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Cottage pie with a serving taken from the baking dish.
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5 from 4 votes

Vegan Cottage Pie

A plant-based version of the ultimate comfort food, this cozy vegan cottage pie is made with lentils, mushrooms, and plenty of vegetables.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • 2 cooking pots
  • 1 large baking dish
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

Mashed Potato Topping

  • 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegan butter
  • ¼ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
  • ¼ cup vegan parmesan optional
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Lentil Filling

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 cup onion about half a large onion
  • 1 large leek white part only, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
  • 8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms such as button, cremini, and shiitake
  • 1 ½ cups carrots about 2 large
  • ½ cup celery
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups canned lentils drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Set aside a large baking dish, about 8 inches in diameter.
  • Prepare the potatoes, then add to a pot and cover with cold water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, then add back to the pot to steam uncovered to release excess water.
    1 ½ pounds russet potatoes
  • While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Add the oil to a large frying pan and heat over medium low. Add the onions and leek and cook for 8-10 minutes, until tender but not too browned. Dice the mushrooms, carrots, and celery into fine pieces about ¼ inch in size.
    2 tablespoons oil, 1 cup onion, 1 large leek, 8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms, 1 ½ cups carrots, ½ cup celery
  • Add the mushrooms the pan and cook for another 6 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 6 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Scrape the bottom of the pan if needed.
    3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 ½ teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Add the tomato paste and stir, cooking until it is well combined, another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the mixture, stir, and cook for 1 minute.
    2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons flour
  • Add the broth, lentils, and peas. Simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Taste at this point and adjust the salt as needed.
    1 ½ cups vegetable broth, 2 cups canned lentils, 1 cup frozen peas
  • Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Add the butter, salt, milk, and cheese (if using). Mix well to combine.
    3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegan butter, ¼ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, ¼ cup vegan parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt
  • Add the lentil base to the baking dish, then top with an even layer of mashed potatoes. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the topping has started to brown and the filling is bubbling. If your baking dish is very full, place it onto a baking sheet to avoid any bubbling over into the oven.
  • If you want to add a little extra, dot the top of the pie with an extra 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle it with extra fresh herbs when it has 10 minutes left to cook.
  • Let the pie stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Leftovers will keep well for a couple of days in the fridge, and can be frozen.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 357kcal