Vegan Shepherd's Pie Recipe | Vegetarian Lentil Casserole (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep shepherd's pie from falling apart? ›

How do you keep shepherds pie from falling apart? The eggs in the mashed potatoes help keep the pie together. You should also make sure to spread the potatoes and press down a bit.

A traditional shepherd's pie fillings contain onions, carrots, celery, peas, and of course meat (typically lamb). My plant-based version starts with brown (or green) lentils and onions, which get cooked down until beautifully browned, alongside plenty of garlic.

Thicken the Filling – Stir in salt, pepper, and flour. Add beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.

A good shepherd's – or indeed cottage – pie, needs a solid, but fluffy top: too much milk or butter, and you'll end up with a sloppy puree instead.

A large oven proof Le Creuset, metal handled frying pan or enamel coated cast iron pan works well. Or you can cook your meat in a frying pan and then transfer it to a ceramic or glass lasagna dish to bake. Alternatively you can make individual pies in ramekins or small ovenproof dishes.

Spiced Pumpkin Pie from Corina Bakery

It's baked to perfection in a homemade vegan pie crust. Corina Bakery also offers a selection of vegan pies available year-round, including marionberry, strawberry rhubarb, and peach Melba.

The dish originates from the British Isles, but some might argue that it is an Irish dish by origin. The name "Shepherd's Pie" was first recorded in an 1877 cookbook. In this same cookbook, it was noted that the dish was of Scottish origin. During the period between the 18th and 19th centuries, money was very tight.

Worcestershire sauce is something that is very handy to have on hand. Not only does it come up as an ingredient in many recipes, but it's also just really tasty to add to your meals. The only issue is that regular Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies or fish sauce, so it's not vegan.

The easiest way to thicken shepherd's pie filling is by sprinkling a few tablespoons of flour into the ground beef mixture as it cooks before adding it to the baking dish. The starch in the flour will absorb the extra liquid and create a thick gravy.

Flour power

A classic thickening method for a classic dish. A few tablespoons of flour, cooked-out so you can't taste it, turns a thin sauce into a velvety gravy of dreams.

What is the difference between cottage pie and shepherd's pie? ›

The only significant and steady difference between shepherd's pie and cottage pie is the type of meat used. Shepherd's pie traditionally features ground lamb; cottage pie recipes call for ground beef.

After cooking the beef, onion, and herbs, be sure to drain the grease out of the pan. Otherwise, you will find yourself with a greasy shepherd's pie.

The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are a starchy varieties like russet, Idaho or Yukon gold. Starchy potatoes are best for mashed potatoes because they have a fluffy, almost airy texture that breaks down easily.

Stir often to crumble, until cooked through and temperature reaches 160°F on a food thermometer.

The pie dough is too dry!

The butter should stay firm so it doesn't soften and combine with the flour. Wondering why can't you use a spoon? The trick here is to hydrate the flour with just enough water to get the dough to stick together.

Use butter, not shortening

Pie crust made entirely with shortening will produce pie with a wonderfully crisp crimped edge, but also — potentially — a gap beneath the top crust. A pie crust based on butter is less likely to make a gap in pie than one made with shortening.

To correct the problem you'll need to add more moisture by incorporating an additional teaspoon or so of water into the pie dough, being careful not to add too much otherwise the baked crust will be more bread-like in texture rather than the desirable layers of flakiness.