Shepherd’s Pie is a staple in my home because my hubby is British, and one of the most British things about him is his taste in food. Therefore, I know that a true “Shepherd’s Pie” is only made with lamb (hence the name). If it’s made with beef, it’s called a “Cottage Pie” (Can anyone explain that one? Somebody call Jamie Oliver.), and if it has mushrooms, it’s usually called a “Forager’s Pie.” Since I forage for all my mushrooms at the grocery store, that name felt a little dishonest to me. Although now that I think about it, it’s no more dishonest than calling it a shepherd’s pie…whatever, it’s really good. Stop reading this crap and skip to the recipe.
My goal for this dish was for it to be the ultimate vegetarian version of this comfort food classic, and I think it delivers.
NOTE: Mushrooms shrink to half their size when they cook, so a pound and a half of mushrooms seems like an epic amount, and you’ll feel like you’ve been chopping for days. Don’t worry if you pile them into your skillet and they barely fit. I promise they’ll be completely manageable after only a few minutes.
EQUIPMENT: Knife, Cutting Board, Medium Pot, Slotted Spoon or Strainer, Potato Masher or Large Spoon, Small Bowl, Small Whisk, Large Skillet (12-inch recommended), Oven-Safe 8-inch Skillet or Baking Dish
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with Mixed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Mushrooms, chopped
- 1 medium Onion, chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh Rosemary, chopped
- approx. 5 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cubed (you’ll want to end up with 2 cups of mashed potato)
- 2 tbsp Sour Cream
- 2 tsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
- Step 1 Peel and cube your potatoes, cover them with water in a medium pot, salt well, and bring to a boil.
- Step 2 Chop your mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary. TIP: No need to be precious about chopping the mushrooms. They don’t have to be a uniform size, but I think a smaller dice is preferable.
- Step 3 Whisk together soy sauce, tomato paste, and dijon mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Step 4 Set a large skillet (I use a 12 inch, 3.5 quart pan) over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and the onions. It looks like an insane amount, but the mushrooms will shrink by half when they’re cooked. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Then add the garlic and rosemary, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes until both are fragrant. Then add the soy sauce mixture and mix well. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer until you’re ready to assemble your pie, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Step 5 When the potatoes are soft enough to mash, drain them but reserve a tablespoon or two of the cooking water. Add both back to the pot along with the sour cream, and mash with a potato masher or a large spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste (but remember to taste them first, since you already salted them at the beginning).
- Step 6 Transfer your mushroom mixture to an 8×8 baking dish or an 8-inch oven-safe skillet. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top and create grooves using the back of your spoon or the tines of a fork. Drizzle with olive oil to encourage browning. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, then switch to the broiler setting and broil on high for 5 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned. Garnish with more rosemary, parsley, chives, or anything green.
| Rosemary | Thyme, Savory |
| Sour Cream | Some combination of milk and/or butter. Feel free to use whatever mashed potato recipe is your favorite. |
| Soy Sauce, Tomato Paste, and Dijon Mustard | Worcestershire Sauce (this has enough balanced umami flavor that you can effectively use it to replace all 3 of these, but a) it’s not vegetarian, and b) you lose the thickening properties of the tomato paste. You may want to add a flour slurry. |
