Vegan Cottage Pie

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Written by McDonald, T.  |  Date 8th of September 2025

Cottage pie is a traditional English dish that was all the rage in the last half of the last century.  It's traditionally made with minced beef, but vegans use many alternatives.  In this vegan version, I will be using green lentils and tvp.  It has a beefy flavour and is great at warming you up on cold days.

Notes

You might wonder what is the difference between Shepherd's pie and Cottage pie.  Traditionally, the main difference is Shepherd's pie is made with lamb while Cottage pie is made with beef.  However, The difference in the vegan counterparts is Shepherd's pie is made with mint sauce while Cottage pie is made with yeast extract.  Otherwise, they are pretty much the same.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • Green lentils x 80 g
  • TVP x 8 tbsp (60 g)
  • Onion x 150 g
  • Gravy x 350 ml (2 tsp of gravy granules in 350 ml of boiling water)
  • Mixed veg x 200 g
  • Cider vinegar x 3 tbsp
  • Yeast extract x 2 tsp
  • White pepper x 1/4 tsp
  • Salt x 1/2 tsp
  • Mash potato x 350 g - 400 g

Method

  1. If using dried lentils, cook as per instructions on the pack. 
  2. Start to boil the potatoes.
  3. Prepare the tvp as per instructions on the pack.
  4. Dice the onion and lightly fry it in a little vegetable oil until they start to turn translucent in a medium sized pot.
  5. Add the cooked lentils and prepared tvp and fry with the onion for a minute or two while continuously stirring to avoid burning.
  6. Prepare the gravy as instructed on the packet.  Add more water to make 350 ml.  Add the gravy to the pot.
  7. Add in the mixed vegetables, white pepper, salt, and yeast extract then stir.
  8. Leave to simmer until potatoes are soft enough to mash. 
  9. When ready, mash the potatoes with a pinch of salt.
  10. Pour the mince mixture into a baking dish and spoon the mash on top. 
  11. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes. 
  12. Allow to stand for 1 minute before serving.

Results

This always turns out great!  The yeast extract makes such a difference. 


I hope you liked this blog!  I would love to hear from you; especially if you tried this recipe out.  Have a great day!

Location: United Kingdom

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