This mushroom lentil shepherd’s pie is a vegan and gluten free version of a cozy shepherd’s pie with a mushroom and lentil filling. It’s a hearty, warm dinner that works great for meal prep. It’s a deeply flavorful, vegetable rich filling topped with peas and easy mashed potatoes for a twist on the classic. If you’re looking for a shepherd’s pie recipe, vegan shepherd’s pie, or gluten free shepherd’s pie, this is the perfect recipe to make!
And, if you’re looking for more cozy vegan and gluten free recipes, try these tuscan butter beans or this chickpea and sun-dried tomato risotto.
Recipes on this blog are intended to be vegan and/or gluten free, but ingredient brands can vary and cross-contamination is possible. Please check all ingredient labels to ensure they meet your dietary needs. We are not responsible for any reactions or health issues resulting from ingredients used in these recipes.
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What You’ll Need For This Mushroom Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
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How To Make Mushroom Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tsp/6g salt.
Peel and diced the potatoes. Smaller diced potatoes will cook faster but lose more starch into the water.
Cook the potatoes until soft enough to be pierced with the fork.
Reserve 1 cup/235ml of starchy water and drain the rest. Move the potatoes to a bowl.
Add the milk, ½ cup/120ml reserved water, ½ tsp/3g salt and pepper. Mash until smooth. Add more of the reserved water as needed. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Dice onion and mince garlic.
Peel the carrot and finely dice the celery and carrot.
Wash, trim, and slice the mushrooms thinly.
Preheat oven to 375°F/190 C. Use a large cast iron pan with an oven proof handle or have a large, deep baking dish ready.
In the cast iron or in a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high.
Add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-6 minutes until translucent and beginning to brown.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring regularly, until mushrooms are soft and reduced, about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook stirring regularly for 3-5 minutes until beginning to soften.
Remove from heat. Add lentils, tomato paste, mustard, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Stir to coat everything.
Add broth and tamari. Stir until well distributed.
Scatter the peas in a layer on top of the mushroom-lentil mixture.
Spread a layer of mashed potatoes over the peas, sealing everything in.
Bake the mushroom lentil shepherd’s pie for 40-45 minutes until lightly browned on the top of the potatoes and bubbly at any spots where the filling is leaking out. For more browning, place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
Serve immediately garnished with more chopped parsley or fresh ground black pepper.
Can be frozen whole or in portions for easy meals.
Important Recipe Notes
Tamari: As a fermented product, tamari adds umami depth as well as salt to the filling.
Salt: Depending on broth and tamari used, you may need to add additional salt to the filling. Taste a mushroom or carrot piece after adding the broth to determine how much more salt is needed.
Milk: Soy or cashew will be the most neutral flavour with the right balance of fat.
For cheesy mashed potatoes: Add 4 tbsp/25g grated vegan/gluten free parmesan or 2-3 tbsp/16-24g nutritional yeast to mashed potatoes. For richer mashed potatoes add 2 tbsp/28g vegan/gluten free butter.
Vegan and Gluten Free Dinner Ideas
Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup– Creamy mushroom wild rice soup is a comforting, hearty meal that works beautifully as a fall or winter soup recipe. With tender wild rice, sautéed mushrooms, and a thick, chowder-style broth, this vegan main dish soup delivers richness without dairy, nuts, or soy.
Sweet Potato Lentil Stew– This Sweet Potato Lentil Stew is comfort in a bowl. Warm, fragrant, and deeply nourishing, it’s also vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. More importantly, it’s filled with layers of flavor from earthy lentils, tender sweet potatoes, and a blend of aromatic spices.
Mushroom Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
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Ingredients
- 3 lbs/1350g russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup/78ml soy or cashew milk
- 2 tsp/12g salt divided
- 1/2 tsp/1g ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp/30ml olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs/625g mushrooms sliced (button or crimini)
- 1 medium/150g yellow onion diced
- 1 large/115g carrot peeled and diced
- 1 rib/75g celery diced
- 2 cloves/10g garlic minced
- 1/2 cup/100g green or grey lentils
- 2 tbsp/30g tomato paste
- 1 tbsp/15ml tamari
- 2 tsp/10g dijon mustard
- 1 tsp/1g dried thyme
- 1 tsp/1g dried rosemary
- ½ tsp/1g ground black pepper
- 1 cup/235ml broth
- 2 cups/300g frozen peas
- To serve: fresh ground pepper nutritional yeast, fresh parsley
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tsp/6g salt.
- Peel and diced the potatoes. Smaller diced potatoes will cook faster but lose more starch into the water.
- Cook the potatoes until soft enough to be pierced with the fork.
- Reserve 1 cup/235ml of starchy water and drain the rest. Move the potatoes to a bowl.
- Add the milk, ½ cup/120ml reserved water, ½ tsp/3g salt and pepper. Mash until smooth. Add more of the reserved water as needed. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Dice onion and mince garlic.
- Wash, trim, and slice the mushrooms thinly.
- Peel the carrot and finely dice the celery and carrot.
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190 C. Use a large cast iron pan with an oven proof handle or have a large, deep baking dish ready.
- In the cast iron or in a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high.
- Add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-6 minutes until translucent and beginning to brown.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring regularly, until mushrooms are soft and reduced, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook stirring regularly for 3-5 minutes until beginning to soften.
- Remove from heat. Add lentils, tomato paste, mustard, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Stir to coat everything.
- Add broth and tamari. Stir until well distributed.
- Scatter the peas in a layer on top of the mushroom-lentil mixture.
- Spread a layer of mashed potatoes over the peas, sealing everything in.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until lightly browned on the top of the potatoes and bubbly at any spots where the filling is leaking out. For more browning, place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve immediately garnished with more chopped parsley or fresh ground black pepper.
- Can be frozen whole or in portions for easy meals.
