Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie
This Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie is a delicious plant-based spin on Shepherd’s Pie! This vegan version is made with lentils and mushrooms and combined with onion, mixed vegetables, tomato paste, soy sauce, vegetable broth and herbs for a filling, nourishing, comforting dinner!
As we head into the colder months I am all about warming, comforting meals. Shepherd’s pie is always at the top of my list. It checks all the boxes- easy to make, loaded with plant-based goodness, warming, comforting, and of course delicious! OH! And my kids love it too… This Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie is a big winner all around!
The base is loaded with veggies and of course topped with my Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes. You’ll make the mashed potatoes first. Boil the peeled and cubed potatoes until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Drain, add the potatoes back to the pot and add the plant milk, dairy-free sour cream, dairy-free butter, garlic salt and pepper to taste. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork until you achieve your desired texture. Add a little bit more milk if you need to make them smooth if you don’t like lumps. Set the potatoes aside.
Next, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil, mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the skillet. Saute until the onion turns translucent, about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the lentils, frozen mixed vegetables to include carrots, peas, green beans, and corn, soy sauce, tomato paste, vegetable broth, dried parsley, salt and a pinch of pepper. Stir to combine the mixture and heat the mixture for another 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon the mixture into a pie dish or an 8×8 square baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
Carefully dollop and spread 3 cups of the mashed potatoes over top of the vegetable mixture.
Spread the potatoes completely over the top to cover the vegetable mixture.
Then bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil for another 5 minutes until the mashed potatoes start to brown on top.
Let it cool and set up for about 10 minutes before serving.
The Vegetable Base
The vegetable mixture is made with simple ingredients but is so flavorful when combined together! I am so happy with how this shepherd’s pie turned out- it was better than I even thought it was going to be! Simmer together
☆ sweet onion
☆ mushrooms, chopped
☆ minced garlic
☆ canned lentils, drained and rinsed
☆ frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, corn)
☆ gluten-free soy sauce
☆ tomato paste
☆ vegetable broth
☆ dried parsley
☆ salt & pepper
That’s it! So simple. I think the soy sauce really brings this dish to another level and really brings all of the flavors together. Some recipes call for Worcestershire sauce, but finding vegan Worcestershire can be challenging, so I swapped it out with soy sauce and I might actually like it better! You just need to simmer the mixture just long enough for everything to come together and the vegetables to thaw because then you’ll bake it in the oven for 20 minutes and broil it for 5-10 minutes.
Tips
☆ Depending on your baking dish, there may be too much of the vegetable mixture and it may start to overflow when you add the layer of mashed potatoes on top. You can either spoon out a little of the vegetable mixture or transfer to a slightly larger baking dish.
☆ Watch carefully once you set the oven to broil. It doesn’t take long to slightly crisp the mashed potatoes, but also don’t skip this part because it’s a fantastic finishing touch!
☆ I know you’re going to want to dig in right away! Trust me… I know, but I would definitely recommend letting it set up for at least 10 minutes before digging in. Otherwise it’ll just be a puddly mess in your bowl, which actually still tastes delicious, but I think it’s even better when it thickens a bit and the potatoes remain a little crispy on top.
☆ To reheat any leftovers I suggest placing it back under the broiler for about 10 minutes, again watching carefully to get that nice crispy potato top again, but you could also just reheat in the microwave.
I hope this Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie brings you all the cozy feels this winter. If you love it, be sure to comment below in the comments section, as well as giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating so that others can discover this homemade vegan, plant-based alternative recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie
This Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie is a delicious plant-based spin on Shepherd’s Pie! This vegan version is made with lentils and mushrooms and combined with onion, mixed vegetables, tomato paste, soy sauce, vegetable broth and herbs for a filling, nourishing, comforting dinner!
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
- 1 ½ cups sweet onion, diced (~1 medium onion)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 15 oz can lentils, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- ¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pinch pepper, to taste
Mashed Potatoes
- 48 oz (~ 8 small-medium) russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup plant milk (such as oat, almond, rice, etc.)
- 7 tablespoons dairy-free sour cream
- 3 tablespoons dairy-free butter
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon tapioca starch/flour + 2 teaspoons water, if needed to thicken
Instructions
- Make the mashed potatoes first. Boil the peeled and cubed potatoes until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Drain, add the potatoes back to the pot and add the plant milk, dairy-free sour cream, dairy-free butter, garlic salt and pepper to taste. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork until you achieve your desired texture. Add a little bit more milk if you need to make them smooth if you don’t like lumps. Set the potatoes aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil, mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the skillet. Saute until the onion turns translucent, about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the lentils, mixed vegetables, soy sauce, tomato paste, vegetable broth, dried parsley, salt and a pinch of pepper. Stir to combine the mixture and heat the mixture for another 5-7 minutes, until it thickens, stirring occasionally. If you desire the mixture to be thicker you can add the tapioca starch mixed with water at this point.
- Spoon the mixture into a pie dish or an 8x8 square baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Carefully dollop and spread 3 cups of the mashed potatoes over top of the vegetable mixture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil for another 5 minutes until the mashed potatoes start to brown on top. Let it cool and set up for about 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Tip: I like to place my pie/baking dish on a baking sheet in case it bubbles over.
Note: You will have leftover mashed potatoes to enjoy with another meal during the week!
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About the author
Gina Fontana
Gina Fontana is a certified health coach, recipe developer, food photographer, published author, and blogger. Her own personal health challenges led her to a gluten-free, vegan, plant-based lifestyle where she found significant improvement in her symptoms. Her passion and mission is to now share that with others who also need (or want) to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
