Vegan Shepherd's Pie

I'm aware St. Patrick's Day is over, but you can save up this recipe for next year! Or you can just make it any time because it is delicious. It's also really quick and doesn't require too much prep work, so it's perfect for those days/nights when you don't have much time/energy, which for me is basically every night. And then if that all isn't enough, it's also pretty good for you, depending on the fake meat and vegetables you use and how much butter and nutritional yeast you put on the mashed potatoes.

I'm giving you the ingredients I used to make it, but you can use whatever. Use whatever vegetables you want, whatever meat substitute (Bocca crumbles, tempeh, tofu, TVP), and make the mashed potatoes however you like! Go crazy!

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

2 large russet potatoes (or whatever kind you like in mashed potatoes), cut into large cubes
some non-dairy milk (I used soy)
some vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped

some basil

some cumin
some thyme
1 dried red chili
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into cubes
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup TVP
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 can corn
1 tablespoon melted butter (optional)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)

Directions:

Start by boiling the potatoes in a big pot of water. Once the potatoes are soft and you can stick a fork through each cube, remove them from heat and drain them.

Mash the potatoes with some vegan butter and non-dairy milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

In a medium-sized skillet, sautee the onions in the olive oil over medium to high heat. While the onions are cooking add some salt and pepper, basil, cumin, thyme, and a dried red chili (all to taste). When the onions are translucent, add the carrots, about 1 cup of water, or enough to cover the carrots, and the bay leaf and cover.

After 10 minutes, or when the carrots are almost done, add the TVP and bring the mixture to a boil. Keep an eye on it and stir periodically so it doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan. Let it cook until the TVP has soaked up all the water, and becomes soft. Add the peas and let cook until they become unfrozen.

Pour the TVP mixture in a 9x9 baking dish. 

Add the corn on top.

Then, layer on your mashed potatoes.

After that you can simply place in the oven, or you can coat the potatoes with some melted butter and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the mashed potatoes are nice and golden.

Makes about 4 servings.