The aroma when cooking this Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie is heavenly!
While Shepherd’s Pie is traditionally an Irish dish and typically made with veal, this Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie is plant-based and packed with flavor and protein – trust me, you will not miss the meat!
We love mashed potatoes and lentils in our house, so this dish is perfect and it’s a great one-dish meal. To save on time, everything can be made a day ahead, and stored in the refrigerator before baking. When ready, take casserole out of the fridge for about 15-30 minutes and then bake as directed.
When serving, I love to add a a few splashes of hot sauce to my plate to give it a little 🌶 kick, but this is totally optional.
Ingredients for Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie
- Lentils
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Garlic
- Thyme, fresh or dried
- Coconut Aminos
- Vegetable broth
- Potatoes
- Butter (vegan)
- Cream or milk (plant-based)
- Cornstarch
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Corn, frozen
- Peas, frozen
- Hot sauce – optional
How to make Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie
For this recipe I use a 10.5 inch cast iron skillet. I like it because it’s one dish, I can cook the lentil mushroom base, put it all together and bake in the same pan. However, if you do not have a cast iron skillet, no worries! A 2-quart casserole will work perfectly as well.
Begin with peeling and dicing the potatoes to prep for boiling. Remove the skins from 2 garlic cloves and leave whole.
Place potatoes and garlic cloves in medium saucepan, cover with water and place on stovetop. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until a fork can easily pierce the potatoes.
Drain the potatoes and place either back in saucepan or other heat-resistant bowl. Add butter and let melt for about 30 seconds. Add cream.
Using a stand mixer or handheld, beat potatoes until mashed and creamy, adding more cream if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While the potatoes are cooking, Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or large skillet with deep edges) over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and red onion. Sauté for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Next, add minced garlic and sauté about 30 seconds. Then add coconut aminos and thyme, cook another minute.
Add lentils and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, slowly add to lentil mixture while whisking until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper.
Note – the cornstarch slurry helps to thickened the sauce.
Spread frozen peas and corn on top of lentil mixture.
**If using a casserole dish – transfer lentil mixture to casserole and then layer with peas/corn/mashed potatoes.
Using a spatula, spread mashed potatoes on top of peas and corn, distributing evening. Sprinkle with dried or fresh thyme.
Bake in oven at 350° Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 5-10 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!
Optional: serve with hot sauce for a little heat!
FAQ’s
- Have leftover mashed potatoes – simply warm them a little so that they are easier to spread over the peas and corn.
- As stated above, no cast iron skillet – no worries! – simply use a 2-quart casserole dish for assembly and baking.
- Don’t have coconut aminos – substitute with Tamari or soy sauce.
- If you don’t have peas but have corn or vice versus, simply use what you have.
- This recipe calls for red onion but you can use whatever you have available – yellow onion, Vidalia, shallots.
- Can be made up to a day ahead. Simply cook and assembly but do not bake the pie. Store in the refrigerator. When ready, take out of fridge for about 15-30 minutes and bake a directed.
Other recipes you might enjoy
Creamy “Chicken” Over Rice – Vegetarian
Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie
Equipment
- 10.5-12 inch cast iron skillet or 2-qt casserole dish
Ingredients
Mashed Potato
- 4 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- 3 tbsp butter, use vegan butter if desired
- 1 tbsp cream or milk, plant-based
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Lentil and Mushroom
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion, red chopped
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup lentils, brown uncooked
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbsp fresh plus additional for sprinkling
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- 3/4 cup corn, frozen
- 3/4 cup peas, frozen
- Optional – Hot sauce
Instructions
Mashed Potatoes
- Place potatoes and whole garlic cloves in medium saucepan, cover with water and place on stovetop. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until a fork can easily pierce the potatoes.
- Drain the potatoes and place either back in saucepan or other heat-resistant bowl. Add butter and let melt for about 30 seconds. Add cream.
- Using a stand mixer or handheld, beat potatoes until mashed and creamy, adding additional cream for obtain desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Lentil and Mushroom Shephard's Pie
- While the potatoes are cooking, Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and red onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add minced garlic and sauté about 30 seconds. Add coconut aminos and thyme, cook another minute.
- Add lentils and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, slowly add to lentil mixture while whisking until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper.
- Spread frozen peas and corn on top of lentil mixture. **See notes
- Using a spatula, spread mashed potatoes on top of peas and corn, distributing evening. Sprinkle with additional dried or fresh thyme.
- Bake in oven at 350° Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 5-10 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!Optional: serve passing some hot sauce for a little spice and kick!
