Creamy Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 07/26/19
Creamy vegetarian shepherd's pie recipe

The Spruce / Andrea Livingston
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 65 mins
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
371 Calories
8g Fat
65g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 371
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 7mg 2%
Sodium 652mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 65g 24%
Dietary Fiber 10g 35%
Protein 13g
Calcium 210mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This vegetarian Shepherd's pie recipe uses fresh in-season vegetables in lieu of meat. It's the perfect dish to make mid-summer when root vegetables (like potatoes) are abundant and the broccoli and cauliflower heads are ready to pick. Plan your own garden around these vegetable varieties, for a homegrown dish that you can make using only a few added pantry items. Or store your potatoes long after harvest season, then whip up this comfort-food recipe for a weeknight dinner. You can also make this Shepherd's pie more meat-like—with added protein to boot—by incorporating TVP (textured vegetable protein) or lentils.

In order to make this particular vegetarian recipe vegan, omit the optional Parmesan cheese and use a non-dairy vegan yogurt. And, of course, make sure to use a vegan margarine or vegan butter substitute (like Earth Balance brand.) 

Ingredients

  • 1 carrot (diced)
  • 1/2 cup broccoli (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup cauliflower (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup green beans
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms (sliced)
  • 4 Yukon gold potatoes (or another variety)
  • 4 tablespoons margarine
  • 1/4 cup soy or regular yogurt
  • Optional: 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2/3 cup milk or soy milk (unflavored and unsweetened)
  • 2 tablespoon fresh sage (chopped)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for vegetarian Shepherd's pie
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  2. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F.

  3. Place the carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, green peas, and sliced mushrooms in a saucepan's steamer basket and steam just until al dente. Set aside. 

    Place peas, mushrooms, carrots in pot
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  4. Wash, peel, and cube the potatoes. Place them in a medium saucepan and cover them with water. 

    Wash peel and cube potatoes
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  5. Boil the potatoes in the water until they break apart with a fork. Drain, and then hand mash them with two tablespoons of margarine, the yogurt, and the Parmesan cheese.

    Boil potatoes
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  6. In a large saucepan, whisk together 2 tablespoons of margarine, flour, vegetable broth, soy milk, and sage over low heat, stirring to combine. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.

    Whisk together margarine and flour
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  7. Add in the steamed vegetables, stir to combine, and then remove from the mixture from the heat and set aside.

    Add in steamed vegetables
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  8. Spread the saucy vegetables into the bottom of a large, oiled baking dish.

    Spread vegetables on serving dish
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  9. Carefully spread the potato mixture on top. Season lightly with salt and pepper. 

    Spread mixture on top
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  10. Sprinkle additional parmesan cheese on top (optional). 

    Sprinkle cheese
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  11. Cover the pan with foil and bake the pie in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

    Cover pan with foil
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

  12. During the last five minutes of cooking, remove the foil and brown the top. 

    Remove foil
    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

Tips

  • Feel free to omit any vegetables you don't care for or don't have on hand and substitute them with more of another variety. 
  • Double the batch and freeze one pie while the vegetables are in-season. Then, heat it up later in the fall for an on-the-fly weeknight meal.

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