Lentil Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

This Vegetarian Sweet Potato Lentil Shepherd’s Pie is quite possibly the most hearty and comforting meatless meal there ever was. A flavorful lentil stew is blanketed by a layer of mashed sweet potatoes and garnished with fresh thyme. This post is brought to you by Canadian Lentils as part of their #LoveALentil campaign. #sponsored

vegetarian shepherd's pie with lentils and sweet potato topping served in individual black casseroles on a marble counter topThanksgiving is over and I’m just about leftover-ed out. Ok. Maybe just one more slice of pie. But then I’m really done. And so ready for a salad.

spinach leaved on a small plate with some garlic and dried lentils in the background I hope all of you who celebrated had a wonderful feast with your loved ones and had time to reflect on everything you’re grateful for!

dried lentils in a copper measuring cup placed on a marble counter top with a garlic bulb on the sideOne thing I’m grateful for is the fact that it’s finally starting to cool down here in California. Oh hello fall, nice of you to join us. You’re just in time for winter to roll up.

I’m sitting here with a nice cup of tea and a blanket wrapped around my shoulders, watching the raindrops fall outside my mom’s dining room window, and it is glorious.

Granted, part of this tickled sense of satisfaction I’m feeling is because rain is such a scarcity in these parts, so whenever it does rain I feel like I have to stop whatever I’m doing and fully enjoy it because who knows when it will happen again. This drought is no bueno, folks.

dried lentils in a copper measuring cup placed on a marble counter top

Shepherd’s Pie – the ultimate comfort food 

The sudden chill in the air has got me craving warm comfort food like no other. And it’s finally cool enough that I actually want to get the oven going on a regular basis.

One of the things I love making in cold weather is shepherd’s pie. Traditionally it’s comprised of a hearty ground beef stew covered in a blanket of mashed potatoes. But I actually prefer vegetarian versions since I’m not eating much meat these days.

three backed sweet potatoes split open, cooling on a baking trayI’m teaming up with Canadian Lentils today to bring you this nourishing vegetarian shepherd’s pie with lentil ragu and a buttery sweet potato topping.

Why this recipe for Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie works: 

  • Lentils are an amazing stand-in for meat because they provide the substantial texture and filling protein that the meat usually provides.
  • I made sure to bulk up the flavors with tons of savory goodness in the form of fresh herbs, garlic and a dash of Worcestershire sauce for good measure.
  • For topping, in place of traditional white potatoes, I went for sweet potatoes which add a wonderful autumnal color to this vegetarian shepherd’s pie.

three black ramekins filled with lentil ragu ready to be topped with mashed sweet potatoes to form a vegetarian shepherd's pieCook’s Tips for making this Lentil & Sweet Potato Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie:

  •  Before making the topping, bring the butter and milk to room temperature, or even gently heat them on the stovetop, before adding them to the sweet potatoes. Not only will the sweet potatoes absorb the warm dairy much easier, but you also won’t have to work them as much.
  • As a shortcut, you can use an immersion blender to make the sweet potato topping. This will also make it smoother than a puree made with a potato masher.
  • Brown or green lentils work best for this recipe as they hold their shape better than red lentils.

individual black ramekins filled with vegetarian lentil raguVariations on this Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie: 

  • My favorite way to make this lentil sweet potato shepherd’s pie is in cute little individual ramekins, but if you don’t happen to have any you can also make this in a 1-quart baking dish.
  • Traditional white mashed potatoes would do well in this recipe too so feel free to use them instead of sweet potatoes.
  • If you’re not a fan of potatoes or want to lower the calories of this vegetarian shepherd’s pie, use mashed cauliflower as a topping.

ramekins filled with lentil ragu being topped with buttery mashed sweet potatoes to form a vegetarian shepherd's pie

FAQ:

Can I make this Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie vegan? 

Yes, that is absolutely possible. Simple swap milk for coconut milk (or coconut cream) and use coconut oil or vegan earth balance butter instead of butter when making the sweet potato topping. When buying the Worcestershire sauce , make sure to buy one that is labeled vegan or vegetarian, since some brands contain anchovies. You could also replace it with soy sauce or coconut aminos.

individual black ramekins of lentil sweet potato shepherd's pie ready to be baked in the ovenHow to roast sweet potatoes for this recipe: 

For baking whole sweet potatoes, preheat your oven to 400° F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake the potatoes until tender,  for about 45 minutes. Take them out of the oven and let them cool slightly before mashing them.

vegetarian shepherd's pie served in individual black ramekins placed on a marble counter with some fresh thyme leaves sprinkled on top of the sweet potato topping

Can you make this Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie ahead of time? 

You can prepare the recipe as written and let the vegetarian shepherd’s pie cool completely, then refrigerate.  Alternatively, you can prepare the recipe as written but don’t bake it. Refrigerate the shepherd’s pie until you’re ready to serve, then preheat the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

a half eaten vegetarian shepherd's pie in a small black ramekin revealing a savory lentil ragu under the creamy sweet potato topping

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If you make this Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie, please share it using the hashtag #LePetitEats!

lentil sweet potato shepherd's pie
5 from 2 votes
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Lentil Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

This Lentil Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie is quite possibly the most hearty and comforting vegetarian meal there ever was. A flavorful lentil stew is blanketed by a layer of mashed sweet potatoes and garnished with fresh thyme.

Course Main Course
Cuisine British, Vegetarian
Keyword lentil shepherd's pie, Sheperd's Pie, vegetarian
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Calories 450 kcal
Author Denisse Salinas

Ingredients

  • 3 sweet potatoes roasted and slightly cooled
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 cup cooked lentils
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce for vegetarian/vegan option
  • 1 1/2 cups spinach
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate flesh of sweet potatoes from skins and place in a medium-sized bowl. Discard skins. Mash together sweet potato with butter, milk and salt (I used an immersion blender to ensure smoothness). Set aside.

  2. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add diced onions and carrots and cook until onions are translucent about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.

  3. Add cooked lentils, broth and Worcester sauce to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add spinach, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper and simmer until broth is absorbed. Discard bay leaf.

  4. Transfer lentil mixture to 4 individual ramekins or a baking dish and spread an even layer of sweet potato mixture on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves if desired.
Lentil and Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie - a healthy and easy vegetarian spin on the traditional British comfort food with lentil stew and a creamy sweet potato topping. The perfect meatless dinner #shepherdspie, #vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Mariah

    Hi there. So i add cooked lentils to the pot? How does the broth absorb than? Just want to make sure that I cook this correctly. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Denisse Post author

      Yes the recipe calls for cooked lentils- you’re only adding 1 cup of broth to the entire contents of vegetables and lentils so it will reduce as it cooks and add a nice sauciness to the overall mixture.

      Reply
  2. Megan

    I had a dish just like this when I was in Ireland recently, looking forward to trying it myself. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  3. Diane King

    I have several questions???? Is the spinach fresh or frozen? If its fresh spinach does it have to be cooked first then added to the recipe? Can this be out in a pie plate instead of the ramekins?

    Reply
    1. Denisse Post author

      I use fresh spinach and it wilts quickly as you add it so you do not need to cook it separately. I think you could do it in a pie plate but I have not tried it. Hope that helps!

      Reply
    1. Denisse Post author

      I don’t include nutritional information in my recipes. But you can easily enter the ingredients into a calorie counting/nutrition app to find out this info!

      Reply
    1. Denisse Post author

      You can buy them pre cooked in a can like other canned beans. If you want to cook dried lentils, you would simmer 1 cup of lentils with 3 cups of water or broth until they are cooked, and strain out any remaining liquid. Then use the amount called for in the recipe and save any extra for another use. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  4. Melissa

    The flavor was very good. We added a tsp of A1 to the mixture along with the Worcestershire sauce, used vegan butter and cashew milk. I will make again. It seems like the lentils could be cooked in the broth with everything else, seems like an extra unnecessary step doing separately and adding later.

    Reply
    1. Denisse Post author

      Thanks Melissa! The recipe calls for 1 cup of cooked lentils, which you can find from a can or the refrigerated pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s. If you wanted to use dried lentils and cook them with the broth, you would need 3 cups of broth for 1 cup of dried lentils, and then you would wind up with more than 1 cup of lentils since they expand as they cook. Also the other vegetables would wind up quite soft as they cooked with the lentils, which is why I prefer to use pre cooked or cook them separately for this recipe.

      Reply

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