Shepherdless Pie: Family Favourites, Reimagined #2 🌱
There are some dinners that never go out of style. For many of us, shepherd’s pie is the ultimate comfort food — rich, hearty, and guaranteed to warm you up on a chilly evening.
This October, it’s the star of Family Favourites, Reimagined #2: our series where we take the meals you already know and love, and give them a plant-forward twist.
The result? Shepherdless Pie. Just as cosy and satisfying as the classic, but reimagined with lentils and veg instead of meat.
Why Shepherdless?
Traditional shepherd’s pie is made with minced lamb or beef, but our version reimagines the dish with hearty lentils and vegetables instead.
Lentils give you the same rich texture, while adding plant-based protein, plenty of fibre, and a slow-cooked earthiness that pairs beautifully with the creamy mash on top. You’ll still get the same golden crust, the same bubbling layers — just with a more sustainable, affordable, and health-friendly twist.
Why we’re doing this series
Family Favourites, Reimagined is our way of making sustainable eating feel simple and doable. Most of us rotate between the same 8–12 dinners week after week. So instead of overhauling your entire diet, we’re focusing on just one swap at a time.
By reimagining a dish you already know and love, it’s easier to add a small, lasting change into your routine. One recipe at a time, those swaps add up — for your health, your pocket, and the planet.
Why it’s worth the swap
🌍 For the planet: Choosing lentils instead of red meat dramatically reduces the environmental footprint of your meal. Less land, less water, fewer emissions — same comfort.
💷 For your pocket: Lentils are affordable and filling. One bag stretches across multiple meals, keeping costs down without skimping on flavour.
💚 For your health: Plant-based proteins like lentils are naturally high in fibre and low in saturated fat. Pair them with plenty of vegetables and you’ve got a meal that’s as nourishing as it is comforting.
Shepherdless Pie
🔪 Prep Time: 10 mins
👩🍳 Cook Time: 50 - 60 mins
👥 Serves: 8
Ingredients (13):
1.2 kg potatoes (peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes)
2 onions (finely chopped)
2 carrots (chopped into 1 cm cubes)
3 sticks of celery (chopped into 2 cm cubes)
350 g mushrooms (quartered)
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tin of tomatoes
1 tin of chickpeas
1 tin of lentils
10 sprigs of fresh herbs
Bay, rosemary or thyme, another of these or if you have all of them all the better for it.
3 tbsp butter
Method
Peel and chop the spuds and steam or boil them for 20 mins or until a knife easily glides through them.
1.2 kg potatoes (peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes)
Heat a large heavy-based pan and add a tbsp of olive oil. Add the onions, herbs, and season with salt and pepper.
2 onions (finely chopped)
10 sprigs of fresh herbs
Then, as you prep and chop each veg, add them with a pinch of salt. Begin with the celery, then carrots, and then mushrooms. Cook for 5 mins when they're all in.
3 stick of celery (chopped into 2 cm cubes)
2 carrot (chopped into 1 cm cubes)
350 g mushrooms (quartered)
Then add the tomato puree, soy, and balsamic vinegar and cook for 1 min.
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and lentils. Bring the whole lot to a boil and then simmer for 15-20 mins (or until the veg is cooked 90%).
1 tin of tomatoes
1 tin of chickpeas
1 tin of lentils
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Then, drain the spuds and allow them to sit for a few mins. Then mash them with 3 tbsp butter, add some more if you think they need it. Season well with salt and pepper.
3 tbsp butter
Layer an ovenproof dish with the tomato mix. Top with the spud and spread all over. Crisscross using a fork to create some edges that crisp up nicely in the oven. Put it in the oven for around 30 mins.
If putting it in from cold it will need 45 mins.
Try it yourself
This October, Shepherdless Pie takes centre stage as the latest Family Favourite, Reimagined. You’ll find the recipe easier to follow in the Feeds app, alongside this month’s full meal plan.
It’s classic comfort food — just made a little smarter.
📲 Download the Feeds app to get the full recipe and discover more plant-forward swaps.
Next Month’s Favourite:
Up next: A plant-powered twist on a take away classic — Chickpea Curry and Chips.