main Dishes

    Vegan Shepherd's Pie

    Published: Aug 18, 2020 · Modified: Oct 15, 2022 by Iosune · This post may contain affiliate links · 35 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Photo of a vegan shepherd's pie casserole with one portion missing and the words vegan shepherd's pie

    Vegan Shepherd's pie, a super comforting recipe. It's delicious, nutritious, packed with lots of veggies and protein, and made with simple ingredients.

    Photo of a portion of vegan shepherd's pie

    This vegan Shepherd's pie is a great recipe for special occasions. It's delicious and filling, as well as easy to make, and so nutritious! I love to have it for Christmas, as it's a beautiful dish and it's perfect for making a big batch of it so everyone can enjoy it.

    Traditional Shepherd's pie is made with ground beef, so I decided to use lentils instead. However, you can make this recipe with any legume you have on hand, and also with textured soy protein.

    Besides, you can customize it with your favorite veggies. It actually is a very convenient dish for when you have some leftover ingredients (such as small parts of different veggies) and don't want to throw them away.

    Vegan Shepherd's pie, a traditional British recipe, super comforting, and very appropriate for when you need to serve a special dish. It's made with simple and natural ingredients, and it's super easy to prepare!

    How to make vegan shepherd's pie - Step by step

    Photos of the first 6 steps to make vegan shepherd's pie
    • Preheat the oven to 355 ºF or 180 ºC.
    • Steam or boil the potatoes for about 15 to 20 minutes (photo 1). Drain and set aside.
    • In the meantime, heat the oil in a large pot (photo 2), add the veggies and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 to 10 minutes (photo 3). Then add the wine (photo 4), stir, and cook for 5 more minutes.
    • Add the peas, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, lentils, paprika, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper (photo 5), stir and cook over medium-high heat for about 10 to 15 minutes (photo 6).
    Photo of the last 6 steps of how to make vegan shepherd's pie
    • To make the mashed potatoes just place the potatoes in a large bowl and mash them using a potato masher, a fork, or even an immersion blender (photo 7). Add all the remaining ingredients (photo 8) and mash again.
    • Transfer the filling to a large baking dish (photo 9) and top it with the mashed potatoes (photo 10).
    • Score the top with a fork to create grooves that will brown easily (optional) (photo 11).
    • Bake the pie for about 20 to 25 minutes (photo 12).
    • Serve immediately.

    Pro tips

    • Although I didn't peel the potatoes, you can do it if you'd like.
    • Feel free to boil the potatoes instead of steaming them.
    • You can add any veggies, dried or fresh herbs, or spices you like.
    • Replace the canned tomatoes with fresh tomatoes or even with some tomato sauce if you want to.
    • If you can’t find nutritional yeast, use brewer’s yeast instead or just add some beer.
    • Use some water or vegetable stock instead of oil.
    • You can also replace the wine with some water or vegetable stock.
    Close-up shot of a portion of vegan shepherd's pie

    What is vegan shepherd's pie?

    Shepherd's pie is a classic British dish traditionally made with meat. However, I veganized it by adding vegetable protein (lentils) to make it comforting, nutritious, warm, and filling, as well as cruelty-free.

    This is a perfect dish to enjoy on holidays like Thanksgiving or even Christmas, although it's so good and easy to make you could actually have it on a regular day. It is one of my go-to comfort foods!

    Can you freeze vegan shepherd's pie?

    Yes, you can. The mashed potatoes might get a slightly different texture than the non-frozen version, but the dish will keep in good condition in the freezer for up to 2 months.

    To freeze it, let it cool first, put it into an airtight container, and transfer it into the freezer. When you're ready to eat it, you can let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat it in the oven, or you can directly reheat in the oven for 1 hour approximately.

    How long will this vegan shepherd's pie last?

    This recipe is made with natural ingredients, so it's important to store it in an airtight container in the fridge so it keeps in good condition for about 3-5 days.

    Looking for more main dish recipes?

    • Vegan Meatballs
    • Vegetable Soup
    • Tofu Stir Fry
    • Vegan Jambalaya
    • General Tso's Tofu
    Side shot of a portion of vegan shepherd's pie

    Did you make this vegan shepherd's pie recipe?

    Please leave a comment below, share it, or rate it. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST. I’d love to see what you cook!

    Square photo of a portion of vegan shepherd's pie

    Vegan Shepherd's Pie

    Vegan Shepherd's pie, a super comforting recipe. It's delicious, nutritious, packed with lots of veggies and protein, and made with simple ingredients.
    5 from 3 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Course: Main Dish, Vegan Thanksgiving
    Cuisine: British
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 8
    Author: Iosune


    Ingredients 

    US Customary - Metric

    For the mashed potatoes:

    • 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
    • ½ cup unsweetened plant milk of your choice, I used soy milk
    • 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted vegan butter
    • 4 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

    For the filling:

    • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
    • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    • ½ cup red wine, optional
    • 1 cup frozen peas
    • 4 tablespoon tomato paste, optional
    • 2 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
    • 1 15-ounce can lentils, drained and rinsed
    • 2 teaspoon paprika
    • 2 tablespoon dried oregano
    • 2 tablespoon dried rosemary
    • 1 and ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 355 ºF or 180 ºC.
    • Steam or boil the potatoes for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they're soft. Drain and set aside.
    • In the meantime, add the oil to a large pot and when it's hot, add the veggies (onion, garlic, carrot, and red bell pepper) and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 to 10 minutes or until they're soft. Then add the wine, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes.
    • Add all the remaining ingredients (peas, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, lentils, paprika, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper), stir, and cook over medium-high heat for about 10 to 15 minutes.
    • To make the mashed potatoes just place the potatoes in a large bowl and mash them using a potato masher, a fork, or even an immersion blender. Then add all the remaining ingredients (milk, oil or vegan butter, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper) and mash again.
    • Transfer the filling to a large baking dish (of about 9x13 inch or a similar size, about 23x33 cm) and top it with the mashed potatoes.
    • Then use a fork and score the top to create grooves that will brown easily (this step is optional).
    • Bake the pie for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
    • Serve immediately or keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

    Notes

    • Although I didn't peel the potatoes, you can do it if you'd like.
    • Feel free to boil the potatoes instead of steaming them.
    • You can add any veggies, dried or fresh herbs, or spices you like.
    • If you don't want to use canned tomatoes you can replace them with fresh tomatoes or even with some tomato sauce.
    • If you can’t find nutritional yeast, use brewer’s yeast instead or just add some beer.
    • If you don’t eat oil, just use some water or vegetable stock instead.
    • You can also replace the wine with some water or vegetable stock.
    • Recipe inspired by The Happy Pear.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 15.9g | Fat: 12.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Sodium: 968mg | Fiber: 15.8g | Sugar: 13g

    Update Notes: This post was originally published in April of 2016, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips in August of 2020.

    More Vegan Main Dish Recipes

    • Beer-Battered Vegan Fish
    • Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup
    • Jackfruit Carnitas
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    6.1K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jasmin childs says

      June 25, 2021 at 6:34 pm

      hi i havent managed to try this yet because i am a single person and 6 servings is too much for me to make. i do batch cook but normally only up to about 4 servings. i find it easier to try to work it out for a portion of 1 and then double it up from there, if that makes sense. however, with this one i am unsure of how to work out what 1 portion would be in terms of the amounts of spices. for example, if this 6 serving one requires 1 teaspoon of paprika, how much would i need for 1 portion? i tried to divide it but that comes up with 0.3!!

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        June 29, 2021 at 10:01 am

        Hi! Thanks for writing to us 🙂 That's it! You have to divide the recipe into 6! But, maybe, instead of 0.3 teaspoons of paprika, add just a pinch!

        Reply
    2. Dave Pressman says

      August 18, 2020 at 10:21 pm

      Thanks for another sure-to-be delicious recipe. One minor question: The list of ingredients calls for a "12 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes (850 g in total)". Should this read "1 12 or 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes (850 g in total)"?

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        August 23, 2020 at 8:44 am

        Hi Dave! It was a mistake but we've already fixed it 🙂 Sorry for the inconvenience!

        Reply
        • Dave Pressman says

          August 23, 2020 at 9:31 am

          Again a minor comment from a neurotic writer: It should be "2 15-oz. canS of crushed tomatoes".

        • Iosune Robles says

          August 24, 2020 at 10:28 am

          Thanks for your comment Dave 🙂 Have a nice day!

    3. Lawerence says

      July 07, 2020 at 8:49 am

      Delicious recipe however, I cannot STAND any sort of ‘woody’ herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage etc. Would adding a tbsp. of standard dried mixed herbs work as well or would this be too much/too little do you think? Thanks in advance! 😊

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        July 09, 2020 at 10:51 am

        Hi Lawerence! Feel free to use dried mixed herbs 🙂 I think it will be delicious!

        Reply
    4. Bonnie says

      March 03, 2020 at 1:44 am

      The recipe sounds very tasty, but I don’t understand your directions in #4 and $5. In #4, it says to mash the potatoes in a bowl, then to mash the rest of the ingredients in. Then in #5, it says to put the potatoes on top of the other ingredients. Please clarify. The mashed potatoes are or are not mixed in with the other ingredients?

      Reply
      • Bonnie says

        March 03, 2020 at 1:51 am

        Ok, ignore my last comment. I finished reading the directions, oops. 😀

        Reply
        • Iosune says

          March 09, 2020 at 4:11 pm

          Hi Bonnie! Hope you enjoy it 🙂

    5. Rick says

      February 16, 2020 at 11:00 pm

      double up on the potatoes !! recipe is 5 star

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        March 09, 2020 at 2:58 pm

        Hi Rick! So glad you liked it 🙂

        Reply
    6. Jean says

      October 16, 2019 at 9:13 pm

      What size casserole dish did you use for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        October 29, 2019 at 12:35 pm

        Hi Jean! I used a 9 1/4 x 6 x 2 inch or 23 x 15 x 5 cm baking dish 🙂

        Reply
    7. Emily says

      January 10, 2019 at 5:03 pm

      This recipe was so yummy! I kind of winged it (which I always do) by making the lentils myself, so probably had 1.5 cups, added extra carrots, tomatoes, and wine. Even Hubby - who hates all things vegetarian - said to put it on the 'eat again' list! Woohoo!
      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        January 11, 2019 at 8:37 am

        Hi Emily! I'm so happy to hear that 🙂 Thank YOU for making my recipe!

        Reply
    8. Kerry O'Hare says

      January 28, 2018 at 6:21 pm

      Thanks for this recipe. Made this tonight and it is going to be a staple! It's really delicious, Even the non~vegans in the family love it. I used my instant pot to cook the veggies and steam the potatoes at the same time before putting it in the oven. I added some chopped white cabbage, coconut aminios , garlic and onion powder. Yum!

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        January 31, 2018 at 4:52 pm

        Hi Kerry! You're so welcome 🙂 Sounds great!

        Reply
    9. Raven says

      October 16, 2017 at 10:52 pm

      Everything turned out right, except for the potatoes. I followed the metric measurements to make sure everything was accurate, but I feel like there should be twice as many potatoes as the recipe calls for. They hardly covered the filling and began to mix in. Otherwise very tasty.

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        October 17, 2017 at 9:00 am

        Hi Raven! I'm so sorry about that. Maybe your casserole tray was bigger than ours. Have a nice day!

        Reply
    10. Rachel Morris says

      September 03, 2017 at 4:40 am

      I've made this a couple of times and adapted it slightly to UK Slimming World.
      I honestly think it's the tastiest thing i've ever cooked and so simple!! Absolutely love it 🙂

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        September 18, 2017 at 1:02 pm

        Hi Rachel! Thanks a lot, you're so kind 🙂 Have a nice day!

        Reply
    11. Tina says

      May 24, 2017 at 9:58 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe. We have made it twice already. Thank you so much for sharing.

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        May 29, 2017 at 1:10 pm

        Hi Tina! Thank you so much 😀 You're so welcome!

        Reply
    12. Juliana says

      August 07, 2016 at 2:21 pm

      Whats the nutritional information for one person??

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        August 08, 2016 at 9:55 am

        Hi Juliana! We don't share the nutritional information anymore, sorry!

        Reply
    13. Karen says

      April 28, 2016 at 4:07 pm

      This looks yummy ?.. Can I check which lentils you used? So happy to have found your site!! I'm a new vegan finding my way. Also travelling through Spain shortly so desperate to have easy recipes to cook

      Yours seem amazing. Thank you ?

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        May 02, 2016 at 12:38 pm

        Hi Karen! Thanks for your kind words 😀 I used canned brown lentils, but you can use your favorite ones 😉 Hope you like Spain!!! 😉

        Reply
    14. Judith says

      April 04, 2016 at 8:09 pm

      This shepards pie recipe sure looks like it has cheese melted into it? The picture doesn't fit the recipe. I'd love to hear your opinion on this recipe vs the picture.

      Reply
      • Chrissy says

        April 05, 2016 at 2:05 am

        It looks like cheese to me also.

        Reply
        • Iosune says

          April 05, 2016 at 9:42 am

          Hi Chrissy! Just in case you didn't read what I said to Judith: I thought the same when I saw the original recipe for the first time, but it's not cheese, it's just golden brown baked mashed potatoes mixed with the tomato mixture, it's amazing! We never lie to our readers and we always share the photos of our recipes 🙂 Have a nice day!

      • Iosune says

        April 05, 2016 at 9:41 am

        Hi Judith! I thought the same when I saw the original recipe for the first time, but it's not cheese, it's just golden brown baked mashed potatoes mixed with the tomato mixture, it's amazing! We never lie to our readers and we always share the photos of our recipes 🙂 Have a nice day!

        Reply
        • Jocelyn King says

          February 13, 2019 at 12:29 am

          5 stars
          I agree. No cheese in this. I am vegan and very allergic to cheese. I can recognize cheese at a glance because cheese makes me so sick. This is just very yummy delicious mashed potatoes. I always appreciate recipes with no cheese!

        • Iosune says

          February 13, 2019 at 8:08 am

          Hi Jocelyn! You'll find lots of dairy-free recipes on the blog 🙂 Thanks for your comment!

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