Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

Show-stopping Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie features a delicious medley of vegetables, a flavorful gravy and the best mashed potatoes on top.

Not only will you be craving veggies like crazy after eating this meal, but you also won’t be missing the meat! This Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie is great for company (especially when serving vegetarians) and this recipe is a perfect candidate for making ahead of time or making as a freezer meal.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

After sharing this traditional Shepherd’s Pie (well, technically, a Cottage Pie) last year, I’ve made it for company countless times. It gets rave reviews every time I serve it, including from my boys — they’ll request it frequently. And since I have several vegetarian family members, I thought it was time they got in on the amazing-ness that is shepherd’s pie — vegetarian style!

While I’ll be the first to admit, I love the tender beef in regular shepherd’s pie, this vegetarian version is nothing short of amazing. It’s got a great meatiness from the mushrooms and so much flavor from the variety of vegetables and herb-infused gravy. The mashed potatoes, of course, are the perfect creamy finishing touch. So, let’s get started talking about Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie!

How to make Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

1. Start with the mashed potatoes. Peel and chop the potatoes, add cold water to cover, add salt and a bay leaf (we’ll finish the potatoes while the veggies are simmering).
2. Sauté onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. The key here is to finely dice the vegetables, so they cook down and get tender quickly and evenly.
3. Add in thinly sliced mushrooms. Try to purchase small (bite-sized) and evenly sized mushrooms for the best texture.
4. Add in flour, tomato paste, herbs, and then broth. Cook down until it looks like this image. Use 1/2 cup vegetable or beef broth (if vegetarian isn’t a requirement). Traditional recipes use wine instead of broth, and if you want to go that route, use a medium-bodied red wine like pinot noir.

Process, continued

5. Once cooked down, add in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, peas, corn, bay leaf, and vegetable stock. While vegetable broth works, the stock adds more flavor. I highly recommend San Marzano® tomatoes for this Vegetarian Shepherd’s pie.
6. Now the base is all in; time to simmer everything down and reduce until it’s thick and the vegetables are perfectly tender.
7. While everything is simmering, the potatoes can be pressed through the ricer and finished off. For perfectly fluffy potatoes, I recommend a potato ricer. I find the ricer makes finishing the potatoes a cinch and gives the potatoes the perfect texture. Don’t forget to season the potatoes before adding them to the pie!
8. Add a drizzle of olive oil on top, bake and then broil to get the top crispy.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie FAQs

Because shepherd’s pie is a heavier dish that already includes meat, potatoes, and vegetables, I would recommend a light salad to go with it. Here are a few of my favorite sides:

• Winter Fruit Salad 
• Pear Salad (reader favorite)
• Mandarin Orange Salad (with an orange-poppyseed dressing)
• Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
• Apple Fennel Salad
• Italian Salad

Make-ahead Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

• Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie is the perfect dish to prepare ahead of time. Make the veggie base the night before (or the morning of) and store it covered tightly in the fridge. Prepare the mashed potatoes at the same time and store (covered, in the fridge) separately. Assemble right before baking when ready to eat (slightly warm the mashed potatoes so they’ll spread easily). You’ll need to add 5-10 additional minutes to the bake time depending on how cold the pie is.
• After your shepherd’s pie is cooked, you can store it for an additional 3-5 days, covered and refrigerated. You may need to adjust the storage time depending on whether you used fresh ingredients or leftovers. Using all fresh veggies, it should last 5 days in the fridge (covered and stored well).

Can you freeze shepherd’s pie?

You can freeze this Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie! Bake according to directions and then let the pan cool completely to room temperature. Cover tightly with foil, label, and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, reheat (still covered with foil) for 1 hour in a 350 degrees F oven. Alternatively, thaw the pie in the fridge overnight and then bake (covered) for 30 minutes. Note there is a slight loss of texture/flavor in the veggies from freezing. Don’t forget to broil (uncovered) after baking for 1-3 minutes (watching closely).

QUICK TIP

Make sure the pan you use for Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie will work with a broiler. Glass pans, including Pyrex®, can’t withstand the 500+ degree temperatures. And if the pan you’re using has plastic or wooden handles, they shouldn’t be broiled. Most other pans are able to stand up to the heat.

Variations

More delicious vegetarian meals

• Vegetarian Chili
• Quinoa Chili
• The BEST Vegetarian Tacos
• Vegetarian Enchiladas
• Red and White Pasta

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Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

4.88 from 8 votes

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Show-stopping Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with a medley of fresh vegetables, a flavorful gravy, and the best mashed potatoes on top.

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Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

4.88 from 8 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Show-stopping Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with a medley of fresh vegetables, a flavorful gravy, and the best mashed potatoes on top.

Course Dinner, Main Course, Vegetarian

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Keyword vegetarian shepherd's pie

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 485kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $6.39

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 cup diced yellow onion (~1/2 of 1 large onion)
• ▢ 3/4 cups diced carrots (~2-3 large carrots)
• ▢ 3/4 cups diced celery (~3-5 stalks)
• ▢ 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons white flour
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 2 bay leaves, separated
• ▢ 1 cup frozen sweet peas
• ▢ 1 cup frozen yellow corn
• ▢ 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock divided (Note 1)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Topping

• ▢ 2 and 1/2 pounds potatoes, I use an equal mix of Yukon gold and russet; if just using one, use Yukon gold, peeled and cubed
• ▢ 1/2 cup heavy cream (can use half and half)
• ▢ 1/2 cup sour cream (can use light or fat free)
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
• ▢ Optional: fresh parsley or fresh thyme (for topping)

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

• POTATOES: Peel and then cube the potatoes into golf-ball sized pieces. Place in a strainer and rinse under cold water until the water rinsing through comes out clear. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon fine sea salt and 1 bay leaf, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender; about 15-20 minutes. When a potato can easily be pierced, drain the potatoes in a strainer and make sure you get rid of ALL the extra moisture. Let them dry for about 3 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
• VEGGIES: While potatoes are cooking, pour 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet (1.5 quart skillet) over medium high heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently for about 1 minute. Add in the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the finely chopped carrots and celery and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until veggies are softened, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, thinly slice the mushrooms. Add in the mushrooms and cook another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are tender. Add in the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook off the rawness of the flour. Add in the tomato paste, thyme, Italian seasoning, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. (I add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, add to preference). Stir for another 1-2 minutes. Add in 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth (see note 2) and stir for 1-2 more minutes or until thick.
• FINISHING VEGGIE BASE: Reduce heat to medium and add in the can of diced tomatoes, frozen peas, frozen corn, and remaining 1 bay leaf. Add in the remaining 1 cup of vegetable stock and stir until combined. Bring this mixture to a simmer then reduce heat to medium and cook for 25-35 minutes, stirring every 5 or so minutes, until you have a thickened gravy. Stir in the red wine vinegar. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• FINISHING VEGGIE BASE CONT.: Remove veggies from heat, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. (I like making this in the morning and assembling right before dinner). If making immediately, place in the fridge until potatoes are completely finished (you want the mixture to chill for as long as possible so the layers stay separate when baking, 15-20 minutes at a minimum). If you didn't prepare in an oven-safe skillet, transfer to a 1.5-2 quart oven-safe dish. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
• POTATOES CONT.: While the potatoes are drying in the strainer, add the heavy cream, sour cream, and butter to the pot the potatoes cooked in. Melt on low heat and stir to combine. While potatoes are still hot, put them through a ricer and add on top of the butter/sour cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I use about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Cover and place in the fridge until ready to assemble pie.
• ASSEMBLY: Gently spread the potatoes in an even layer on top of the veggies. Use a large spoon or silicone spatula to press them to cover all the veggies and make sure to "seal" the edges with potatoes. Use a fork to add marks onto the surface of the potatoes. Drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
• BAKE: Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and the edges are bubbling. Broil for 1-2 minutes on high to get the very tops of the potatoes crispy! (See note 2) Remove from heat and garnish with fresh thyme or fresh parsley as desired. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Traditional Shepherd's Pie uses red wine in the gravy. If you'd like to do the same, you can substitute 1/2 cup of medium-bodied red wine, such as pinot noir, for the same amount of vegetable broth.

Note 2: Glass baking pans, including Pyrex® cannot withstand the high heat of a broiler. Additionally, if your baking pan has plastic or wooden handles, they won't work, either. Most other pans are safe for oven and broiler use.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6g | Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 340mg | Potassium: 1309mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3976IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 3mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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