Satisfy your comfort food cravings with a hearty green lentil shepherd’s pie—a vegetarian spin on a beloved classic. It’s the perfect addition to a nutritious meal plan, loaded with savory flavors and a boost of plant-based protein. Whether you want to eat healthier this year or shake up your lunch or dinner routine, this cozy dish will become a favorite on your menu.
I always strive to make healthier recipes that my kids and I will enjoy. That means sneaking in veggies to various dishes any chance I get!
And, when it comes to veggies, lentils have to be among the most underrated. Not only are they nutrient powerhouses, but their mild, slightly nutty taste won’t overpower dishes. I regularly add them to my kids’ cheesy quesadillas; they love it!
This time, though, I’m expanding my healthy menu to include this delicious green lentil shepherd’s pie. You won’t find any meat in this recipe, though! Lentils take center stage as they give this dish a chunky, tender, and satisfying texture complemented very well by its mashed potato topping.
This is one plant-based meal that will become a family favorite in no time at all!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients Needed For Veggie Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- 17.6 oz French lentil, cooked (green or brown)
- 6 yellow potatoes, about 3 lbs, medium size
- 1 yellow onion, large
- 1 red pepper, large
- 2 carrots, medium
- 1 tomato, large
- 1 cup peas, frozen or fresh
- 2 cups vegetable or beef broth
- 1 ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, plus 2 – 3 tbsp for the potato mashed topping
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 tsp dry thyme
- 1 ½ tsp cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 grains of allspice
- salt and pepper, to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions With Pictures
1. Rinse the lentils under cold water. Place in a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. To make the vegetable filling, heat the avocado oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Next, add the sliced onion, carrots, and red pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, thyme, and cumin. Grind the allspice in a mortar and add it to the vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Chop the tomato into small cubes. Add the tomato and bay leaf to the skillet and cook for 5- 6 minutes.
5. Pour the vegetable broth into the mixture. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
6. Remove the bay leaf from the vegetable filling.
7. Add the cooked lentils to a casserole or baking dish.
8. Pour the vegetable filling on top.
9. Add the peas.
10. Stir well, season with salt and black pepper to taste, then set aside.
11. Boil the peeled potatoes in salted water for 15-20 minutes until fork-tender.
12. Drain and place them in a bowl and mash them.
13. Add sour cream, the remaining avocado oil, salt, and pepper to the potatoes, then mix. (You can add grated cheese of your choice for extra richness).
14. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
15. Add the mashed potatoes on top of the lentil mixture, spreading it evenly to cover the surface of the casserole.
16. Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown.
17. Cut into slices and top with the sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve and enjoy!
Foolproof Tips To Make The Ultimate Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
- Time Saver Tip: Using canned lentils for this recipe will save you some time as you can do away with cooking the lentils first.
- Crisp Pie: If you want your green lentil shepherd’s pie to be extra crispy, broil it for an extra 2-3 minutes after baking it.
- Creamier Mashed Potatoes: Use starchy potatoes like Yukon golds or Russet potatoes, then add butter (or vegan butter) to achieve a creamier topping.
- Fill It With Umami: Add Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce to the vegetable filling to give it depth.
- Let It Rest: After baking, let the vegetarian shepherd’s pie rest for about 15 minutes to allow the filling to set, making slicing and serving it a bit easier.
Top Ways To Present Your Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Looking to make your green lentil shepherd’s pie even more impressive? Try these presentation tips:
- Pair It With Rice: Serve this dish on top of quinoa, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a deeply satisfying meal.
- More Veggies: Pair the shepherd’s pie with a light salad or a serving of roasted or sauteed vegetables on the side.
- Brighten Things: Serve the pie with a lemon wedge that guests can squeeze over the dish if desired.
- Herb It Up: Instead of fresh thyme, you can sprinkle parsley, rosemary, or chives on top of the mashed potato topping to give the dish a burst of freshness.
- Paired With Bread: Serve the meal with crispy garlic bread on the side.
Fun Spins On The Classic Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Want to put an even bigger twist to this recipe? Try any of these creative spins:
- Make It Spicy: Add a touch of heat to the recipe by sprinkling chili flakes or adding hot sauce on top before serving.
- Sneak Them In: For added texture and flavor, add other veggies like corn, celery, green beans, spinach, kale, or mushrooms to the vegetable filling.
- Cheesy Delight: Sprinkle a generous layer of grated cheese on the mashed potatoes.
- Sweeter Option: Instead of regular yellow potatoes, use sweet potatoes to create a slightly sweeter topping.
- Make It (Kinda) Meat-y: Incorporate vegan sausage slices into the vegetarian filling to boost flavor.
Storage And Reheating
Store: Store any leftover shepherd’s pie in an airtight container, then keep it in the fridge. It’ll be good to eat for up to 4 days.
Freeze: You can also freeze the dish by placing it in a freezer-safe container and keeping it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Reheat the green lentil shepherd’s pie in the oven for about 20-30 minutes or until heated. Cover the dish so it retains moisture. Alternatively, you can reheat smaller servings in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until warmed through.
One More Thing
Looking to make 2025 a healthier year for you and your family? Then give this green lentil shepherd’s pie a try! It’s full of protein and other nutrients that spell great things for your body and is so delicious and filling to boot.
It’s simple to make out of everyday ingredients you might already have plus it’s fantastic to serve over rice, with other veggie side dishes, or even crispy garlic bread. Best of all, you can play with the toppings and filling ingredients to suit your taste and preferences!
Don’t be afraid to switch things up and explore vegetarian dishes like this shepherd’s pie. Who knows, this recipe – sans lamb or ground beef – might even become your favorite way of making it!
Your Turn
If you make this green lentil shepherd’s pie, please take a moment to let me know how you liked it by leaving a rating and a comment below on the recipe card. Follow me on Pinterest and Facebook for more easy and tasty recipes!
More Healthy Recipes To Try
Hearty and Healthy Green Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 17.6 oz French lentil cooked (green or brown)
- 6 yellow potatoes about 3 lbs, medium size
- 1 yellow onion large
- 1 red pepper large
- 2 carrots medium
- 1 tomato large
- 1 cup peas frozen or fresh
- 2 cups vegetable or beef broth
- 1 ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp avocado oil plus 2 – 3 tbsp oil for the potato mashed topping
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 tsp dry thyme
- 1 ½ tsp cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 grains of allspice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils under cold water. Place in a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.17.6 oz French lentil
- To make the vegetable filling, heat the avocado oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Next, add the sliced onion, carrots, and red pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.1 yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 tbsp avocado oil, 1 red pepper
- Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, thyme, and cumin. Grind the allspice in a mortar and add it to the vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes.1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp dry thyme, 1 ½ tsp cumin, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 grains of allspice
- Chop the tomato into small cubes. Add the tomato and bay leaf to the skillet and cook for 5- 6 minutes.1 tomato, 1 bay leaf
- Pour the vegetable broth into the mixture. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.2 cups vegetable or beef broth
- Remove the bay leaf from the vegetable filling.
- Add the cooked lentils to a casserole or baking dish.
- Pour the vegetable filling on top.
- Add the peas.1 cup peas
- Stir well and season with salt and black pepper to taste, then set aside.salt and pepper
- Boil the peeled potatoes in salted water for about 15-20 minutes until fork-tender.6 yellow potatoes
- Drain and place them in a bowl and mash them.
- Add sour cream, the remaining avocado oil, salt, and pepper to the potatoes, then mix. (You can add grated cheese of your choice for extra richness).1 ⅓ cup sour cream, 2 tbsp avocado oil, salt and pepper
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Add the mashed potatoes on top of the lentil mixture, spreading it evenly to cover the surface of the casserole.
- Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
- Cut into slices and top with the sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve and enjoy!A few sprigs of fresh thyme
Notes
- Time Saver Tip: Using canned lentils for this recipe will save you some time as you can do away with cooking the lentils first.
- Crisp Pie: If you want your green lentil shepherd’s pie to be extra crispy, broil it for an extra 2-3 minutes after baking it.
- Creamier Mashed Potatoes: Use starchy potatoes like Yukon golds or Russet potatoes, then add butter (or vegan butter) to achieve a creamier topping.
- Fill It With Umami: Add Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce to the vegetable filling to give it depth.
- Let It Rest: After baking, let the vegetarian shepherd’s pie rest for about 15 minutes to allow the filling to set, making slicing and serving it a bit easier.
Nutrition
Tamara Tsaturyan is the owner and writer of Thriving In Parenting, a website focused on providing simple tips for busy parents — easy and healthy recipes, home decor and organization ideas and all things P A R E N T I N G.
Comments & Reviews
jan says
Great flavours. I think I used too much lentils as I wasn’t sure how much dry lentils to cook and didn’t weigh the cooked lentils. Will definitely make it again.
Tamara Tsaturyan says
Thanks so much for the feedback – glad you enjoyed the flavors! And yes, lentils can be a bit tricky when measuring dry vs. cooked. For next time, 17.6 ounces of cooked French lentils (about 2 1/4 cups) is roughly equal to 3/4 to 1 cup of dry lentils. They tend to double (or a bit more) in volume once cooked, so starting with less can help keep the balance right. Can’t wait to hear how your next batch turns out!