Easy Vegetarian Shepard's Pie | Perfect Comfort Food for Cold Days!

The Shepard's Pie is a hearty and savory dish of cooked minced meat topped with mashed potato and baked or broiled. I love making this dish because it is  so good, warm, and comforting food, especially for fall and winter. My version of Shepard's Pie is vegetarian friendly so my loved one and vegetarian friends can enjoy it with me. 

 

If you do not have or choose not to use Beyond Meat Ground Beef, use your favorite meat substitutes like pea protein, jackfruit, lentils, black beans, chickpeas, etc. And more mushrooms would be delicious!

 

If you are a meat eater/lover, no worry, just use ground meat instead of vegetarian meat. Also, use regular broth and milk. All is good. I respect everybody’s preference.

 

If you like to make this to vegan, skip parmesan cheese with vegan cheese or nutritional yeast

 

I hope you like my recipe when you try. If so, please let me know how yours turn out.  If you have any questions, please leave them in a comment box.

 

What I used in this video:

• Edward & Sons Not Beef Bouillon Cubes- https://amzn.to/3icGCSd

• The Wild Mushroom Co. Dried Gourmet Mix European Mushrooms 12 Ounces (340g)-https://amzn.to/3SuYrZh

• Beyond Meat from PlantBased Frozen oz lb. Package, Ground Beef Substitute, 16 Ounce - https://amzn.to/3gyQVzk  I can find this in my local grocery stores like Randalls, HEB, Target, and Sprouts, where its price is cheaper than what amazon offers

 

 

For meaty filling/bottom

• 1 lbs your choice of protein, e.g., beef, plant based beef ground, beans, lentils, etc.
• A handful of dry mushrooms after hydrated and squeeze out excess water- The Wild Mushroom Co. Dried Gourmet Mix European Mushrooms, roughly chopped( if not have dry mushroom, just add more mushroom)
• 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• Oil for cooking
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp ruby port or red wine. Or Sherry or Red Wine Vynegar
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 1/4 c vegetarian beef broth
• 2 tsp Vegan Worcestershire sauce( Optional but this will add more umami flavor)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 thyme sprigs fresh or dry thyme
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1/2  cup of Green Pea

 

 

For Meshed Potatoes:

 

• 2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 scallions or generous amount of chive, chopped to mix into mashed potatoes
• 1/4 to 1/2 c milk or plant based milk
• 1-2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese
• 4 tbsp melted butter

 

 

How to cook:

 

Meshed potatoes

 

• Boiling-Place the potatoes into a pot with water to cover. Salt the water. Bring to boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until tender.
• Drain and place pot back on the stove over low heat to evaporate excess water. 

Or

• Steaming-Fill a pot with water under a steamer basket of your choice.  Place the potatoes into the steam basket and sprinkle generous amount of salt on the potatoes.  Bring the water in a boil. Steam it for 8 to 12 minutes  until tender
• Off heat and transfer in a bowl,  add the melted butter and mash well. 
• Put Parmesan cheese and milk into the potatoes and mix well.

 

 

 

Meaty filling/bottom:

 

• In a heavy-bottom pan, heat oil over medium high heat.
• When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions and mushrooms.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Sauté until vegetables are soft, and beginning to leave brown bits on the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and tomato paste and continue cooking until paste turns brown and covers the bottom of the pan.
• Add the wine, scraping up bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the flour and cook briefly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the broth, Worcestershire, thyme and bay leaf.
• Continue to scrape bottom of pan and then add the carrots.
• Bring to a boil, scraping up any remaining bits on the bottom.
• Reduce the heat and add beef and green peas over the sauce.
• Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat.

Note: if your meaty bottom looks too slack/loose, mix 2 tsp water with 2 tsp of cornstarch and stir into the pan to thicken, about 1 minute.

 

 

 

 How to assemble and broil:

 

• Preheat the broiler with a rack 5 inches from the heating element.
• Load a gallon ziplock back with the mashed potatoes.
• Snip off one corner and pipe mashed potatoes over the beef mixture.
• Using an off-set spatula, smooth the mashed potatoes.
• Using a dinner fork, create ridges across the potatoes.
• place the pan on a rimmed cooking sheet to catch any spillover and broil for 9 to 12 minutes until topping is brown and juices are bubbling. Wait 10 minutes to serve