Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Gnocchi (Easy One Pot Dinner)
If you’re looking for a cosy, comforting meat-free dinner that doesn’t leave you with a heap of dishes to wash, this one pot vegetarian shepherd’s pie gnocchi is just the thing! It’s got all the familiar flavours of a classic vegetarian shepherd’s pie, but swaps the usual mashed potato topping for soft little pillows of gnocchi, which saves so much time – no peeling, no boiling, no mashing…
This one simple switch not only saves on dishes, but also turns an old favourite into a much more straightforward, hands-off vegetarian dinner.
You might also like: Easy Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie; Cheesy Slow Cooker Lentils; Air Fryer Gnocchi.
This one pot meal really couldn’t be easier – you just chuck everything straight into one baking dish, and let it all cook up together in the oven. As well as the little potato dumplings, there are heaps of veggies (including frozen veg, for an even easier meal!), lentils for extra vegetarian protein and fibre, and a generous melty cheese topping. It’s the perfect combination of familiar comfort food and an easy weeknight dinner.
🍲 One Pot Vegetarian Dinner
To make sure this recipe is as easy as possible, I made sure everything could be cooked up in just one pan.
- First, the veggies and lentils are cooked for a while, to create the rich and tasty sauce.
- Then add the gnocchi and the cheese, and pop the pan back in the oven until everything is hot and bubbly.
That’s it. Two steps. I didn’t even really need to make that a numbered list, did I?
Just one pan to wash, and this tasty, hearty family favourite is ready.
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🥗 Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make this shepherd’s pie gnocchi recipe.
Detailed ingredient quantities (in both US and UK recipe formats) can be found in the printable recipe card.
- gnocchi
- canned lentils (or you could cook up a batch of dried lentils from scratch, if you prefer, then proceed with the recipe as written)
- onion
- mushrooms
- frozen vegetables (I used a mixture that contained peas, sweetcorn, green beans and carrots, which was perfect for the shepherd’s pie vibes)
- canned tomatoes
- flavourings for the sauce – I used soy sauce, garlic, dried thyme
- cheddar cheese for the cheesy topping
To be honest, I like to cook shepherd’s pie with my usual ‘a little bit of this, a little bit of that’ mindset – I will often just add a splash of whatever I can find in the cupboard (I know, I know, I’m ever so professional). Other ingredients I would happily add include:
- a splash of a vegetarian-friendly Worcestershire sauce
- a dollop of tomato paste
- a sprinkle of Bisto gravy granules
- a squeeze of ketchup
- a splash of red wine
- a dollop of Marmite
- other herbs, e.g. a bay leaf or some fresh rosemary
…or, quite honestly, whatever else takes my fancy on any given day.
Becca’s Top Tip
This recipe is a great way to use up whatever vegetables you have lingering in the fridge. If there’s anything you’d prefer to hide, chop them finely or blitz them up in a food processor before baking.
🖨️ Printable Instructions
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Gnocchi
If you’ve cooked this recipe, don’t forget to leave a star rating!
Print Pin Comment(if you suffer from allergies, please double check all ingredients before eating)
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion (or 1/2 large onion)
- 150 g (~ 5 oz) mushrooms
- 125 g (~ 1 cup) frozen mixed vegetables (my mix contained peas, carrots, corn and green beans)
- 400 g can (~ 1 1/3 cups) chopped tomatoes
- 390 g can green lentils, drained (235g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 500 g (~ 1 lb) gnocchi
- 100 g mature cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 cup when grated)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). Cut the onion and mushrooms fairly small, and add them to a baking dish (mine measured approximately 8 x 8 inches).
- Add the frozen vegetables, canned chopped tomatoes, drained can of lentils, soy sauce, dried thyme, and minced garlic. Mix thoroughly to combine.
- Bake for around 45 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the mixture is nice and rich.
- Add the gnocchi, and mix well to combine.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top, and return to the oven for a further 15-20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and crisped up to your liking.
- Serve warm. I topped mine with a little dried parsley for colour.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. You could cook the lentil and vegetable mixture in advance, then when you’re ready to serve, add the gnocchi and cheese, and bake. This way, the shepherd’s pie gnocchi will be nice and fresh and bubbly. Alternatively, you could cook the meal in its entirety, and just microwave any leftovers when you’re ready to eat.
I haven’t tested freezing this baked gnocchi, but I definitely think it’s worth a try.
The recipe is already a pretty well-rounded meal, with protein, carbs and plenty of vegetables, so you don’t really need any side dishes. However, if you’d like to add some variety to your plate, a simple side salad or some garlic bread would be great additions.
hi becca, i made this recipe for my wife(who is a 98 per cent vegetarian) she raved over it so ,thank you and have a nice day. paul wilson.
I live in NZ & look forward to your weekly recipes. Have just made the Shepherds pie gnocchi. Was a great success. So tasty , so easy. Thank you so much.
question, are the gnocchi cooked (bolid in water) before adding or do they cook in the oven?
Hi, Becca.
There’s a mistaken measure for the gnocchi [500 g (~ 1/2 lb) gnocchi]. This is half a kilo, or just over a full pound.
Right you are! I’ve edited the recipe, thanks for spotting that!