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    Home » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Main Courses » Vegan Cottage Pie with colcannon mash

    Vegan Cottage Pie with colcannon mash

    Published: Apr 17, 2018 · Modified: Sep 30, 2021 by Kate Ford · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Vegan Cottage Pie with Colcannon Mash from The Veg Space
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    The ultimate British comfort food - a hearty vegan Cottage Pie topped with colcannon mash. A crowd-pleaser for all the family!

    I promised you easy vegan comfort food, and you can't get much more comforting than this cosy Colcannon-topped Vegan Cottage Pie.  We often have this as a Sunday lunch for all the family, served with green peas and tenderstem broccoli.

    Why not make a batch and freeze in individual foil trays, so you have some standby suppers for weeknights when you don't have time to cook?

    If you haven't heard of Colcannon, it is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with either kale or cabbage, and onion.  The brilliantly-named 'Rumbledethumps' is a similar Scottish equivalent, as is the English 'Bubble & Squeak'.

    Perhaps its no surprise that the same ingredients make up such traditional dishes in all three countries - the ingredients are cheap, plentiful and easy to grow, taste great and go together really well.  What better way to top a vegan shepherds pie?!

    Vegan Cottage Pie with Colcannon Mash topping | thevegspace.co.uk

    👩🏽‍🍳 Mash Variations

    If you don't have the time or inclination to make the Colcannon Mash, you could instead try topping the pie with:

    • Sun-dried tomato mash - just stir a few tablespoons of sun-dried tomato paste through the mash
    • My creamy Butter Bean Mash recipe - for an extra protein-boost
    • Cheesy Mustard Mash - stir a spoon of wholegrain mustard and a handful of vegan cheddar through the mash
    • Pesto Mash - you guessed it - a tablespoon of pesto stirred through
    • My microwave Cauliflower Mash recipe - so easy and creamily good!

    ...or come up with your own flavour combinations!

    I used a piping bag with a wide nozzle to make the top look super-pretty, but if you're in a hurry just spread the mash with a knife and use a fork to make a criss-cross or zig-zag pattern instead.

    ❄️ Freezing

    This freezes really well - I use foil trays, either large trays for a family meal, or individual trays to serve one or two. You can then either defrost before cooking, or else cook from frozen for an hour, (cover with foil for the first 40 minutes so that the top doesn't get too dried out).

    📝 What you need

    You will need:

    • Large saucepan
    • Large lidded frying pan or casserole
    • Colander / sieve for draining
    • Ovenproof pie dish
    • Potato masher
    • Mini-chopper / blender (optional)

    Shopping List:

    • carrot
    • sweet potato
    • onion
    • potatoes (600g)
    • curly kale
    • spring onions
    • tin cannellini beans
    • tin green or brown lentils
    • tin chopped tomatoes
    • vegetable stock powder (check it is vegan)
    • gravy granules (check they are vegan)
    • dairy-free milk
    • dairy-free margarine

    🍽 If you liked that...

    .... you might also enjoy these vegan recipes from The Veg Space:

    • Quorn Pie
      Quorn Pie with a red wine sauce
    • Vegan Puff Pastry Pie
      Vegan Puff Pastry Pie with Tenderstem and creamy lentils
    • Butter Bean Mash
      Butter Bean Mash
    • Vegan Jacket Potato
      Vegan Jacket Potato Shepherds' Pies

    Loved this recipe? ⭐️ Leave a star rating below! 📸 Snap a photo of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram, tagging me @thevegspace or #thevegspace 📩 And get all my latest recipes in a weekly e-mail by subscribing to my newsletter.

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan Cottage Pie with Colcannon Mash from The Veg Space

    Vegan Cottage Pie with Colcannon Mash

    Kate Ford | The Veg Space
    The ultimate British comfort food - a hearty vegan Cottage Pie topped with colcannon mash. A crowd-pleaser for all the family!
    4.95 from 20 votes
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    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 50 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Main
    Cuisine British
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 334 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the Pie Filling

    • 1 large carrot
    • 1 sweet potato
    • 2 tablespoon rapeseed or sunflower oil
    • 1 onion
    • 400 g tin cannellini beans
    • 400 g tin green or brown lentils
    • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
    • 1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder (check it is vegan)
    • 2 tablespoon gravy granules (check they are vegan)

    For the Colcannon Mash

    • 600 g potatoes
    • 60 g curly kale
    • 3 spring onions
    • 50 ml dairy-free milk (soya, oat or nut milk)
    • 20 g dairy-free margarine

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
    • Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.  Meanwhile, peel the carrot and sweet potato and cut them into dice.  Boil for 10 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large lidded frying pan or casserole dish, then peel and chop the onion and add to the pan, frying over a gentle heat for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.  
    • Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and lentils and add them to the pan with the onions, followed by the tomatoes, stock powder and gravy granules. Refill the empty tomato tin with water to about two-thirds full, then add this to the pan.
    • When the carrot and sweet potato have just cooked through, remove them with a slotted spoon and add them to the pie filling, (don't drain the water away just yet!).  Stir and cover, and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if required. If the mixture gets too dry, just add more water - this should have the consistency of a thick gravy.  (And if it seems too runny, just cook with the lid off for a few more minutes).
    • Keep the saucepan of water simmering whilst you peel the potatoes for the mash, cut them into dice, then add them to the saucepan and boil for 10-15 minutes until soft.
    • Meanwhile, chop the kale and spring onions as finely as possible, (I used a mini-chopper/food processor).  When the potatoes are ready, drain them, return to the pan then add the kale, spring onions, milk and margarine and mash until smooth.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if required.
    • Tip the pie filling into a large ovenproof dish, then top with the mashed potato.  I used a piping bag to create a pretty topping, but you can just spread it with a knife and use a fork to create a pattern if you prefer).
    • Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the topping is just turning golden brown, and the filling is bubbling.  

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 334kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 13gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 328mgPotassium: 1246mgFiber: 12gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 8347IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 126mgIron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Mention @thevegspace or #thevegspace
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    About Kate Ford

    Hi! I'm Kate, vegan home cook and blogger behind The Veg Space and author of Vegan in 15. I'm passionate about creating easy vegan recipes that even a first-time cook can follow.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Victoria says

      May 23, 2020 at 8:45 am

      Is this recipe suitable for freezing?

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        May 24, 2020 at 7:59 am

        Yes this freezes really well. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Doug Manton says

      January 03, 2020 at 7:02 pm

      Hi Kate, loving your website and I've downloaded the 4 week vegan meal planner, bought the ingredients for Week A and had the first meal tonight (I shop on a Friday so that's the start of my week). Excellent spaghetti and pesto recipe and as an sporty couple, my wife and I thought the generous portions were spot on!
      One small point - wherever on the site I click the link for the Sunday Sausage casserole, the link keeps pointing to Saturday's shepherd's pie. I don't think it's my phone so thought I'd flag it - especially as I'm supposed to be cooking it in 48 hours!
      Best wishes for a happy new year.

      Doug

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        January 03, 2020 at 7:59 pm

        Hi Doug, that's great - glad you are enjoying it so far. Thanks for flagging the incorrect link - I'll sort it now, but it is working OK on the page itself (links at the bottom of the article): https://www.thevegspace.co.uk/four-week-vegan-meal-plan-and-shopping-list/ or else here's the link for the sausage casserole: https://www.thevegspace.co.uk/recipe-bangers-borlotti-bean-stew/ Enjoy! Kate x

        Reply
    3. Sophie says

      January 23, 2019 at 9:10 pm

      Made this tonight, was delicious thank you! We have leftovers and I can tell it’s one of those recipes that will taste even better the next day. I had thyme, courgette and mushrooms in the fridge, so I put them in too.

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        January 25, 2019 at 2:26 pm

        Brilliant, so glad you liked it.

        Reply
    4. Mary Doris says

      May 22, 2018 at 10:20 am

      Could I use sweet potato as the topping? I have loads in the fridge and want to sue them up. x

      Reply
      • Mary Doris says

        May 22, 2018 at 10:20 am

        use them up! Not sue them! 😀

        Reply
      • thevegspace says

        May 22, 2018 at 1:03 pm

        Definitely! The green colour might not come through quite so strongly but it will taste delicious!

        Reply
    5. Veggy Malta says

      May 17, 2018 at 8:48 am

      This looks beyond delicious. I love shepard's pie (especially in cold winter days) but this takes it at a new level. Your food is always an inspiration. Making healthy food accessible. Must try this out 🙂

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        May 17, 2018 at 11:43 am

        Thanks, enjoy! X

        Reply
    6. Sean Mahan says

      May 03, 2018 at 1:58 pm

      Vegan Shepard’s pie? I never would have imagined! It certainly looks tasty though.

      Reply
    7. Kat (The Baking Explorer) says

      April 27, 2018 at 7:34 pm

      This looks amazing!

      Reply
    8. Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs says

      April 22, 2018 at 5:37 pm

      I just showed this recipe to my boyfriend and initially he thought colcannon was a made up word! He's going to have to get used to it as we are off to Ireland in a few weeks. This is the perfect recipe to start him off with lol! Looks fab.

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        April 23, 2018 at 11:27 am

        Haha! I promise I didn't make it up!! Ooh have fun in Ireland - gorgeous country xx

        Reply
    9. jacqui Bellefontaine says

      April 21, 2018 at 7:34 am

      Oh Mandy that looks really delicious and I say that as a meat eater! I would definitely put this dish on my family table. Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare

      Reply
    10. Sylvia says

      April 20, 2018 at 8:10 pm

      This looks amazing! Great idea to sneak in loads of delicious veg too 🙂

      Reply
    11. Jacqueline Meldrum says

      April 19, 2018 at 9:39 pm

      I love comfort food like this Kate. It just looks wonderful. Shared!

      Reply
    12. Nico @ yumsome says

      April 18, 2018 at 8:23 pm

      Ooh, you can't beat a deliciously comforting shepherd's pie, can you? I love that you top yours with colcannon - I often have bubble and squeak on ours. Great minds thinking alike! xx

      Reply
    13. Choclette says

      April 18, 2018 at 5:58 pm

      This has to be the prettiest Shepherd's Pie I've ever seen. One of my favourite meals and I love your Colcannon take on it.

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        April 18, 2018 at 7:39 pm

        Ah thanks Choclette - one of my favourites too!

        Reply
    14. Gloria says

      April 18, 2018 at 2:56 pm

      Well even the meat lover in me would find this dish totally delicious. We try to go "meatless" several times a week. This would be perfect for dinner, and leftover for lunch would be great too.

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        April 18, 2018 at 7:39 pm

        Oh I hope so! Lots of people seem to be doing a couple of veggie or vegan days a week at the moment. And yes leftovers are even better!

        Reply
    15. MANDY MAZLIAH says

      April 18, 2018 at 1:26 pm

      That colcannon mash looks incredible Kate, definitely going to make this. YUM

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        April 18, 2018 at 7:38 pm

        Thanks Mandy! X

        Reply
    16. Claudia Lamascolo says

      April 18, 2018 at 1:12 pm

      Oh my son will go nuts over this and it looks marvelous!

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        April 18, 2018 at 7:38 pm

        Ha! I wish my two did - noses turned up as usual, haha!!

        Reply
    17. SONIYA says

      April 18, 2018 at 12:53 pm

      What a beautiful looking Shepard's pie! And plus it vegan too????☝️ love the greens you added in the top layer!

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        April 18, 2018 at 7:37 pm

        Thanks Soniya - yes the green really makes it pop! And tastes great too!

        Reply
    18. Danielle says

      April 18, 2018 at 12:25 pm

      OMG this sounds like the perfect dish! I love comfort food like this 🙂 I've never made shepards pie but I think I'm going to have to now!

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        April 18, 2018 at 12:27 pm

        Thanks Danielle! x

        Reply
    19. Lisa | Garlic & Zest says

      April 18, 2018 at 12:15 pm

      Your shepherd's pie looks even more hearty and beautiful than the traditional meat version. I could eat that all day long!

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        April 18, 2018 at 12:26 pm

        Thanks Lisa - me too! x

        Reply
    20. Corina Blum says

      April 18, 2018 at 5:53 am

      This sounds absolutely gorgeous and the colcannon mash on the top makes it the prettiest shepherd's pie I've seen in a long time too. Thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!

      Reply
      • thevegspace says

        April 18, 2018 at 12:26 pm

        Thanks Corina! Yes the splash of green is so pretty, and tasty too!

        Reply
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