Look at these photos; doesn’t that dish look hearty and meaty? That’s because it is, but without a trace of meat! Shepherd’s Vegetarian Skillet Pie is a perfect family dinner recipe for both vegetarians and meat lovers alike! No sides are needed here; an entire meal can be found in this one recipe!
SHEPHERD’S VEGETARIAN SKILLET PIE
A dinner consisting of Shepherd’s Pie was never a common occurrence for me as a child, and even my adult life didn’t see much of it. Even though Shepherd’s Pie is such a classic dish – and so common in North American households – it just wasn’t something I was exposed to. But, it’s a classic comfort food that I absolutely needed to have, so here’s my Shepherd’s Vegetarian Skillet Pie!
Make your own online recipe box!
Click the in the lower right corner of your screen
& follow the quick and easy instructions!
IT’S JUST A CASSEROLE, RIGHT?
My mom would prepare dishes that were similar to a Shepherd’s Pie, but not quite. Her dish had ground beef, gravy, and veggies, but they were not assembled like a pie; it was more a casserole of sorts. In fact, if I remember correctly, she called it a layered casserole. I think it was very similar to my Shipwreck Casserole recipe.
A few years ago, I met someone who, quite frankly, made a great-tasting Shepherd’s Pie, but it was extremely simple. They would use ground beef, mashed potatoes, and canned cream corn. There were a few other ingredients and seasonings, but that was the jest of it.
Fast forward to sharing a home with the vegetarian, and ground beef is out of the question. Luckily, a good Shepherd’s Pie can still be had by substituting the ground beef with textured vegetable protein, or by adding lentils. To save yourself the trouble of soaking the TVP, you can buy your favourite brand of vegetarian beef crumbles.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:
This recipe actually comes together in three stages. You will need a separate list of ingredients for the “beef” filling, the gravy, and then the potato topping. I’ve broken them down into stages to make the list of ingredients easier.
FILLING INGREDIENTS
- Vegetables – You will need onion, celery, carrot, corn, and green peas. In addition, you will need a couple of garlic cloves.
- Vegetarian Beef Crumbles – There are so many brands out there now. We use Gardein quite often, but we also use Yves, or even just the dry textured vegetable protein which we rehydrate in hot water.
- Tomato Paste – Because Shepherd’s Pie has a stew-like center, tomato paste is essential.
- Salt & Ground Black Pepper
- Water
GRAVY INGREDIENTS
- Butter – This is the first ingredient. It’s melted and used to cook the flour.
- Flour – This, along with the butter, creates a paste which is the basis of the gravy. It will both flavour and thicken the gravy.
- Vegetable Stock – This is the liquid that makes up the gravy.
- Spices – I like to use dried rosemary and dried thyme in my gravy. It tastes like Thanksgiving!
- Soy Sauce – Be sure to use low sodium to avoid the gravy being too salty.
POTATO TOPPING INGREDIENTS
- Potatoes – Peel and chop them to help them boil faster.
- Milk – For creaminess.
- Butter – For flavour.
- Salt & Ground Black Pepper
HOW TO MAKE SHEPHERD’S VEGETARIAN SKILLET PIE
For the “Beef” Filling
In a skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and sauté the onion, celery and carrots. Saute for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for two additional minutes. Add the water and cook until the water has evaporated. Next, add the vegetarian beef crumbles, green peas, corn, tomato paste, salt and ground black pepper. Stir together, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool.
For the Gravy
Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, and return to the heat on a medium setting. Add the butter and melt until bubbling. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk into the butter. Allow the butter to cook the flour until the mixture turns a light golden colour.
Add the thyme and rosemary, and add the veggie stock one cup at a time, whisking well to incorporate and get out the lumps. Finally, whisk in the soy sauce. Reduce heat to a low simmer and allow the gravy to thicken. After 5 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool.
For the Mashed Potato Topping
In the meantime, mash the boiled potatoes with the butter, milk, salt, and ground black pepper until very smooth – you will want no lumps at all.
To Assemble and Bake
Add the vegetarian beef crumble mixture back to the skillet with the gravy. (If you prefer a dryer bottom to your Shepherd’s Pie, you can use just half of the gravy.) Stir together well and smooth out the top so that the gravy and veggie mixture is even.
Spoon the mashed potatoes over top of the gravy and using an offset spatula, smooth the potatoes over the gravy mixture until completely covered.
Place the skillet onto a baking sheet to catch any spills and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Switch from bake to broil to brown up the potatoes on top. Watch carefully as they can burn very easily. Remove from oven. Allow the dish to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
THE VEGETARIAN
I have to tell you, when John.e and I moved in together back in early 2013, I really don’t think I was as prepared as I thought I was to live with a vegetarian. I’m a Newfoundlander; vegetarianism was unheard of!
It was February 8th. Right in the middle of a snowstorm. I remember our moving truck being stuck in the snow and we had to shovel it out. What a nightmare! I remember thinking that the storm was a sign and that I should back out of the move.
Fast forward to the present day, there are still a few times that I wish I had backed out, not because he’s not awesome and great, but because the vegetarian thing is very hard to deal with sometimes.
If you’re a meat eater, and the person in your home responsible for preparing all of the meals, you must know what I’m talking about! It can be so frustrating – not only when preparing recipes for a weeknight dinner either. Imagine what we go through when deciding on a restaurant!!
Oh, and ordering takeout or food delivery is grounds for divorce – not to mention bankruptcy. Take for example a pizza. We have to order two because he’s vegetarian and I am not. I refuse to eat pizza without pepperoni, and he refuses to eat pizza without black olives. That can get rather expensive!
IT’S ALL ABOUT COMPROMISE
But, with Shepherd’s Vegetarian Pie, we have found common ground. We both love it so much. And so does McKenna, which is a blessing, because she’s quite the picky eater as well.
Now, Dear Reader, this dish is messy. The veggie and gravy mixture will bubble up during the baking time and spill out, which is why it’s important to place the skillet onto a baking sheet. But, you want that gravy to bubble up and get all thick and caramelized around the edge – that’s my favourite part!
This recipe makes a large pie, but you can cut all of the ingredients in half if you want to make a smaller version. This recipe is very forgiving, so you can adjust very easily. Enjoy, Dear Reader!
Do You Like This Recipe?
You should consider trying these other delicious recipes too!
Shepherd’s Vegetarian Skillet Pie
Ingredients
For the "Beef" Filling:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 4 stalks celery, finely diced
- 4 small carrots, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup water
- 16 ounces vegetarian beef crumbles
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Gravy:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- 3 pounds potatoes, peeled, chopped, and boiled until fork tender
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
For the "Beef" Filling:
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and sauté the onion, celery and carrots. Saute for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for two additional minutes.
- Add the water and cook until the water has evaporated.
- Add the vegetarian beef crumbles, green peas, corn, tomato paste, salt and ground black pepper. Stir together, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool.
For the Gravy:
- Next, wipe the skillet out with a paper towel, and return to the heat on a medium setting. Add the butter and melt until bubbling. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk into the butter. Allow the butter to cook the flour until the mixture turns a light golden colour.
- Add the thyme and rosemary, and add the veggie stock one cup at a time, whisking well to incorporate and get out the lumps.
- Finally, whisk in the soy sauce. Reduce heat to a low simmer and allow the gravy to thicken. After 5 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool.
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- In the meantime, mash the boiled potatoes with the butter, milk, salt, and ground black pepper until very smooth – you will want no lumps at all.
To Assemble and Bake:
- Add the vegetarian beef crumble mixture back to the skillet with the gravy. (If you prefer a dryer bottom to your Shepherd's Pie, you can use just half of the gravy.) Stir together well and smooth out the top so that the gravy and veggie mixture is even.
- Spoon the mashed potatoes over top of the gravy and using an off-set spatula, smooth the potatoes over the gravy mixture until completely covered.
- Place the skillet onto a baking sheet to catch any spills and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Switch from bake to broil to brown up the potatoes on top. Watch carefully as they can burn very easily.
- Remove from oven. Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Upload a photo and tag me so that I can see it!
adamsonphoto says
This looks like a great recipe. I do like a good Shepherds Pie. I will try this but will use my home made Seitan/gluten instead of a TVP based product. I used to use it but stopped when I found out about the toxic chemical process that went into making it.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you! I’ve never heard of any negative effects of TVP.
Mary (The Godmother @ Goodie Godmother) says
This looks so pretty! On the rare occasion I make this, I usually just dollop the potatoes on because I’m in too much of a hurry to assure they’re smooth enough for piping. But I love how this looks…
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Mary, would you believe me if I told you that it took me sooooooooooo long to do that. It should have been a breeze, but I didn’t have the right size tip for my pastry bag. Live and learn. 🙂
Lynn | The Road to Honey says
I had no idea that Shepherd’s Pie was so common in North America Byron. Like you, I too never had it growing up. As a matter of fact the first time I had it was when I was volunteering in Kenya on a conservancy near the foothills of Mount Kenya. The Masaii chef prepared it one night to cater to the tastes of the European scientists ( I was kind of shocked to see it show up on the table in the Kenya bush) that were at the conservancy. That said, I think your Shepherd’s Pie is absolutely stunning. I love the little swirl of potatoes that crown the top . .it gives it such an elegant flair.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Lynn! Yes, very much so! My mom never made it much, but I have friends and family who have had it as a regular part of their dinner rotation since they were kids. And, thank you for your kind words. “Elegant Flair!” 🙂
Whitney says
I grew up on Shepherd’s Pie, but I’ve never had a vegetarian version. I’m sure it still tastes so comforting, though. I love the ‘crust’ you got going on there.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’ve had both the meat and vegetable versions, and I actually prefer the vegetarian version over the meat. It’s nice to actually taste the vegetables rather than them being masked by the flavour of ground beef.
Brian Jones says
Shepherds pie and Cottage pie were weekly occurrences on our dinner table when I was a wee nipper, this looks glorious… I’ve got a veggie version similar to this in my arsenal that I use lentils for and it tastes wonderful.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’ve been wanting to incorporate more lentils into my cooking. You should post it to your blog!
kdoe1 says
Not a fan of “fake meat” since I am a meat eater, however most of my friends are veggies. I am always struggling to find things to take to our potluck dinners and I think this would be a hit. How would I incorporate lentils instead of the “fake meat”?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi kdoe1 – thanks for stopping by! The textured vegetable protein is a great product if you can find the right brand, but I’m well aware of the fact that some people just do not like the taste. If you were to substitute lentils, which I think would be a lovely idea, I would just use pre-cooked lentils and add it to the recipe in step three. I have used lentils in soups and stews before and I find that the cooked canned lentils are a great way to save some time. Since step three in the recipe is just a warming through step, canned lentils would work well and would not break down in the cooking process. Please come back and let me know how it works out for you; I’d love to hear about it! Cheers!
kdoe1 says
Thanks I am going to try it for dinner tonight. I will let you know how it turns out.
kdoe1 says
Made it with the lentils last night and it was amazing! It was so good that my boys only left a little container in the fridge. My boys are very active and after practices and games they need hearty meals.The lentil veggie mix will work for replacing meat in lots of my recipes. Thanks again.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m so happy the hear that! You’ve now inspired me to remake this dish using lentils too. Thanks for letting me know how the recipe turned out. Drop by again real soon. Cheers!
Paige @ Where Latin Meets Lagniappe says
Beautiful pie Byron, and I would also love to try lentils! I love making the veggie version of shepherd’s pie….it is such awesome comfort food 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Paige.
Whitney says
I never grew up around Shepherd’s Pie either, I think all the meat freaked me out a bit as I was very picky growing up… but this makes me want to indulge! There’s not meat to scare me away! haha. Looks delicious!!
Hillary Reeves says
Mouth. watering. And I just love the way that you piped on the potatoes! Such a gorgeous dish, Byron!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks, Hillary. To be honest, piping on the potatoes was the worst! I had the wrong tip for my piping bag, so I had to apply extra pressure. My hands were killing me. LOL
Thuy Pham says
Delicious! Everyone’s favorite! I have tried many vegetarian shepherd’s pie recipes but yours was the best! My family of 5 quickly devoured the entire 10 servings. I used less veggie protein crumbles, skipped the corn, added portobello mushrooms, fresh thyme from my garden, 3/4 cup of wine and Voila: a most satisfying, hearty and comforting and gourmet meal was served. Thank you for sharing.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you! 🙂
Anna Fletcher-Tse says
I made this tonight and oh my god was it ever good. My hubby is a meat eater and even he came back for seconds so that is a major compliment. I will definitely make this again.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
That’s great, Anna! I love hearing stories like this. I used to be one of those people, but now, I love vegetarian comfort food too.
Suzy says
This is amazing and so savory. We originally made it with Beyond Beef but we find the milder Impossible Beef is our liking now. I can’t thank you enough for all these great recipes. You’re wonderful.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
That’s so kind! Thank you, Suzy. 🙂
Liz says
I love a good shepherd’s pie recipe! Such a simple, easy, and crowd pleasing meal! Thanks for the share on a new way to make this dish!
Allyssa says
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing shepherds vegetarian skillet pie recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Allyssa. 🙂