This Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie is a meatless version of a classic British/Irish dish. The rich mushroom gravy with vegetables is topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and baked.
If you love Irish food, you also need to try my Bangers and Mash and the Instant Pot Guinness Beef Stew.
Irish comfort food is still going strong around here. Today, I am sharing a vegetarian version of one of the most known dishes from the British Islands: the Shepherd's Pie. Traditionally, it is made with ground lamb cooked in a rich gravy with vegetables and then the whole mixture is topped with mashed potatoes and baked. I am skipping the meat and using mushrooms instead! They will add the umami flavor and you will not miss the meat at all. I used them also in my vegetarian Eggplant Lasagna recipe.
Ingredients:
- onion
- celery
- carrots
- mushrooms (white or baby Bella)
- garlic
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- vegetable stock
- tomato sauce
- cornstarch
- Worcestershire sauce
- frozen peas
- mashed potatoes
Instructions:
- Start by heating up a large skillet. Add olive oil and heat up. Add chopped onion, carrots and celery. Cook until onion is translucent and carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir often.
- Add sliced mushrooms and garlic and saute until fragrant.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together vegetable stock and cornstarch. Add tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce and whisk. Add mixture to vegetables in skillet. Bring to boil, let simmer until thickens.
- Pour mixture into greased 2qt baking dish. Add 1 cup frozen peas and stir in.
- Top with mashed potatoes, spreading them evenly. Place baking dish on a large sheet pan to prevent overflow onto your oven.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until bubbly at the edge.
More Irish recipes:
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Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 5 medium carrots chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 12 oz. mushrooms washed and sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1.25 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2.5 cups mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Butter a 2qt baking dish. Place on large baking sheet (this prevents the dish from overflowing onto your oven bottom).
- Heat up olive oil in large skillet. Add chopped onion, carrots and celery. Cook until onion is translucent and carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir often. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add fresh thyme, sliced mushrooms and garlic and saute until fragrant.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together vegetable stock and cornstarch. Add tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce and whisk. Add mixture to vegetables in skillet. Bring to boil, let simmer until thickens.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Add 1 cup frozen peas and stir in.
- Top with mashed potatoes, spreading them evenly.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until bubbly at the edge.
- Let cook for 10 minutes before serving.
DLV says
Love this dish but, I think the directions should read let set for 10 minutes before serving after cooking for 15 minutes. It says cook for 10 after cooking for 15 minutes.
Franchesca says
Just made this, 9yr old says this is good! Hubby said, good job dear! Hubby said he'd definitely eat this again!!!
Full bellies! Did not use mushrooms and still had plenty of veggies! No probs with carrots cooking.
Kathy Fitzgerald-stavely says
This looks amazing, I don't do mushrooms... What could I substitute?
Deena says
Such a delicious dish! We do not miss the meat at all.
My husband and I like the somewhat crunchy texture of the carrots. Wondering if you can make this in advance and bake later.
Brenda says
Yes.
B says
Can you use a Dutch oven instead of a baking dish?
Russ says
One of me and my wife’s favorite winter recipes. We like our carrots soft so we cook them in the skillet first until almost tender before adding celery and onions. So much flavor in this recipe. We are cooking it for Thanksgiving this year as we don’t eat meat. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Abi says
Thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait to make it! When you say “Tomato Sauce” do you mean tomato purée or tomato paste?
Russ says
Tomato sauce in a can
Brenda says
One of my recipes calls for tomato paste so I use it as a thickener.
Heather says
Has anyone made this and froze for later?
Michelle says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. It was worth the work!
Anna says
Thank you so much, Michelle!
Kathy says
I made this a few weeks ago - it was a huge hit with my husband. I used Yukon Gold potatoes, and mashed them with a bit of cream cheese. It was so good, I'll be making it again soon. Yes, it's a lot of work, but worth every minute!
Anna says
That's wonderful! I am so glad you both enjoy this dish. Thank you so much for making my recipe, Kathy!
Caitlyn says
Just throwing it out there but Worcestershire Sauce is made with anchovies so not completely vegetarian
Pat says
Annie's (a national brand) has a vegan version of Worcestershire Sauce. Martha Stewart has a vegan version you can make at home: https://www.marthastewart.com/258132/homemade-vegan-worcestershire-sauce
B says
Fish is allowed in vegetarian diet
Not in vegan diet
Jay says
Nope. Fish are animals. If you eat fish, you are “pescatarian”, not vegetarian. Some “lacto-ovo vegetarians” consume dairy and eggs. Vegans eat no animal products at all.
Brenda says
Nope. Fish is NOT considered to be a part of a vegetarian (vegetable plant based diet). If you eat fish, you are a pescatarian. Fish are part of the animal kingdom. Vegan is a different way of eating AND Lifestyle altogether. However, you’re still doing the environment a favour by not eating land and air animals, so kudos to you.
Kay says
I have made this twice, once vegetarian and once with stew meat. Both times came out fantastic !! A favorite for both my vegans and my meat lovers :))
Sherry says
I haven't made this yet...will do so soon...looks very good.
But the time for baking in the directions states cook at 375 degrees for 15 minutes???
When I read one of the comments...there was a reply stating "the carrots should have been done after baking for 35 minutes in the oven". Which baking time is correct? I would assume "35 minutes".
Anna says
Hi Sherry! The comment was a response to someone who changed the directions and was having trouble. I recommend you stick to the recipe. You cook the carrots in a skillet (with other veggies) until they are tender so baking the whole dish for 15 minutes is just enough.
Christie says
This recipe is a lot of work and probably would’ve been worth it if not for the cooking time on the carrots. I doubled it to ten minutes and thought these are still super hard but maybe when I bake it will cook more. I baked for 35 minutes. Bit into it and the carrots were hard as rocks. After all that work. So I scraped the potatoes off and put in pressure cooker cooked ten minutes. Still not done. Put in for ten more and the mushrooms are ruined. After all of that work. So disappointing.
Anna says
Hi Christie! Shepherd's Pie typically requires quite a bit of steps. When it comes to carrots, they should have been done after baking for 35 minutes, especially since you pressure cooked them afterwards. Something went wrong. Maybe try cutting them into smaller pieces next time or use frozen.
Brenda says
I use frozen, mixed vegetables that have carrots, peas, corn, and I think yellow beans. I also add cooked lentils. It’s a bit hardier with that addition. The lentils provide protein and fibre and, no fat. It’s absolutely delicious. We don’t miss the meat. I use tomato paste rather than cornstarch to thicken it (plus a little apple cider vinegar to cut the acidity in the tomato paste). It’s an easy, nutritious, filling, delicious, hearty, and inexpensive dinner that serves 4 (or more if you don’t eat much or have a salad on the side). Leftovers keep well.
Jenny says
Vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce is needed to make this dish vegetarian. This dish sounds wonderful. I will be trying it this week.
Darcy Baringer says
This recipe is amazing and very very good!!! Everybody loved it !!! I will be making this again many many times!!!! Thank you so much I’m so glad I found it
Cathy says
What a fabulous idea! I'd love to try this!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
I hope you love it, Cathy!
Krista says
Love a good savory dish! I have to make it!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
I hope you love it!
Taylor says
Ultimate comfort food! Love this vegetarian version!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thanks, Taylor!
Erin says
This needs to happen at my house very soon!! I love this! looks so good!
Catalina says
This pie looks so delicious! It is in our future for sure!
Allison says
I don't even miss the meat! The mushrooms are so hearty and savory. Fabulous recipe!
Jade Manning says
I am not a veggie, but this does look amazing!
Chrissie Baker says
Genius…sheer genius! I just made this – so quick, so easy and SO delicious!! Thank you so very much for an outstanding recipe!!
Kristyn says
This looks so hearty & delicious!! Always have these ingredients..I need to make it!
Jessica Burgess says
This is exactly what I've been looking for! Thank you so much!
Jessica says
This looks delicious!! Thanks for sharing!
Becky Hardin says
You have my attention. I am thinking this needs to be dinner one night this week.
Tara says
Such a perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes!