Shepherd’s pie is a classic British winter dish. This vegan version has all the best qualities - it’s warming, hearty, comfort food at it’s finest. Made with chunky tender vegetables and chickpeas in a thick, rich gravy, and topped with fluffy potatoes which turn golden and crispy on the top.
I’ve tried loads of vegan shepherd’s pie recipes in my time, and this version takes the best bits from each one to form the ultimate recipe. It’s packed with protein, is low-fat, and of course has a huge array of vitamins and minerals. But, most importantly, this vegan shepherd’s pie is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Easy Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Ingredients (serves 8):
1kg potatoes (floury varieties like Russet or King Edwards work best
3 Tbsp rapeseed oil
30g dried porcini mushrooms
2 leeks, chopped
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, chopped
4 sticks celery, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
5 Tbsp tomato puree
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 small butternut squash
2 tsp dried oregano
A dozen sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
250g cooked puy lentils
1 x 400g can chickpeas
Vegan stock cube or 2 tsp vegan stock powder
300g frozen peas
300g frozen spinach
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup plant-based milk
Handful fresh parsley
Method:
Start by preparing your potatoes. Peel them and roughly chop into large chunks, then boil for 30-40 minutes or until they are tender. Drain and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, soak the porcini mushrooms in 200ml hot water for 10-15 minutes, then lift out the mushrooms, reserve the liquid, and chop the soaked mushrooms into small chunks.
Heat the rapeseed oil in a large pan, then add the onions, leeks, carrots and celery, and saute for 5-10 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the porcini mushrooms, garlic, tomato puree, soy sauce, paprika, squash, oregano and thyme, then continue to saute for another 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Now add the chickpeas (along with the liquid from the can), the lentils, the reserved water from the porcini mushrooms, and add a vegan stock cube or powder. Add the frozen peas and spinach, season with lots of black pepper (there’s enough salt already in the stock and soy sauce) and simmer for another 10 minutes. Take 200g of the boiled potatoes, mash roughly with a fork, and stir through the vegetables (this helps to thicken and enrich the sauce).
Now prepare the mash topping by mashing the remaining boiled potatoes with the olive oil, plant-based milk and fresh parsley until smooth. Divide the filling between your pie dish (or dishes). Dollop the mashed potato on top and spread out evenly over the pie using the back of a fork.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180C (360F) and bake the pies for around 40 minutes, until the filling is piping hot and the potatoes have turned golden and crispy on the top. Serve with a fresh salad or mixed green veg.
Nutrition (per serving):
Protein: 13.7g (Women: 27.4% / Men: 24.9%)
Iron: 4.4mg (Women: 29.7% / Men: 50.6%)
Calories: 378 (Women: 18.9% / Men: 15.1%)
Sugar: 9.9g (Women: 11.0% / Men: 8.3%)
Total Fats: 11.6g (Women: 16.6% / Men: 12.2%)
Saturated Fat: 1.2g (Women: 6.0% / Men: 4.0%)
Salt: 0.9g (Women: 15.0% / Men: 15.0%)
Fibre: 11.1g (Women: 37.0% / Men: 37.0%)
See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.
