Vegan Shepherd's Pie

This meatless, dairy-free take on Shepherds Pie is packed with veggies (mushrooms! celery! butternut squash!) and loaded with flavor. Parsnips may seem strange but they are low key one or the absolute greatest root vegetables out there. Though, if you cover anything with a buttery, crispy mashed potato topping we're sure you'd love it. It's also incredibly hearty, thanks to lentils. 

To make the filling: 

Sauté vegetables until extremely golden and caramelized around the edges—be patient! Then, hit it with more flavor with tomato paste, garlic, and miso paste. Deglaze the pan with wine, making sure to scrape up all the browned, flavorful bits, then simmer the lentils. To ensure the filling isn't too loose, we recommended stirring flour into the lentils before adding the broth. 

To make the potato topping: 

The process here is not too unlike that of a traditional shepherd's pie. Boil potatoes, mash them until smooth, then add the butter (vegan butter for a vegan shepherd's pie). For this recipe, we sizzle thyme and garlic in olive oil before mixing it into the mashed potatoes with butter.

To make this ahead of time: 

Make the mashed potatoes and the filling ahead of time, cooling to room temperature before refrigerating. Assemble before you're ready to bake. 

To make a low-carb version:

You can replace the mashed potato topping with mashed cauliflower. Head to our Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie for directions. 

Enjoyed making this recipe? Try some of our otherIrish-inspired recipes and leave a comment below!