Vegan Shepherd’s Pie: Sweet At The Bottom and Creamy-Gooey At The Top.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

This is not your traditional Shepherd’s pie. It’s vegan with a delicious twist. This Vegan Sheperd’s Pie recipe is a one-pot meal that is layered with sweet creamy goodness. Moreover, it’s perfect for any occasion and everyone will enjoy.

What is  Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie?

These two pie recipe varies widely,  but all has the same layered structure. Believe it or not, it  is noted that Cottage Pie  originated in the 1700s.  Moreover, Shepherd’s Pie is like the nephew or cousin of Cottage Pie and came about in the late 1800s.

Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pies are both used interchangeably. However, the main difference between the two lies in the protein layer. Cottage Pie is made using minced beef while Shepherd’s pie was originally made using pieces of mutton or Lamb.  

Cottage Pie is said to receive it’s name from the people who lived in little cottages in Scotland that were said to developed and sphere headed the Cottage Pie recipe. 

Back in the days, cottage pie was very cost effective because the ingredients were very cheap. Cottage cooks would use leftover scraps of meats and cooked them down in gravy and onions; sounds delicious right? A thick blanket of mash potato was then layered on top. However, some recipes today call for the mash potatoes to be at the bottom as well. Vegetables such as celery, corn, carrots and peas are most times added to the meat mixture. 

Where Did Shepherd’s Pie Originate?

The British and Irish both claim the origin of shepherd’s pie. Based on my research, shepherd’s pie was birthed in Scotland. The meat pie was originally baked in a pastry crust. However, the pie later made its way to Ireland where they used mashed potato topping because potatoes were a cheap delicacy. 

I don’t care where these pies originated, the dish has made its way across different nations  and cultures. As a result, It has taken on many different variations in it’s original recipe. 

 

There are not many Vegan Vegan Shepherd's Pie beyond beefShepherd’s Pie recipes available today. Food Explora’s Vegan  Shepherd’s Pie recipe is one of a kind, finger-licking  one-pot comfort meal. Vegans, Vegetarians or anyone who love a flavorful home cooked meal will appreciate this recipe. I have used several of Beyond Meats products and love them. 

In addition, I have been shopping on Amazon for years. I love the idea that I can now purchase my groceries from Amazon Fresh and they are delivered right outside my door steps. Be sure to click on the links of the food and kitchen gadgets in this blog for more information.

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.

If do not own of of these food processors, here are my links for your shopping convenience and more information.

 

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Here are all the Vegan Shepherd's Pie ingredients You Will Need .

Below are some amazon ingredient affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click on each ingredient to learn more.

Your kitchen will need these utensils. Here are the links for your shopping convenience.

Beyond Beef

Garlic

salt

salt

black pepper grinder

black Pepper

Vegan Shepherd's Pie cassava

Cassava

Complete Seasoning

Rosemary

canola cooking oil

Canola Oil

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Ripe Plantain

Smoked Paprika

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Peas & Carrots

scallions

Scallion

Canned Yams

Olive Oil

BBQ Sauce

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Vegan Shepherd's Pie: A Sweet and Creamy Surprise!

Kevin Foodie
This is not your ordinary Sheperd's Pie recipe. The layers are sweet, creamy, and Vegan. This vegan one-pot meal is delicious and perfect for everyone. You will not believe it's vegan!!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, British, Irish, Vegan
Servings 8 People

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Pyrex Baking Tray (4 x 15)
  • Sauce Pans
  • Cast Iron Pan
  • Cutting Board
  • Knife
  • Garlic Press

Ingredients
  

Fried Plantain

  • 4 medium Extra Ripe Plantains
  • ½ cup Canola/Olive Oil

Beef Alternative

  • 16 oz. Beyond Beef
  • 16 oz. Frozen Peas and Carrots
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tbsp. Complete Seasoning
  • 2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp. Rosemary
  • ¼ cup Scallion (green onion), Sliced
  • 2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Black Pepper
  • 3 tsp. Olive Oil
  • cup BBQ Sauce

Cassava Sweet Potato Topping

  • 4 medium Cassava Roots
  • 1 29 oz. Sweet Potato (yams) In Syrup

Instructions
 

Let's Fry The Plantains

  • In a cast-iron pan, heat oil over medium flame for about 3 minutes. Here I used a canola-olive oil blend.
  • The riper the plantains, the higher the sugar content and the sweeter they taste when fried. In addition, the skin of the plantains becomes blackened and is an indication that they are extra ripe and sweet. Moreover, medium ripe plantains with a little blackening on the yellow skin can also be used.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Peel ripe plantains by cutting off each end, and make a slit along the length of each plantain. Peel the skin from the plantain.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Slice each of the 4 peeled plantains lengthwise; about 3 mm thick. It does not matter how you slice the plantains, they will be layered as the base of your Vegan Shepherd's Pie.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Gently lay sliced into hot oil away from you to avoid splashing and getting burned. Cook on each side for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
    However, if you want to cut back on calories by not frying them, you can choose to bake the plantain in an oven or air fryer for 10 -15 minutes and slice length-wise after they are slightlu cooled.
  • Remove fried plantains from oil onto a plate. You can drain in sheets of paper towels to remove the excess oil. For this recipe, I opted not to remove the excess oil.
    The oil on the surface of the plantains will play a role as a lubricant that will prevent them from sticking to the base of the baking container.
    plantain vegan shepherd's pie

Let's Jazz-Up The Beyond Beef

  • In a large saucepan, heat 3 tbsp. olive oil over low flame. Add the crushed garlic and rosemary leaves. Stir and cook for about 1-2 minutes to sweat their natural flavor oils.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Empty the 16 oz pack of Beyond Beef onto the oil mixture.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Use a spoon to break up the minced "meat" and stir together over medium heat.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Add sliced scallion, salt, pepper, paprika, and complete seasoning. Mix together and stir occasionally to avoid burning.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Add your defrosted sweet peas carrots and mix them together.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Add BBQ sauce and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes over low to medium heat.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Let's Make the Cassava Sweet Potato Swirl

  • Cassava or Yuca is one of my favorite starchy root vegetables. I have made a number of dishes using Yuca: chips, fries, salad, cassava mash. The skin is thick, but easy to peel from the white starch beneath.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie cassava
  • Bring to boil 2 quarts of water in a deep pot.
  • Peel the cassava roots. Cut cassava roots into medium size pieces. Make sure to devein or cut off the vein that runs along the center of cassava. This is very fibrous and inedible.
    cassava vegan shepherd's pie
  • Add pieces of cassava to boiling water and cook for 10 -15 minutes until tender or fork gets inserted easily.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • After the cassava pieces are cooked, strain and add to a food processor. Open the can of yams and also add them to the food processor. However, do not discard the syrup liquid.
    On medium, blend until smooth and creamy. If it becomes too thick, you can add some of the yam syrup or almond milk to help smooth it out.

It's Time To Layer The Vegan Shepherd's Pie

  • Set oven to 375 ° F.
  • Lay each slice of the fried plantain along the base of the pyrex baking tray. Make sure that the base of the tray is completely covered with the plantain slices.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • On top of the bed of fried plantain, spread the Beyond Beef mixture to form a blanket over the plantains.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • The last step is to top with the sweet potato cassava swirl mixture. Evenly spread on top. Unlike potatoes, cassava has a more waxy and pasty texture when cooked and mashed. This is perfectly fine and adds a lot of character to this delicious dish.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • I used a cake decorating blade to make a wavy design on top. You can use a fork to do this. However, this step is totally optional.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Use a metal spatula or knife to cut into 8-10 servings. I promise you will be asking for more.
    Vegan Shepherd's Pie
Keyword Beyond Beef, Beyond Meats, Cottage Pie, Shepherd"s Pie, Vegan

Vegan Shepherd's Pie.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Thanks for dropping by. I would love to know what you think. Leave a comment and star rating.

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45 thoughts on “Vegan Shepherd’s Pie: Sweet At The Bottom and Creamy-Gooey At The Top.”

  1. 5 stars
    This looks amazing! I love the combo of plantains with ground beef (or beef alternative!) It is such a weird sweet/savory delicious combo that is uniquely delicious! Thanks for sharing a dinner recipe I can make for any friends!

  2. I’ve been a vegetarian for many years and I have never had Shepard’s Pie before! I’m glad to have found your recipie so I can finally make it and try it for myself! Thanks for sharing!

    1. I appreciate you dropping by. I can honestly say, while this is not your traditional shepherd’s pie, the plantains at the base gave the dish a unique flavor and texture. I loved it and enjoyed it.

    1. Hi Cassandra. I appreciate you dropping by. I think you meant to comment on my Stuffed Tostones cups with ground Turkey recipe blog. However, this recipe calls for fried sweet plantains.

  3. 5 stars
    This is a delicious recipe for a vegan shepherd’s pie. I like that you’ve added cassava and plaintain; I wouldn’t have thought of this before. I’ll give this a try!

  4. Frankly, I wasn’t aware of the historical origins of Vegan Shepherd’s sweet pie. Thank you for sharing the historical anecdotes and the ingredient list! I will try it at home!

  5. This looks and sounds so yummy. I’m trying to introduce more vegan/vegetarian meals into my diet and this would be great, especially over the winter months

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