If cold-weather consolation meals is what you’re after, this vegetarian shepherd’s pie is bound to fulfill. Loaded with greens, white beans, and tons of savory flavors, this hearty casserole is topped with a blanket of tacky mashed potatoes. And it simply occurs to be naturally gluten free, as nicely.
Have you ever ever had shepherd’s pie? In case you’re unfamiliar with this conventional English dish, it’s a casserole that sometimes consists of floor lamb and greens, which is topped with mashed potatoes and baked.
The model I’m sharing in the present day is a vegetarian tackle the comforting basic. Right here, we’ve leveled up the topping by together with white cheddar cheese within the creamy mashed potato, which then will get good and crispy on high below the broiler. Beneath is a well-seasoned stew-like filling of mushrooms, white beans, and greens. Hearty but wholesome, and so deliciously warming on a chilly day.
In the present day’s recipe joins my record of 30+ scrumptious fall dinner recipes—and for good cause! Between testing, photographing, and filming a video reel for this dish, we in all probability made it about 12 instances. My total staff and I cherished this. The flavour is downright INCREDIBLE.
Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie, Too:
- Basic consolation meals, like a stew, casserole, or pot pie
- Hearty but healthful and wholesome filling
- Properly-seasoned with garlic and herbs
- Customizable primarily based on the greens you’re keen on
- Topped with creamy, tacky mashed potatoes
- A superb method to make use of up leftover mashed potatoes!
- Satisfying all-in-one meal
- Vegetarian and naturally gluten free
- Excellent as a hearty vegetarian choice for a vacation meal
Pot pie is often ready with pie crust or puff pastry and baked in a pie dish. It’s so satisfyingly scrumptious and my double-crust hen pot pie is my go-to after I crave the common model. I even have a biscuit-topped vegetable pot pie, which is extra like a casserole and extra much like this vegetarian shepherd’s pie. The 2 variations with this recipe is that (1) we’re topping it with mashed potatoes as a substitute of pie crust, puff pastry, or biscuits; and (2) the filling isn’t creamy/dairy-based.
Components in Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Filling (& Substitutions)
- Olive Oil: Warmth some olive oil within the skillet earlier than you start sautéing.
- Vegetable Base: Chopped onion, carrots, and celery (aka mirepoix) make a flavorful and fragrant base to many soups, sauces, and stews. We’re including some additional carrots, too.
- Garlic: I often use 3 cloves of garlic, however you would improve it to 4 for additional taste.
- Mushrooms: Mushrooms lend their meaty weight to this vegetarian filling, however for those who don’t look after them, you possibly can double the beans as a substitute.
- Pink Wine + Pink Wine Vinegar: We examined this shepherd’s pie with out the wine, and located the flavour missing. Select a cheap desk wine—you don’t want a lot, and the alcohol cooks off; that mentioned, for those who’d fairly not use it, you possibly can double the purple wine vinegar and add a bit extra broth.
- Tomato Paste: This helps the filling to thicken because it cooks. It serves the identical goal on this candy potato chili, too.
- White Beans: I take advantage of 1 can of nice northern beans right here, however be happy to make use of cannellini or navy beans as a substitute.
- Vegetable Broth: Vegetable broth is the principle liquid within the filling, which helps every little thing cook dinner down collectively right into a stew-like consistency.
- Herbs & Seasonings: Thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt, pepper, and a bay leaf taste this filling. In case you don’t have recent herbs, you possibly can substitute dried as listed within the printable recipe under.
- Vegetable Add-Ins: Right here’s the place you possibly can mess around with the recipe by including within the greens you’re keen on most or have readily available. I often use a mixture of frozen peas and corn. A bag of frozen combined greens is tremendous handy, however you need to use recent or canned and drained greens as a substitute of frozen, if you want.
What Is the Finest Pan to Use for Shepherd’s Pie?
Be happy to cook dinner and bake this shepherd’s pie multi functional pan utilizing an oven-safe skillet, like we do with this simple skillet pot pie recipe. I like to recommend a 12-inch cast-iron skillet that’s not less than 2 inches deep. In case you don’t have one, you possibly can switch the cooked filling from the stovetop to any oven-safe casserole dish that’s about 2.5–3-quarts in measurement. You might additionally use a Dutch oven, which might go from range to oven.
I used a Le Creuset braiser pan within the coloration Sea Salt, which is certainly a bit expensive, however such wonderful high quality. Makes a beautiful reward to any cook dinner or baker. (I’m not working with this model, only a massive fan!)
Cook dinner the filling substances on the range per the recipe under. Earlier than it thickens, it seems to be like this:
Tacky Mashed Potato Topping
For this, you want 2 kilos of potatoes. I sometimes use Yukon Gold, however russet potatoes are good too. You additionally want butter for taste, bitter cream to supply a creamy texture, salt, plus some white cheddar cheese. As an alternative of bitter cream, you need to use plain yogurt, milk, or heavy cream.
The cheese is non-obligatory, however style testers and I cherished the flavour sharp white cheddar gives right here.
Sure. In case you occur to have leftover mashed potatoes from an enormous vacation meal, save your self a while and use these to high the pie as a substitute! Don’t fear about measuring the quantity; simply add a pleasant layer on high of the stew-like combination.
You should use a potato masher in case you have one, or an electrical mixer (what I take advantage of), or perhaps a pastry cutter.
Unfold the mashed potato topping over the thickened and heat filling (pictured under), after which bake:
End by broiling for a pair minutes, to crisp up the highest of the mashed potatoes.
Heat from the oven, this vegetarian shepherd’s pie is a complete meal in a single. I often serve it with a easy inexperienced salad on the aspect. Between the creamy mashed potatoes, the vegetable filling, and well-seasoned taste, this humble-looking dish impresses everybody who tastes it.
Extra Savory Dinner Pies
This recipe is a part of Sally’s Pie Week, an annual custom the place I share a handful of recent recipes that match into the pie/crisp/tart class. Be a part of the neighborhood under!
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Prep Time: quarter-hour
Cook dinner Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Complete Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: serves 8
Class: Dinner
Technique: Cooking
Delicacies: English
Description
If cold-weather consolation meals is what you’re after, this vegetarian shepherd’s pie is bound to fulfill. Loaded with greens, white beans, and tons of savory flavors, this hearty casserole is topped with a blanket of tacky mashed potatoes. Naturally gluten free! See recipe Notes for some substitution ideas.
Directions
- Cook dinner the potatoes for the topping: To avoid wasting time, and be sure that the potatoes are nonetheless heat when prepared to make use of, boil the potatoes whilst you put together the filling in step 2. Place the potatoes in a big saucepan or stockpot, and add sufficient water to cowl, in order that the water line is about an inch above the potatoes. Carry to a boil over excessive warmth, then scale back warmth to medium-high and boil till gentle, about 10–quarter-hour, relying on the dimensions of your potatoes. Drain the potatoes and put aside.
- Cook dinner the filling: Warmth the olive oil in a massive skillet over medium warmth. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and cook dinner, stirring sometimes, till the greens start to melt, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook dinner, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the purple wine and vinegar to the pan. With a silicone spatula or picket spoon, stir and scrape up any vegetable bits sticking to the pan. Cook dinner till many of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, broth, beans, herbs, salt, pepper, and bay leaf and let the combination come to a boil. (Chances are you’ll want to extend the warmth to medium-high to assist it alongside.) As soon as it begins to bubble, scale back the warmth to medium-low and simmer, stirring sometimes, till the liquid has lowered and thickened right into a sauce, about 20 minutes. Take away the skillet from warmth. Take away and discard the bay leaf, after which stir within the frozen greens. In case your skillet will not be oven-safe, switch the filling to a greased 2.5–3-quart baking dish.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- End the potato topping: Place the nice and cozy potatoes in a big mixing bowl. Add the butter, bitter cream, and salt. With a handheld potato masher or electrical mixer, mash or beat till mixed and creamy. Fold within the shredded cheese. Unfold the mashed potato topping evenly over the filling.
- Bake for half-hour; then, retaining the shepherd’s pie within the oven, activate the broiler setting and broil on excessive for 1 to three minutes, till golden spots seem on the topping.
- Take away from the oven and permit to chill for five minutes earlier than serving. Sprinkle with recent parsley, if desired, and serve heat.
- Leftovers maintain nicely within the fridge in an hermetic container for as much as 5 days. Reheat as desired. It’s also possible to freeze this for as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge and reheat as desired.
Notes
- Make Forward Directions: This dish tastes finest baked proper after you cook dinner it on the range. However, if wanted, you may make each the mashed potatoes and filling as much as 1 day forward of time. Refrigerate each and assemble and bake the subsequent day. I like to recommend bringing the mashed potato topping to room temperature and beating in a pair Tablespoons of milk to skinny it out earlier than spreading on the chilly filling. Improve bake time by a couple of minutes.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Vegetable Peeler | Oven-Protected Skillet or Braiser Pan like this | Picket Spoon or Silicone Spatula | Glass Mixing Bowl | Potato Masher or Handheld Mixer | Field Grater | 2.5- or 3-quart Baking Dish
- Pan to Use: For cooking the filling and baking the dish, I like to recommend a 12-inch oven-safe skillet that’s not less than 2 inches deep. In case you don’t have one, you possibly can cook dinner the filling in a big pot and switch it to an oven-safe casserole dish that’s about 2.5–3-quarts in measurement. You might additionally use a Dutch oven, which might go from range to oven.
- Mushrooms: In case you want to skip the mushrooms, use 2 cans of white beans as a substitute of 1.
- Pink Wine: You should use any sort of purple wine; I all the time use a cheap desk wine. If you wish to skip the purple wine, you possibly can exchange with 1/2 cup extra vegetable broth and use 2 teaspoons purple wine vinegar, however anticipate to lose some taste.
- Vegetable Add-Ins: Use 1 and 1/2 whole cups of combined vegetable add-ins. I often use a mixture of frozen peas and corn (no must thaw earlier than utilizing). It’s also possible to use recent chopped greens, or canned and drained greens.
Diet
- Serving Measurement: 1 serving
- Energy: 321
- Sugar: 6.1 g
- Sodium: 578 mg
- Fats: 14.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.3 g
- Protein: 10.6 g
- Ldl cholesterol: 24.9 mg