The best vegan shepherd’s pie recipe out there tastes so good, nobody will miss the meat! This plant based version of classic shepherd’s pie is loaded with flavor and topped with sweet potato mash…exactly what I’m looking for in the winter months. Vegan comfort food that’s satisfying and delicious, yes please and thank you too!
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I made this plant-based shepherd’s pie again last night and the whole family loved it!
Traditional shepherd’s pie is made with meat, but I promise you won’t miss the meat here. Meatless Shepherd’s Pie is easy to make with simple ingredients.
The vegetable filling gets some serious umami from wine braised mushrooms and is topped with a creamy, dairy-free, sweet fluffy topping. If you like to add a bottom crust to yours, I like this vegan pie crust
Ultimate comfort food vibes coming your way! Gather your family members around the table for Sunday dinner. This easy shepherd’s pie is a favorite main dish in our house and I’m sure it will become an instant favorite in your house too.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- An amazing recipe that is incredibly tasty.
- Meal prep and freezer friendly
- Leftovers are just as delicious, maybe even better!
- Super satisfying, even meat eaters will love this meatless shepherd’s pie.
- Grain-free and kosher for Passover.
Vegetable Filling Ingredients and Substitutions
- Mushrooms: The “meat” of this vegan version. You can use portobellos cremini mushrooms, shitakes, button mushrooms or a combination.
- Onions Good subs would be leeks, scallions, fennel or shallots.
- Carrots
- Parsnips: root veggie with a sweet nutty taste. Use turnips if you need a substitute.
- Celery: Substitute with fennel.
- Vegetable stock: Try my easy vegetable broth recipe or use my vegetable bouillon powder. Do not add any salt to this recipe if you’re using store bought broth as they are already loaded with sodium.
- Red wine: If you don’t use alcohol, substitute 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar and an additional ½ cup of veggie broth.
- Tomato paste: If you don’t have tomato paste, skip the vegetable broth and use ½ cup tomato sauce instead.
- Spices: sea salt, white pepper, sweet paprika
- Fresh Herbs: Substitute Fresh thyme is tasty, so is fresh parsley. Substitute with dried thyme and use any fresh herb to sprinkle on top.
- Garlic: Fresh minced, grated or pressed is best. Use garlic powder, not garlic salt if you need a substitute.
How to make Sweet Potato Mash
Sweet potato mash is super easy to make. Boiling the potatoes will make your topping watery, so I prefer to bake them until they’re soft and sweet.
As soon as you get the sweet potatoes into the oven you can focus on making the vegetable filling.
Wash the sweet potatoes (no need to peel) and then prick each with a fork in several places.
Bake Sweet potatoes in preheated 350 degree oven until soft and shriveled. You can use a baking dish or line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper for easy clean up.
Cut potatoes in half to allow steam to escape.
When potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh. Discard the skins to the compost bin.
To the cooked sweet potato flesh, add salt, pepper and olive oil.
Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. You can also use a potato masher for a more rustic topping.
How to make vegetable filling for shepherd’s pie
The vegetable shepherd’s pie filling is easy to make in a heavy skillet.
Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions and mushrooms in olive oil. For an oil-free version, use a couple Tablespoons vegetable broth to saute. I don’t recommend using vegan butter since it’s filled with heavily processed vegetable oils. Continue to cook until the juice released has reduced.
Step 2: Onions will begin to caramelize and mushrooms will shrink to about half the original size. This will take about 8 minutes.
Step 3: Add to the pan the carrots, celery, parsnips, along with the minced garlic, fresh thyme and dried spices.
Step 4: Cook for another 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with wine and stir well. Allow the veggies to braise in the wine.
Step 5: Whisk veggie broth into the tomato paste to create a tomato puree and add to the mixture.
OPTIONAL: add 1 cup cooked lentils and stir well.
Step 6: Turn down to medium heat and give mixture a good stir. Continue to cook on the stove as the liquid reduces, flavors intensify and veggies cook.
Veggie Filling + Sweet Potato Topping
Skillet Shepherd’s Pie in 4 easy steps
- Prepare filling. You can transfer to a casserole dish or pie dish to bake, or make the filling it in a cast iron skillet that can go from stove top to oven for a one-pan meal.
- Scoop on the sweet potato mash topping.
- Use an offset spatula to spread topping over filling
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme and then bake.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie is done when the filling is bubbling around the edges and the top has turned golden.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Mix and match a variety of mushrooms for varied texture and taste. Shitake mushrooms are a great addition.
- Throw in an extra sweet potato…you’ll definitely want to snack on some when they come out of the oven.
- Mashed Acorn Squash is another topping option that is just as easy to make as the sweet potato topping.
- Make this after Thanksgiving with your leftover mashed potatoes!
- MAKE IT FOR A CROWD: Make 1 ½ recipe and use a 9×13 baking dish.
- I like to prep for a 2-person dinner freezer meal while making the main dish. It’s so awesome to have a quick and easy dinner option that can be heated up another time.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Mash
- 2 ½ lbs. sweet potatoes
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Filling
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion diced (2 cups diced onion)
- 16 oz. baby bella mushrooms diced
- 3 carrots sliced thin (1 ½ cups sliced carrots)
- 2 stalks celery diced (1 cup diced)
- 2 large parsnips diced (1 cup diced)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves*
- ½ cup dry red wine
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup vegetable broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment.
- Wash sweet potatoes well and pat dry. Prick each one several times with the tines of a fork. Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes to one hour, depending on size. Potatoes are done when tender when pierced with a fork.
- Raise temperature to 375
- When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop out the soft filling into a bowl. Add salt and pepper and mash with olive oil until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- In a heavy, oven-proof skillet*, heat olive oil. Saute onions and mushrooms for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mushrooms will first release liquid and then shrink as they cook.
- Mix in carrots, parsnips, celery, garlic, spices and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the pan becomes too dry, add in veggie stock, 1 Tablespoon at a time.
- Stir in wine and deglaze the pan. Allow to reduce by half, simmering for about 5 minutes.
- Mix the veggie stock with the tomato paste and pour into pan. Cook for about 3 minutes as the sauce thickens.
- Turn off heat and spoon sweet potato mash on top of filling. If using a different baking pan, transfer filling to pan and then spoon on topping. Use an offset spatula to smooth mashed sweet potatoes.
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme and bake for 30 minutes in 375 oven until bubbly and golden on top.
Video
Notes
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
- Store: Vegan shepherd’s pie will last in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Freeze: Cool baked shepherd’s pie completely, wrap tightly with foil and then freeze for up to 3 months. You can also place veggie filling in a baking dish, top with sweet potato mash and freeze uncooked. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed in the recipe card.
- Reheat: Reheat, covered, in preheated oven for 30 minutes. If placing vegan shepherd’s pie directly from freezer to oven, increase baking time to 1 hour. Check to be sure it’s heated through, adding an additional 15 minutes if needed.
- MAKE AHEAD: Prepare filling and sweet potato mash. Pour filling into baking dish, spread on the mash, then cover tightly. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, defrost in the fridge, remove cover and bake as directed.
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Ramya
Will be making this soon i never had shepherd pie before i love mushrooms sooooooooooo much wiil dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Debra Klein
You’re welcome, looking forward to hearing about your experience.
Elizabeth
The whole family loved it!
Audrey
This was perfect for our meatless Monday!
Debra Klein
Awesome!
Freya
A great recipe, the family loved it!
Nora
Thank you for that amazing recipe! Have to try it as soon as possible!
Raquel
What a wonderful meatless meal idea!
Amy
A fantastic vegan recipe! It was so delicious!
Sangita
It’s just perfect for meatless Monday! Love it.
Kim Guzman
This looks like a great variation.
Jere Cassidy
This shepherd’s pie with the sweet potato topping has me drooling.
Debra Klein
Must mean you should make it!
Sharron
HimDebra, I am so happy I found your website, the recipes sound delicious. For the shepherds pie, is there something I could use to replace the mushrooms. Thanks!
Debra Klein
Hi…thanks for reaching out. If mushrooms aren’t an option, I would use lentils for texture….beluga lentils first choice, but any kind will work….but maybe add a Tablespoon miso paste to give that umami that you’ll be missing without the mushrooms.
Cathy
Just asking. What’s the case change if I boiled the sweet potato and water versus baking? I know there is a difference with white potatoes. Thank you in advance.
Debra Klein
I’m not sure I understand your question….but I do know that when sweet potatoes are boiled, they will come out more watery than when they’re baked. Make sure you drain them really well and then mash before putting in any olive oil. You may decide it’s not needed…I’m not sure since I haven’t tried it. Let me know how it turns out.
Ellen Dinerstein
the shepherds pie was delicious! Everyone really enjoyed it. thanks for the recipe
Debra Klein
Yay…great success. Glad it was a hit.