Grab your spoon and get ready because this Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie is about to become your new favorite comfort food. Sautéed onions, peas, carrots, and mushrooms are covered in a creamy layer of mashed potatoes then baked to create a warm and healthy shepherd’s pie. Each bite is loaded with flavor from garlic and white wine used to cook the vegetables and the mashed potato layer is pure fluffy deliciousness.
This shepherd’s pie is a great example of how plant based eating can still be just as delicious and comforting as the usual foods we all know and love. I bet if you made this for a holiday or family gathering, the meat eaters wouldn’t even notice the missing meat! That’s the power of great flavor and texture, it can transform any meal.
If you’re looking for more plant based meals that are cozy and comforting, check out these two blog favorites. This easy and “cheesy” 6 Ingredient Vegan Alfredo Sauce is the perfect combination of pasta + “cheese” and who doesn’t love that combination?! Then my Easy Vegan Tomato Soup is a classic revamp that pairs very well with some warm bread or crackers on the side.
Ingredients
Garlic Cloves – Fresh garlic cloves are best for flavor but you can also sub for 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
Onion – I typically use a white onion that has a bit of bite and sweetness to it once cooked down and softened.
Tomatoes – Use unsalted diced tomatoes to keep the pie from becoming too salty.
White Wine – Adds great depth and flavor to the vegetable casserole but can also be subbed for chicken or vegetable broth if needed.
Mushrooms – I usually go for the brown variety of mushrooms because I prefer the texture of them over other types.
Carrots – Make sure to cut these into ½” pieces so that they soften enough while cooking.
Peas – Use fresh peas if possible otherwise sub for frozen and just know that they may be a bit more mushy than fresh!
Russet Potatoes – I prefer russet potatoes when it comes to making mashed potatoes but use what you have available. Also, feel free to leave the skins on if you like your mashed potatoes that way.
Butter – Use unsalted to keep this shepherd’s pie with mashed potatoes from becoming too salty. You can also sub for a dairy-free/vegan butter if needed.
Plain Greek Yogurt – I use a 5% blend but as long as it’s greek style/plain, anything will work. The percentage will just determine how thick your mashed potatoes so keep that in mind. And once more, sub for a dairy-free/vegan alternative if needed.
Salt – I add salt while cooking rather than using salted products like tomatoes and butter. This improves the overall flavor of the shepherd’s pie!
How to Make Healthy Shepherd’s Pie
- In a 3-4 Qt pot, heat olive oil on medium high. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Add both cans of tomatoes, white wine, salt and pepper. Continue to cook uncovered on medium high until most of the liquid is gone, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add carrots and mushrooms. Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in peas. Spread mixture into a 2 ½ Qt dutch oven or casserole dish.
- Fill a 2-3 Qt pot with water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until a knife is easily inserted into the thickest part of the potatoes, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes, returning them to the pot they were cooked in. Add butter, yogurt and salt. Using a hand mixer or potato masher, blend potatoes to desired smoothness.
- Spread mashed potatoes over top of the casserole with cooked vegetable mixture. Casserole should have enough room above the potatoes to allow for the bubbling of the vegetable mixture.
- Move to the oven and bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes until potatoes at the center of the casserole are slightly browned. Serve immediately and enjoy!
What is Shepherd’s Pie?
If you’re finally convinced that you need to make this Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie (hello delicious) then you should probably understand what a shepherd’s pie actually is. And since I never knew the history behind it either, I did some research of my own.
Shepherd’s pie started out as hearty meal in the UK and Ireland that consisted of ground meat, vegetables, and a mashed potato layer. Some pies actually have a mashed potato bottom and top layer but I chose to keep things simple and only go with the top!
The shepherd’s pie was originally made as a warm meal that was cheap, easy, and great for using up any food about to go to waste. I think that can still apply to this meal and that’s one of the reasons I love it. Get creative with your Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie and use what you have available to make this pie your own!
How to Thicken Mashed Potatoes
The key to a great shepherd’s pie is having a thick layer of mashed potato on top. If the mash isn’t thick enough then it doesn’t hold shape as well and while flavor will still be amazing, presentation just might be lacking! So if you’re interested in making extra thick and luscious mashed potatoes, here are my suggestions.
- Use russet or yukon gold potatoes for an extra fluffy mash. The high starch content of these potatoes make for the perfect mashing!
- Drain then rinse the potatoes in warm water, not cold. When you rinse the potatoes in warm water it keeps them soft and ready to mash while cold water creates a lumpier mash.
- Use thick and high percentage yogurt rather than the thinner, low-fat varieties. You could also sub this for sour cream or cottage cream.
- Add two to three tablespoons of cream cheese to really thicken the potatoes up, just be sure to add a bit more seasoning for flavor.
- Another thickening option would be to add a tablespoon of cornstarch and mix well. Just be sure to once more add more seasoning as needed.
Variations For This Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
As I mentioned above, there are multiple ways to make this pie unique to your tastes. Use the ingredients you have available or see what’s on sale at the store. Either way, this is a great way to use seasonal produce or food that’s about to go to waste.
For the vegetable casserole part, the first swap would be to use chicken or vegetable broth instead of the white wine. After that, you can easily change up what vegetables to use. Some tasty options could include zucchini, green beans, broccoli, sweet peppers, cauliflower, or so forth.
As for the mashed potatoes, if you need to make this dairy-free and/or vegan, make some substitutions! The yogurt and butter can both be swapped with a dairy free brand that works for you. I can’t guarantee that the final mash will be as thick as my recipe but the flavor will still be absolutely delicious and that’s what truly matters.
How to Store Shepherd’s Pie
This is a great meal to make ahead for leftovers or as part of your weekly meal prep. Simply store any extra in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave, on stovetop, or in the oven if you want! Then to freeze, store leftovers in a single layer in an airtight container and freeze for up three months. Thaw out in the fridge overnight or by heating in the oven until soft and warm. I love having healthy comfort food ready to go for a quick meal after a long day, the best feeling!
If you’re looking for more cozy recipes to make for the week ahead, check out my Stuffed Acorn Squash for an easy + delicious seasonal meal. It’s as simple as roasting your squash then filling it with homemade stuffing and the dish is full of flavor from herbs like thyme and rosemary. Another option could be my Vegan Broccoli Soup that’s creamy and “cheesy” from nutritional yeast + full of plant based nutrients!
And if you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you and it helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie 🙂
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 ea garlic cloves diced fine
- 1 ea large onion diced (~ 2 Cups +)
- 2 cans diced tomatoes unsalted (14.5 oz can)
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 8 oz brown mushrooms cut into ½” bite size
- 1 cup carrots diced to ½” bite size
- 8 oz fresh peas
- 3 ea large russet potatoes peeled and quartered
- ¼ cup butter unsalted
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt I used 5%
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a 3-4 Qt pot, heat olive oil on medium high. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Add both cans of tomatoes, white wine, salt and pepper. Continue to cook uncovered on medium high until most of the liquid is gone, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots and mushrooms. Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in peas. Spread mixture into a 2 ½ Qt dutch oven or casserole dish.
- Fill a 2-3 Qt pot with water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until a knife is easily inserted into the thickest part of the potatoes, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes, returning them to the pot they were cooked in. Add butter, yogurt and salt. Using a hand mixer, blend potatoes to desired smoothness.
- Spread mashed potatoes over top of the casserole with cooked vegetable mixture. Casserole should have enough room above the potatoes to allow for the bubbling of the vegetable mixture.
- Move to the oven and bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes until potatoes at the center of the casserole are slightly browned. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
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The smell when this was cooking was amazing. I added one pound ground turkey and it worked great. My husband loved it and, well, that’s why I cook! Can’t wait to make it again.
So so happy you both loved this recipe!!! So perfect for this time of year too 🙂
– Casey