Ready for the Oven
Meatless Monday: Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Temperatures here in Northern Utah have been well below freezing for the past week. Because I live in a drafty old house, I’ve been enjoying adding a little extra heat to my environment by using my oven. In addition, I’ve been enjoying warming my insides eating foods that help create internal heat. Think root veggies and wintry Brussels sprouts.
For my Christmas dinner contribution I made Shepherd’s Pie. Although Shepherd’s Pie is traditionally a meat-heavy dish, this recipe ditches the beef and instead includes ground up veggie burgers. Using frozen veggie burgers saves a lot of time.
This gluten-free recipe is pretty easy to put together, especially if you already have leftover mashed potatoes. But if you don’t already have mashed potatoes, as you probably know, they’re pretty easy to whip up in very little time. I like to do my chopping in advance so that once I start cooking, the pie goes together very quickly.
This recipe is adapted from Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson.
Gather your ingredients together before you start.
Ultimate Shepherd’s Pie
Adapted from Vegan Planet
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 large yellow onion, chopped
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1 large carrot, chopped
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1 cup shiitake mushrooms (or white mushrooms if shiitakes are hard to find), chopped
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1 tablespoon tomato paste
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2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
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3/4 cup vegetable stock
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1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
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1 teaspoon minced fresh marjoram or 1/2 teaspoon dried
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water
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3 vegetarian burgers, thawed and chopped
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1 cup or more halved Brussels sprouts
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1/4 cup ground walnuts
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3 cups mashed potatoes
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1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot. Cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and Brussels sprouts and cook 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, tamari, vegetable stock, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer to thicken slightly, about 1 minute.
3. Spoon the filling mixture into a lightly oiled 2-quart baking dish. Stir in the chopped burgers and the walnuts. Taste to adjust seasonings.
4. Spread the mashed potatoes over top. Sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with the remaining oil. Bake until hot and bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Serves 4