Vegetarian style shepherd’s pie recipe

Shepherd’s pie is comfort food at its finest. This hearty, warm, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal replaces the meat with veggie-style grounds, which are mixed with a variety of veggies and topped with fluffy homemade mashed potatoes. You’ll never miss the meat in this dish!

Shepherd’s pie is a classic comfort food dish. While most recipes use ground beef, turkey or even chicken, we decided to give ours a vegetarian spin. We replaced the actual meat portion of this dish with a vegetarian meatless-grounds substitute that helps create the texture of meat! It’s savory, hearty and by no means lacking in flavor. Give it a shot!

Vegetarian style shepherd’s pie recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

For the mashed potato layer:

• 5 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (you can also substitute instant mashed potatoes to speed up the process)
• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup plain soy, almond or coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese or regular cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (more if needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For the “meat” layer:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 packet mushroom or onion gravy mix
• 1/4 cup water (more if needed)
• 1 (14 ounce) package meatless veggie grounds
• 1/2 cup daiya vegan pepper jack shreds or regular cheddar cheese

Directions: 

1. In a large pot add the potato chunks and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook the potatoes until they are very tender (about 20-25 minutes). Drain the potatoes and in the same pot add the remaining ingredients for the potato layer.
2. With a potato masher, mash the potatoes until everything is mixed well and there are no lumps in the mashed potatoes. (If using instant potatoes skip this step and prepare the instant potatoes as directed on the box.) Set aside.
3. In a large pan add the olive oil and the onions. Saute until the onions are slightly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and veggie crumbles stirring continually. Add the packet of mushroom or onion gravy mix and the 1/4 cup of water, mixing well. (If you find the mixture is still very thick, add a little bit more water to help combine the ingredients.)
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a medium-sized casserole dish with cooking spray. Add the veggie crumble mixture to the dish, spreading evenly across the bottom. Spoon the mashed potato mixture on top and gently spread out covering the “meat” layer. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is a golden brown color and cheese has melted.

More vegetarian recipes

Portobello mushroom pizzas
Veggie wraps with honey avocado dressing
Black bean and sweet potato enchiladas