Vegan Shepherd's Pie

tendollarwine's Note:

I got this recipe from an episode of Good Eats. It of course wasn't vegan, so I made it vegan and made a couple adjustments to the measurements. I must say, this dish was so amazing that I ended up dreaming about it! The fresh herbs, the sauce, the fluffy potatoes... it's heaven in a baking dish. Thank you Alton Brown! (and btw, regular Worcestershire sauce is not vegan, but you can find vegan sauce at specialty stores. I used The Wizard's Organic Original Vegan Worcestershire Sauce. Also, Mornistar's crumbles are no longer vegan, so use Boca or equal amounts of seitan pulsed in a food processor.)

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

For the potatoes

• 3 russet potatoes , cubed (leave the skin on!)
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• ¼ cup soymilk
• 3 tablespoons vegan margarine
• salt and pepper

For the filling

• 2 (12 ounce) packages Boca meatless ground burger
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 carrots , peeled and diced small
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary , chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme , chopped
• 1 large sage leaf , chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (14 ounce) can peas
• 1 (14 ounce) can corn

Directions:

1. Start by putting the cubed potatoes and crushed garlic clove in a pot and fill with enough water to cover. Sprinkle a bit of salt in, as well. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes (including the garlic) and mash with the salt, pepper, soy milk and margarine. Taste and add more seasonings or margarine if needed.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare your filling ingredients and preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften and the colors become more vibrant.
4. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the crumbles and stir until defrosted and they begin to brown. Sprinkle with flour, salt and pepper and stir until evenly distributed. Whisk together the tomato paste and the vegetable broth and add to the pan along with the Worcestershire sauce and fresh herbs. Stir well, cover, and turn down the heat. Let simmer for 10-12 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
6. Pour the filling mixture into an 11x7 glass baking dish. Drain the peas and corn and add to the pan. Mix well to combine and smooth out.
7. Using a rubber spatula, dollop the potatoes over the top of the filling. Carefully spread the potatoes out over the filling, making sure to form a seal all around the edge of the baking dish to prevent the filling from bubbling over. Bake on the middle oven rack for 25 minutes, until the potatoes begin to turn golden brown. Let the pie cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving.

Reviews

[tarawojtkunski_11397347]

This took a little longer than a usually easy Sunday meal for me but it was worth it by far. Meat eaters and vegetarians alike loved the dish. It was hearty and tasty and had a very good consistency. I am not vegan so I did add cheese, but the flavor was great overall.

[Deb A.]

This was really great. I made it without the soymilk, veg meat and the flour and didn't miss those at all. The mashed potatoes were delicious on top of all the vegetables. I had to use dried sage instead of fresh, but it seemed fine. Overall, it was very tasty and a good recipe to play with. Thanks for posting it.

[Chef #1535000]

Delicious!! This was the first recipe I ever made when I decided to start cooking, so you can imagine how challenged I am. It wasn't difficult to make, and both my husband and I loved it. We'll definitely be making it again.