The lentils bring fiber and protein to the meal, while the potatoes offer comfort and energy. Together, they create a balanced plate that’s nourishing without being heavy. This recipe uses simple ingredients like carrots, parsnips, and fine beans, all simmered with tomatoes, smoked paprika, and tamari for a deep, savory taste.

You can make it ahead of time and reheat it during the week, so it’s also great for meal prep. It keeps well and tastes just as good the next day. The recipe feeds four to six people, so it works well for gatherings or batch cooking.

Top it with fresh thyme or even a spoonful of vegan pesto before baking for extra flavor. However you serve it, this vegan shepherd’s pie is comfort food done right – wholesome, easy, and full of plant-based goodness.

Read more: Caramelized Shallot And Wild Mushroom Pizza

A wholesome vegan dinner

This popular dinner is easy to make and customize with your favorite vegan cheese.

No ratings yet

Servings6

Ingredients

Lentil and vegetable filling

• 2 onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 carrot
• 1 parsnip
• 10 fine beans
• 2 × 400g tins of lentils
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2× 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

Mashed potato topping

• 1½ kg potatoes
• 100 ml oat milk
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper

Garnish

• Few sprigs of fresh thyme

Instructions

• Prep the veg: Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/425°F/gas 7. Peel the onions and garlic and finely dice. Chop the carrot, parsnip and fine beans into bite-sized pieces. Drain and rinse the lentils. Cut the potatoes into even, bite-sized pieces for even boiling, leaving the skins on.
• Cook the potatoes: Fill a large saucepan with boiling water. Add the chopped potatoes and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes or until soft. Drain and set aside.
• Sauté the aromatics and veg: Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and sauté the onions for 5–6 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic, chopped vegetables and lentils with a pinch of salt. Cover and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add 2 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking.
• Make the lentil-vegetable filling: Stir in the chopped tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of salt, . teaspoon of black pepper, the smoked paprika, bay leaves, maple syrup and tamari or soy sauce. Mix well, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 5–6 minutes. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning to taste.
• Mash the potatoes: To the boiled and drained potatoes, add the oat milk, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and . teaspoon of black pepper. Mash until smooth and adjust the seasoning to taste.
• Assemble the pie: In a casserole dish, add all the lentil filling, ⅔ of the way up the dish, then top with the mashed potato, spreading evenly.
• Texture the topping: Use a fork to create ridges on the mashed potato topping for a crispy finish.
• Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the potato topping is golden.
• Garnish and serve: Remove the thyme leaves from their stalks and sprinkle over the cooked pie. Serve hot with your favorite salads.

TIP: Top the potato with 100g of your favourite pesto before baking to take it to the next level!

The Happy Pear 20: Learnings and recipes from the first 20 years, is on sale now, priced £23.99. Published by Gill Books.

Read more: High-Protein ‘Pizza Night’ Salad

This article was written by David and Stephen Flynn on the PBN Website.

What really makes this dish stand out is the leek and cauliflower topping. The cauliflower gives the topping a creamy, “cheese” texture when blended with vegan butter, oat milk, and vegan cheese. The leeks bring a mild, sweet onion flavor that pairs beautifully with the cauliflower, adding extra flavor and texture.

This cottage pie is ideal for family meals or gatherings, offering a comforting, filling dish that everyone can enjoy. It’s also a great option for meal prepping or when you need a hearty, plant-based dinner to feed a crowd. With its savory filling and creamy topping, this vegan cottage pie makes a great dish for colder weather, serving as both a warming dinner and a healthy comfort food option.

Read more: Silky Butter Beans With Roasted Corn And Hazelnuts

Meat-free cottage pie with leek and cauliflower topping

Try this gluten-free friendly vegan cottage pie with leek and cauliflower topping, it's comforting, cheesy, and full of tasty veggies.

3.95 from 52 votes

Duration55 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Servings4

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 carrots finely diced
• 1 red onion finely diced
• 1 red pepper finely chopped
• 350 g mushrooms finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp tomato purée + 100ml water
• 1 tsp tamari substitute for soy sauce or vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Leek and cauliflower cheese topping:

• 1 small head cauliflower divided into florets
• 1 leek diced
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• 200 ml oat/ almond milk
• 100 g vegan grated cheese
• 1 heaped tbsp corn flour

Instructions

• Start by finely chopping all of the base ingredients and adding to a pan with olive oil, fry on a medium heat for around 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile get a pot of water onto boil, add the cauliflower florets and leeks and allow to bubble for around 5 minutes.
• In the main pan, after 5 minutes of frying add the tomato purée and water, dried herbs and tamari and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Drain the water from the cauliflower and leeks, leaving them in the colander, then add the other ingredients to the pot, heat and stir to create the ‘cheese’ sauce, add the cauliflower and leek back in stir through.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C, pour the pan full of vegetables to a baking dish, then pour the cauliflower and leek cheese topping on top, bake in the oven for around 30 minutes.
• Serve with steamed greens and enjoy.

This recipe is republished with permission from British Leeks. You can find the original recipe here.

Read more: 20-Minute Crispy Tofu Stir Fry With Leek And Chili

This article was written by Editorial Team on the PBN Website.

Read more: 5 Vegan Savory Pie Recipes

Instead of traditional mince, these recipes feature lentils as the base, making them protein-packed. Lentils provide an excellent source of plant protein and fiber, ensuring that your meal is both filling and nutritious. Plus, they add a satisfying texture that mimics the classic mince used in traditional cottage pies.

The following recipes have a few things in common: a tasty mash topping, and a warming, almost ‘meaty’ filling thanks to the lentils or the addition of mushrooms.

Read more: 8 Vegan Creamy Bake Recipes

Vegan shepherd’s pie

The first vegan version of a shepherd’s pie on this list comes from Sara Oteri. It uses mushrooms, zucchini, and eggplant as the filling. It’s also made with high-protein lentils, which makes this dish nutrient-dense. The fun part about this recipe is the addition of whole frozen peas in the mash. With all the textures and rich veggie flavors, this shepherd’s pie is definitely worth trying.

Find the recipe here.

Lentil shepherd pie

The following recipe comes from Happy Skin Kitchen. The base consists of typical ingredients such as carrots, celery, tomato, and heaps of seasonings from rosemary and thyme to cloves and pepper. However, you’ll notice a slight difference in this recipe as it includes balsamic vinegar and marmite to add depth to the filling. Then, you’ll top the flavorful filling with perfectly smooth mashed potatoes, as usual, before baking for 30 minutes.

Find the recipe here.

Meat-free cottage pie

The final recipe on this list comes from World of Vegan. Much like the other cottage pie recipes on this list, it also contains mushrooms and lentils. You can make this dish in an hour total and enjoy the same traditional flavors of the classic.

This meat-free cottage pie includes porcini mushrooms, lentils, carrots, and onion. And it’s seasoned with basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. The sun-dried tomatoes give the pie an extra kick, and the flavors are nostalgic and soothing.

Find the recipe here.

Read more: 30 Fall Recipes To Warm Up Your Evenings

This article was written by Kaitlyn Lourens on the PBN Website.