Call it Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie or Shepherdess Pie – this casserole dish is ah-somely delicious for a weekend lunch/ dinner with family & friends! What makes this Shepherds pie exciting, is that I have got you sorted with two methods of making them – Instant Pot Shepherd’s Pie and Stove Top Shepherds Pie.

As a mum I am always on the lookout to cook recipes that are quick and easy to make. Over and above, I am also keen in having the ingredients easily available in my pantry. I recently came across this wonderful recipe for Veggie Shepherd’s Pie from Hello Fresh and instantly fell in love with them. Ingredients were all available in my pantry and I knew that, this is what I was going to treat my family over the weekend. More-over, when a recipe is topped with lots of mashed potatoes & bubbling cheese, you will see happy children around.

So,

WHAT IS SHEPHERD’S PIE?

Name: VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE RECIPE
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 People
Ingredients: 2 Tsp Olive Oil; 1 Large Onion (diced); 2-3 Garlic cloves (minced); 41/2 Cup of Mixed Vegetables; 2 Sprigs Rosemary; 400 g Cooked Green Lentils or 1 Can; 1 Tbsp Coriander; 2 tbsp Worcester Sauce; 1 Can of Chopped tomatoes; 250 ml Vegetable Stock ( 150ml only required for IP cooking ); 2 Tsp Mixed Herbs (Optional); 2 Tsp Lemon Juice; 900 g of Potatoes (cut into even chunks); 60 g of Unsalted Butter; Salt & Pepper to taste; 125 g Cheddar Cheese; 2 tbsp Finely chopped Parsley

This British classic dish Shepherds Pie was invented in late 1700 where the left over cooked meat was topped with mashed potatoes & cheese in a casserole dish. Shepherd’s Pie has got lambs meat where as Cottage Pie has got beef filling.

However, did you know The shepherdess pie is a vegetarian/vegan version made without meat??Even then we still call it Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie or Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie ! How funny, isn’t it! We love to call the dishes by the classic names and add a suffix or prefix to it, just like this amazing vegetable pie.

HOW TO MAKE OUR BEST INSTANT POT SHEPHERDS PIE ( VEGETARIAN ) -VIDEO (1 MIN):

WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS IN AN EASY SHEPHERD’S PIE WITH LENTILS? (VEGETARIAN)

For Tasty Shepherd’s Pie Filling –

Olive Oil or Butter
Onions and garlic
Fresh garlic, minced
Chopped tomatoes (from a tin or jar)
Vegetable Stock / Vegetable Broth
Ground coriander powder, mixed herbs
Fresh rosemary, parsley
Worcester sauce
Cooked Green Lentils or Brown Lentils ( from Can or Tin )

For Mashed Potatoes –
Potatoes, cut into even chunks.
Unsalted Butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD’S PIE?

You can cook this recipe for NO FUSS Shepherd’s Pie on your stove using a large lidded casserole dish (such as a Dutch Oven or shallow cast iron casserole), in a pressure cooker/ instant pot or a in a slow cooker.

The stovetop method particularly allows for the most control over the amount of liquid in the curry. However, you will need to adjust the amount of liquid in Instant Pot and Crockpot methods. Do check the recipe card below for detailed instructions on how to make Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie in Instant Pot & Stove Top.

Stove Top Method

Prep the Potatoes – Bring a large sauce pan of water to boil and add the potatoes. Allow them to boil over medium heat until tender or about 20 minutes. TIP: The potato is cooked when you can easily slip a knife through.
Mash the Topping –When the potato is ready, drain in a colander and return to the pan off the heat. Mash with a potato masher or fork, add the butter, mix well, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep the prepared mashed potatoes to one side.

Shepherd’s Pie Filling -Heat olive oil in a lidded casserole dish. Add Onion & Garlic and saute until translucent about 3 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables, chopped tomatoes with juice from the can, vegetable stock, coriander powder, mixed herbs, rosemary sprigs , Worcester sauce and stir until just combined. Season salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook until the vegetables still have a little bite.Lower the heat until the mixture is simmering and cook with the lid off until the mixture has reduced by half, say 10- 15 mins.

Add the lentil’s mixture , season with more salt & pepper if needed and stir. Remove the Rosemary sprigs and set it aside.

Finish the dish & Serve – Preheat the grill to the highest setting. Pile the lentil mixture into an ovenproof pie dish and top it with potato mash. Smooth the mash with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle the grated cheese and some Worcester sauce. Place the dish under the grill for 3 mins. You want the cheese to be golden and bubbling. Serve!

INSTANT POT METHOD

I find IP method one of the easiest and fuss free method for cooking, as we are talking about dump and start for the pie filling.

Mashed Potatoes can be prepared in advance in your IP or alternatively use the stove pot method as mentioned above. I have a recipe for Garlic Mashed Potatoes to guide you through.

To prepare Instant Pot Shepherd’s Pie, dump the ingredients for the pie filling into the pot. Set to high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the IP to naturally release the pressure. Open the Instant Pot and cook the pie filling on ‘Sauté’ High setting, stirring, until the lentil mixture has the right consistency. Saute only if there is any extra cooking liquid left. Taste for seasoning, squeeze some lemon juice and adjust if needed. Discard the rosemary before dishing out.

To finish the dish and serve the veggie shepherd’s pie, pile the lentil mixture into a pie dish for sharing and smaller dishes for freezing. Top them with a layer of potato mash, grated cheese and worcester sauce. Grill them on the highest setting for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is bubbling away. Serve Hot!

What vegetables do you put in Shepherd’s Pie?

To make our vegetarian shepherd’s pie with meat substitute, its mushroom thats often used. I love this recipe for Veggie Shepherds Pie from Hello Fresh. However my kiddos are not a big fan of mushrooms here. So I have used an assortment of vegetables like carrots, peas, beans, corn and onions. You can always go wild in your choice of vegetables.

SHEPHERD’S PIE TIPS AND FAQS

Can I prepare shepherd’s pie / cottage pie in advance? You can very well make the pie in advance. Prep the pie all the way until assembling and wrap them in foil and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bake at 180C/ 350º F to heat throughout, about 20-30 minutes.
What to serve with vegetarian cottage pie: serve your vegetable cottage pie as it is as it has already got lots of vegetables, potatoes and cheese. But if you fancy, serve them with sweet potato wedges and green salad.
How long can I keep in the fridge? Left over Cottage Pie can stay in refrigerator for about 4 days. You might need to sprinkle some water to fresh it up while reheating in a microwave.
Freezing instructions: Dish out the pie filling topped with mash and cheese in individual portions casserole dishes. Allow the dish to come to room temperature and then cover tightly with foil and place in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to eat, reheat (still covered with the foil) for 30-45 minutes in a 180 C / 350ºF oven. Thaw them in the refrigerator the night before and you can cut the cooking time by half!
Can I make Vegan version of Shepherd’s Pie -To make Vegan Shepherd’s Pie, just leave out cheddar cheese in the topping and butter from the potato mash. You may use some nutritional yeast in your mash instead!

HAVE YOU MADE MY VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD’S PIE IN INSTANT POT OR STOVE TOP?

Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #sandhyaskitchen. I would love to see your take on this yummilicious vegetarian cottage pie.

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Dump & Start Red Lentil Tortilla Soup
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VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD’S PIE RECIPE BELOW

VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE RECIPE

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Tuck into your favourite Vegetable Shepherds Pie for a comforting cozy lunch/ dinner. Instant Pot & Stove Top Instructions included.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Keyword: instant pot shepherds pie, shepherds pie with lentils, shepherds pie, shepherdess pie, vegetable shepherds pie

Servings: 6 People

Author: Sandhya Hariharan

Ingredients

Veggie Shepherd's Pie Filling

2 Tsp Olive Oil
1 Large Onion diced
2-3 Garlic cloves minced
41/2 Cup of Mixed Vegetables
2 Sprigs Rosemary
400 g Cooked Green Lentils or 1 Can
1 Tbsp Coriander
2 tbsp Worcester Sauce
1 Can of Chopped tomatoes
250 ml Vegetable Stock ( 150ml only required for IP cooking )
2 Tsp Mixed Herbs Optional
2 Tsp Lemon Juice

Mashed Potatoes

900 g of Potatoes cut into even chunks
60 g of Unsalted Butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

Toppings

125 g Cheddar Cheese
2 tbsp Finely chopped Parsley

Instructions

Stove Top Method

Prep the Potatoes - Bring a large sauce pan of water to boil and add the potatoes. Allow them to boil over medium heat until tender or about 20 minutes. TIP: The potato is cooked when you can easily slip a knife through.
Mash the Topping -When the potato is ready, drain in a colander and return to the pan off the heat. Mash with a potato masher or fork, add the butter, mix well, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep the prepared mashed potatoes to one side.
Shepherd's Pie Filling - Heat olive oil in a lidded casserole dish. Add Onion & Garlic and saute until translucent about 3 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables, chopped tomatoes with juice from the can, vegetable stock, coriander powder, mixed herbs, rosemary sprigs , Worcester sauce and stir until just combined. Season salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook until the vegetables still have a little bite.Lower the heat until the mixture is simmering and cook with the lid off until the mixture has reduced by half, say 10- 15 mins.
Add the lentil's mixture, lemon juice, season with more salt & pepper if needed and stir. Remove the Rosemary sprigs and set it aside.
Finish the dish & Serve - Preheat the grill to the highest setting. Pile the lentil mixture into an ovenproof pie dish and top it with potato mash. Smooth the mash with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle the grated cheese and some Worcester sauce. Place the dish under the grill for 3 mins. You want the cheese to be golden and bubbling. Serve!

Instant Pot Method

IP Mashed Potatoes recipe can be adapted from here or make them with stove top instructions above.
Dump the ingredients 2 -9 in the Instant pot. Stir to combine. We only need 150ml of Stock for IP Cooking.
Cover, set vent to sealing and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow the IP to naturally release the pressure.
Open the Instant Pot and cook the pie filling on ‘Sauté’ High setting, stirring, until the lentil mixture has the right consistency. Saute only if any cooking liquid is left in the pot. Squeeze some lemon juice and stir.
Check the seasoning and adjust if needed. Discard the rosemary before dishing out.
To finish the dish and serve the veggie shepherds pie, pile the lentil mixture into a pie dish for sharing and smaller dishes for freezing. Top them with a layer of potato mash, grated cheese and worcester sauce. Grill them on the highest setting for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is bubbling away. Serve Hot!