Description
A hearty and delicious vegetarian shepherd’s pie featuring a rich mushroom and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes. This comforting dish is perfect for family dinners and can be easily adapted with vegan or regular dairy ingredients.
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 but amazing)
- 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 substitute 2 cups leeks)
- 1 pound sliced mushrooms (cremini, button, shiitake, portobello, chanterelles, or a mix)
- 1 1/2 cups celery, diced (or substitute part or all 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 cup frozen peas
- 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans (or substitute roasted sunchokes, cannellini beans, lentils, browned vegan “ground meat”, or seitan)
- 6 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or substitute water plus 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 prepare for baking the shepherd’s pie later.
- Prepare Potatoes: Cut Yukon Gold potatoes into similar-sized halves or quarters. Place them in a large pot with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and enough water to cover by an inch. Simmer until tender when pierced with a knife, about 20-25 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Make the Filling – Sauté Aromatics and Veggies: In a large heavy-bottom pot, heat olive oil or vegan butter over medium heat. Sauté onions and mushrooms for 7-8 minutes until fragrant. Then add diced parsnips, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes until carrots are al dente and the mushrooms release their liquid; continue cooking off the liquid.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the white wine (or water with apple cider vinegar), scraping up brown bits stuck to the pot. Simmer on medium-low until carrots and parsnips are fully tender and the wine has cooked off.
- Add Peas and Beans: Stir in frozen peas and cooked white beans (or your chosen substitute).
- Thicken the Filling: Sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir for about 2 minutes to cook the flour slightly. Add 1 cup of the warm vegetable broth and stir until the stew thickens, then gradually add the remaining broth one cup at a time, simmering and allowing the filling to thicken to a hearty stew consistency.
- Finish Filling: Stir in Dijon mustard, then remove the pot from heat. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add a few drops of apple cider vinegar to brighten the flavors, adding slowly and tasting as you go. Stir in chopped fresh parsley.
- Mash the Potatoes: Return the drained potatoes to the pot. Mash with a potato masher, adding olive oil or butter, vegan sour cream or regular sour cream, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, and optional truffle oil and nutritional yeast. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of reserved hot potato water to loosen for easier spreading or piping. Whip until creamy and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Assemble the Shepherd’s Pie: Grease a large 9×13 inch baking dish or a large oven-proof skillet/dutch oven. Spoon the vegetable filling evenly into the dish. Optionally, divide the filling if adding cooked meats for non-vegetarian portions. Top with the creamy mashed potatoes, spreading or piping evenly. Drizzle a little truffle oil over the potatoes if desired.
- Bake: Place the assembled dish on a sheet pan to catch drippings, then bake in the preheated 375°F oven for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven and garnish with fresh parsley or a sprig of thyme before serving warm.
Notes
- The choice of potatoes matters: Yukon Golds offer a creamy texture, while russets provide fluffiness.
- For vegan variations, substitute butter and sour cream with plant-based alternatives.
- Using a mix of mushrooms enhances the umami flavor.
- If you prefer a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour for thickening.
- The vegetable stock enriched with miso adds depth and savoriness to the filling.
- You can customize the filling by adding cooked meats to part of the stew for mixed dietary preferences.
- Truffle oil is optional but adds a luxurious aroma and flavor.
- Saving some potato water helps adjust the mashed potatoes’ consistency for easier spreading or piping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
