Recipe: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd's pie- ready for the eating

I made this the other night for dinner with homemade Irish brown bread. Although it may not be aesthetically pleasing, this shepherd’s pie is simple, tasty, hearty and wonderfully comforting on chilly nights.

Mash, mash, mash

First things first, make a slurry using ¼ cup of the vegetable broth and the flour. Set aside for later.

Mash the potatoes. Stir in the milk, butter, and shredded cheese to the mashed potatoes.  Use more milk, if you’d like. Add your desired amount of salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside. (You can use any shredded cheese you wish. Cheddar is pretty universal but I’ve had equal success with shredded Gouda as well.)

In a large skillet or pot, cook the soy crumbles in the oil. Stir in the garlic and thyme. Cook the crumbles thoroughly. Add the tomato paste, remaining 1 ¼ cups of vegetable broth, and vegetables. (NOTE: If using fresh vegetables, steam the veggies first, for a few minutes, before adding them to the crumble mixture. If using frozen veggies, just toss those bad boys in, frozen and all! Good vegetables to use are: peas, corn, diced carrots, lima beans, turnips, parsnips, shelled edamame, and green beans.) Cook for about 10 minutes, until bubbly. Stir in the flour/broth slurry, to thicken the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle, evenly, with the French’s onions then blob on the mashed potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes. Let the shepherd’s pie cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Thickened crumble mixture

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

1 lb. soy crumbles (such as Morningstar Farms Veggies Crumbles or Boca Ground Crumbles)

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 ½ cups vegetable broth, divided

12-16 oz. mixed vegetables (fresh or frozen)

2 tablespoons of flour

3 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled until tender

a pat or two of butter

¼ cup milk

½ cup of shredded cheddar

½ cup French’s Fried Onions

Salt and pepper, to taste