Description
A hearty and comforting Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie featuring a rich, savory mushroom and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes. This recipe uses a blend of root vegetables, white beans, and mushrooms to create a flavorful plant-based stew, all baked together until bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
Scale
Mashed Potato Topping:
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled (or russets, peeled), quartered or diced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, butter or vegan butter
- 1/2 cup vegan sour cream (like Kite Hill) or regular sour cream
- 1 tablespoon truffle oil (optional)
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2-1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional)
Filling:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
- 1 large onion, diced (or sub 2 cups leeks)
- 1 lb sliced mushrooms (cremini, button, shiitake, portobello, chanterelles or a mix)
- 1 1/2 cups celery, diced (or substitute part or all with fennel bulb)
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled, diced in small 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups parsnips, peeled, diced in small 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
- 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans (or substitute cubes of roasted sunchokes, cannellini beans, lentils, browned vegan ground meat, or seitan)
- 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or substitute water with 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar)
- 4 tablespoons flour (or use gluten-free flour)
- 3 cups rich vegetable stock (warmed), mixed with 2 teaspoons miso paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to get it ready for baking the assembled shepherd’s pie.
- Prepare Mashed Potatoes: Cut Yukon Gold potatoes into uniform halves or quarters. Place them in a large pot, cover with water with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and simmer until knife tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Cook Filling Base: In a very large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter over medium heat. Sauté the diced onions and sliced mushrooms for 7-8 minutes until fragrant and mushrooms release their liquid.
- Add Vegetables and Herbs: Add diced parsnips, carrots, celery, roughly chopped garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes until carrots are al dente and mushrooms have evaporated most of their liquid.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pot. Let it simmer over medium-low heat until the carrots and parsnips are tender and the wine has cooked off. Then add the frozen peas and cooked white beans.
- Thicken the Filling: Sprinkle 4 tablespoons flour over the vegetables and stir for about 2 minutes to cook the flour. Add 1 cup warm vegetable broth, stirring until the stew thickens, then gradually add the remaining broth a cup at a time, letting it thicken with each addition.
- Finish the Filling: Stir in 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, turn off the heat, taste and adjust salt and pepper. Add a few drops of apple cider vinegar to brighten flavors. Stir in the chopped fresh Italian parsley.
- Mash Potatoes: Return drained potatoes to their pot and mash with a potato masher. Mix in olive oil, vegan sour cream, granulated garlic powder, salt, pepper, and optional truffle oil and nutritional yeast. Loosen the potatoes with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of reserved hot potato water for easy spreading. Mash until creamy and smooth, adjusting seasoning to taste.
- Assemble the Pie: Grease a large 9×13-inch baking dish, oven-proof cast iron skillet, or individual ramekins. Spoon the vegetable and bean filling into the bottom, then layer the mashed potatoes on top. Use a piping bag or spoon to spread evenly. Drizzle with a little truffle oil if desired.
- Bake: Place the baking dish on a sheet pan to catch drips and bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until the shepherd’s pie is bubbly and the mashed potato topping is golden.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven and garnish with fresh parsley or a sprig of thyme before serving. Enjoy warm for a comforting meal.
Notes
- For extra depth, use a mix of wild mushrooms like shiitake, portobello, and chanterelles.
- The white beans can be substituted with cannellini beans, lentils, or browned vegan ground meat for added texture and protein.
- If you prefer a gluten-free option, replace regular flour with gluten-free flour in the filling.
- The truffle oil in the mashed potatoes is optional but adds a luxurious flavor that complements the earthiness of the mushrooms.
- The recipe can be customized by dividing the filling and adding cooked meat for non-vegetarian diners.
- Vegetable stock can be homemade or store-bought; adding miso paste enhances umami and richness.
- If the mashed potatoes feel too dry for piping, add more reserved potato water until you reach desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
