Vegan Shepherd's Pie

 

The ultimate British comfort food, fully plant-based and absolutely stunning. A rich, deeply savoury lentil and vegetable filling topped with the creamiest, most buttery mashed potato — this is vegan comfort food at its absolute finest.

Servings: 6 | Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 50 mins | Total: 70 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups green or brown lentils, rinsed
• 1kg potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp vegan butter
• 1 cup plant milk, warmed
• 1 pinch salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Cook lentils in plenty of salted water for 20 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pan. Cook onion, carrots, and celery for 8 minutes until softened.

3. Add garlic, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and soy sauce. Cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, and cooked lentils. Simmer for 15 minutes until thick and rich. Stir in frozen peas and season well.

5. While the filling simmers, boil potatoes for 20 minutes until completely tender. Drain and mash with vegan butter, warm plant milk, salt, and pepper until incredibly smooth and creamy.

6. Spread the creamy mash over the lentil filling and use a fork to create a textured pattern on top.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges.

Nutritional Info (per serving): 

Calories: ~480 | Protein: 20g | Carbs: 72g | Fat: 14g | Fibre: 16g | Iron: 8mg

💡 Tip: Use a fork to make a rough, textured pattern on the mash before baking — those ridges get beautifully golden and crispy in the oven while the valleys stay soft and creamy!

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