Vegetarian Shepherds Pie For The Win
Ah, shepherds pie…a dish you can enjoy the day you make it or a few days later (after re-heating it of course). This perfect rainy day dish can leave you feeling nice, warm, and satisfied inside. While shepherds pie originated somewhere in the British Isles, it has made its way worldwide. If you aren’t familiar with this dish, it is typically made with ground beef, cooked in sauce with onions, peas, and carrots, and topped with a crust or mashed potatoes. But what if you don’t eat meat? That is where our vegetarian shepherds pie recipe comes in!
Instead of using ground beef, our vegetarian recipe uses mushrooms. Why mushrooms? These fungi are a great way to add the umami (savory) flavor usually attributed to meat/beef dishes. Not only that, but mushrooms are chock-full with different vitamins and minerals! This is also a great dish if you’re trying to improve your heart health. Ground beef is a high source of saturated fat. Studies have shown that eating a diet high in saturated fat leads to having increased cholesterol in your blood. This can be bad for your heart health and lead to further diseases and complications in the future. By cutting out the saturated fat from the beef and replacing it with mushrooms (which have been shown to improve heart health) your heart will thank you!
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie Freezer Meal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 4 carrots peeled and diced
- 1 onion diced
- 16 oz mushrooms baby bella, sliced
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 cup vegetable broth low sodium
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp thyme dried
- 1 tsp rosemary dried
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce vegetarian brand like Lea & Perrins
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup peas frozen
- 1 cup corn frozen
- 2 lbs potatoes russet
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup shredded cheese cheddar
Instructions
- In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots and onion and sauté until starting to soften. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until softened.
- Sprinkle vegetable mixture with flour and stir to combine. Cook 1 minute. Add broth, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 8-10 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Turn off heat and stir in peas and corn. Pour mixture into a disposable baking dish and set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the potatoes. Peel and quarter the potatoes and place in the instant pot. Add water until potatoes are just covered. Cook on steam setting for 12 minutes. Quick release the pressure, then drain the water. Add milk, butter, and salt and mash potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Top vegetable mixture with the mashed potatoes, then sprinkle with cheese. Let cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to protect from freezer burn.
- When ready to cook, let thaw in the fridge if possible (remove plastic wrap and foil), then bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until bubbling and cheese is melted. If cooking from frozen, cooking time will be doubled.
Notes
Nutrition
Interested in More Vegetarian Recipes?
Blog contributions: Amaris Galik
An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
