I’m a big fan of easy, healthy weeknight meals that the whole family loves, and since many of you have asked for just that, I’m delivering on my promise today! This Shepherd’s Pie is plant-based comfort food at its finest, and uses Beyond Beef to take it to the next-level.
There are a lot of misconceptions around plant-based eating. Many people think that plant-based food is boring and unsatisfying … but it doesn’t have to be! I know so many people who are wanting to lean in to eating a more plant-based diet but don’t know where to start.
The good news is that transitioning to more of a plant-based diet doesn’t have to be all or nothing! Start with one or two meals a week, make veggies the star of the plate, and try plant-based versions of your favourite comfort foods.
It’s no secret that as a society, we need to minimize our environmental footprint. Reducing food waste along with eating a plant-based diet are both ways to make a change for the better. The little things matter, like carpooling instead of taking your own vehicle, turning off lights we aren’t using, and reducing the amount of meat in our diets. I’m not 100% vegetarian but we eat a very plant-heavy diet and make grains and veggies the mainstay of our meals.
We used the Beyond Meat Beyond Beef in this classic Shepherd’s Pie recipe to replace the meat for zero compromise in the taste department. Beyond Beef is a complete plant-based protein with 20 grams of protein per 100 gram serving. Beyond Beef makes it so easy to convert old-fashioned family favourite recipes to plant-based, and contains 35% less saturated fat than regular ground beef.
The protein in Beyond Beef comes from a combination of plant ingredients such as mung beans, peas, and rice. It contains no soy or gluten making it the perfect ingredient for when we’re making meals for our extended family who can’t eat gluten. Beyond Beef also contains no peanuts or tree nuts so I feel good sending leftovers in the kid’s lunches! You can find beyond meat in the meat section of most major grocery stores.
Now back to this recipe, it takes less than a half hour to assemble and makes for such a hearty satisfying make-ahead meal in the colder months. It’s also one of my go-to meals for entertaining… I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t love shepherd’s pie!
Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd's Pie
This classic plant based shepherd's pie is perfect for a cozy family dinner night!
Ingredients
For the mashed potatoes:
- 2.5 lbs russet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1” pieces)
- ¼ cup melted butter or vegan butter
- ½ cup cream or cashew cream (or more to thin if needed)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups finely chopped onion (1 medium onion)
- 1 package Beyond Beef (453 grams)
- 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 lb mushrooms (finely chopped (5 cups))
- 1 cup finely diced carrots
- 1 cup finely diced celery
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the mashed potatoes:
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In a medium pot, add the potatoes and fill with salted water until they’re covered. Bring to a low boil and cook until your potatoes are soft and can be easily pierced with a fork. Prepare the filling below while the potatoes cook.
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Mash with a potato masher or hand held electric mixer and stir in the butter and cream. Season with salt and pepper.
For the filling:
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Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, around 4 – 5 minutes.
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Add the Beyond Beef and garlic to the onions and cook until lightly browned, around 8 – 10 minutes. Add in the mushrooms, carrots and celery and cook for 10 - 12 minutes until your vegetables are soft. Sprinkle with the flour and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring. Add the Worcestershire, ketchup, thyme and stock and stir, cooking until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and stir in the frozen corn and peas.
Assembly:
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Preheat your oven to 375 F.
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Transfer the filling into a large oven proof baking dish (9x13”). Top with the creamy mashed potatoes, smooth with the back of a spoon and bake for 20-30 minutes. Once it begins bubbling on the sides turn the oven to a broil and bake an additional 2-3 minutes until the top is golden brown.
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Top with fresh thyme if desired and serve!
This looks fantastic! Will definitely be trying it in the near future. I couldn’t seem to find any notes about freezing. Do you think it would freeze alright? Or prep into 2 smaller baking dishes – one for then, and one for the freezer? Thanks again for the recipe!
Hi Kirby, I haven’t tried freezing it before but I’m sure it would be ok!
Looks delish! Yay for weeknight meal recipes!
Looks awesome. Do you do private nutritional consultations?
Hi Jennifer, unfortunately at this time I do not!
Thanks for another great recipe, Tori! I made this tonight and it was very tasty. I did mashed cauliflower and potatoes from your cookbook on top which was lovely. I used a Dutch oven for sautéing and baking and that seemed to work well for the recipe too. Definitely adding this one to the recipe box!
I’m so happy to hear Meredith! I’m sure it was absolutely delicious with the cauliflower added in, thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Hi Tori,
I made this delicious Shepherds Pie and it was a real hit!
Thank you for sharing.
I wanted to pass on that I found prep time was more like 30’ish minutes mainly
due to the peeling/chopping of the vegetables.
Hi Sue, thanks for the feedback!! Chopping some of the veggies in the food processor can help speed things up sometimes too! So glad you liked the recipe.
Put this together the day before we were going to eat it ‘cause lasagna & Shepherd’s pie is always best the next day. It took me close to an hour from start to ready for the oven. We love cheese on top so added Violife Cheddar shreds. This was a delicious meal. Even got approval from my omnivorous son to add to the rotation- yay!!! Thanks for the recipe!
To make it truly Vegan, I make my own Worcestershire Style Sauce as store bought contains anchovies. Love the Mashed Cauliflower & Potato idea to top! Thanks for showing Vegan options!
Thanks for the note that’s a great point Jodi!
TORI!!!! This was AMAZING!!! Better than any of the meat options I have ever tried!!! I added garlic salt to mine in place of regular salt and added nutritional yeast to the mashed potatoes!!! (and also my own vegan Worcestershire sauce as I mentioned above) I ate the whole thing to myself!!! Over the course of a week of lunches and dinners of course! 🙂 I was so sad to see the pan empty! Time to make a new batch!! Thank you for another amazing recipe!!
Aloha Jodi,
Just a heads up there are vegan Worcestershire sauces at all the major food chains that do not contain anchovies. We don’t have a Whole Foods on island but I know they carry it along with Trader Joe’s. 🙂 Just a heads up incase you are running short on time or don’t feel like making it. 🙂
Made this dish this week. Used mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes. It was delicious.
Amazing thanks Elaine!!!
I used a potato cauliflower blended mash, I didn’t have mushrooms or carrots, but it was still awesome. I’m going to make it again when I can do it correctly! Thanks for the meatless healthy recipe!
Traditionally Shepherd’s Pie would contain lamb and is an Irish specialty. Cottage Pie is English and would contain (beyond) beef … 🙂
Thanks Ceri!
You are very welcome Tori. I should say that I did follow your recipe and it was wonderful. Growing up my mum would always add a can (or two) of baked brown beans to Cottage Pie. It was super yummy and was an inexpensive way to help make the meal go further. So, following in my mum’s footsteps and meal budgeting I did add a can to your recipe … 🙂
This was insanely good. Like cannot wait to eat my first batch of leftovers today and it’s only 9:15am good. I omitted the Worcestershire & ketchup, replaced the peas with extra corn, and made my own very thick cashew cream for the potatoes. Printing this out for my recipe book, thank you so much!!!
So happy you enjoyed it Jaime! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, it truly means so much to us.
This was delicious and a hit even with vegetarian skeptics. I reduced the mushrooms, though.
I agree with previous comments about the length of time to chop and even cook everything on the stove.
Hi Jessica! Thanks for the lovely review I’m so glad you enjoyed! Tori