Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

I don’t regret anything. Edith Piaf famously crooned those words, but not everyone can share the sentiment. Let’s face it, mistakes and missteps are a part of life. You wish, for instance, you hadn’t sulked at the meat-packed family dinner after first transitioning to a plant-based diet. Luckily, with each miscalculation comes insight and experience. Now when your family gathers for potlucks or holidays, you know to bring a meatless dish the everyone can enjoy, like this Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with meatless crumbles and creamy potato crust. In this case, the only thing you (and your family!) will regret is all those years spent eating the inferior original.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Filling

1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp. flax meal
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. chili powder
1 onion, diced
4 cups frozen mixed vegetable blend (carrots, peas, corn, green beans)
1 bag meatless crumbles (about 11 oz.), such as Beyond Meat
3 Tbsp. water (for flax “egg”)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
¼ tsp. liquid smoke, optional
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Crust

¼ tsp. Italian seasoning
1 large sweet potato, washed, peeled and chopped
6 medium russet potatoes, washed, peeled and chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Topping

Green onions, diced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Fill a large pot with water and chopped potatoes and bring it to a boil. Cooking about 20-25 minutes until potatoes are tender. When done, drain and mash potatoes. Then, mix in Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine flax meal with nutritional yeast and water. Whisk and set aside for about 5-10 minutes to thicken.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté diced onion in oil for about 5-6 minutes. Add meatless crumbles and spices and cook for another 15 minutes. Add vegetables, mixing well, and turn off heat.
5. Once flax mixture is thick and sticky, add it to the sautéed vegetables and mix until evenly combined.
6. In a medium-size casserole dish, evenly spread out the vegetable filling, pressing down to flatten. Then, evenly spread mashed potatoes on top.
7. Bake for 10 minutes. If desired, set oven to broil for 2-3 minutes to make the crust nice and crispy.
8. To serve, top with green onions.

Margaret’s note: Store leftover in the fridge in an airtight container for 1 week. Or, keep in the freezer for up to 4 months. To reheat, cook for 10-15 minutes at about 375 degrees F.