This Mini Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie recipe makes six individual Shepherd's Pies or one large pie. Make this recipe ahead and freeze it! Veggies and mushrooms simmered in a rich red wine gravy are topped with lightly browned and crisped garlic mashed potatoes in this easy recipe.
❤️Why this recipe works
- It's an ideal recipe if you're cooking for one or two people, as you can freeze these mini Shepherd's Pies.
- Shepherd's Pies reheat easily, either in the oven or in the microwave.
- The filling has a rich, savory flavour. You won't miss the meat you'd find in a traditional homemade shepherd's pie.
- You can easily make a lower-carb version of this recipe by making Shepherd's Pie with mashed cauliflower crust instead of potatoes.
- It's full of antioxidant-rich mushrooms! Love mushrooms? Try these Mushroom Black Bean Burgers or this vegan Creamy Mushroom Soup with Cauliflower.
- It's one more meatless meal to add to your list of favorites! If you've been trying to add more meat-free meals to your weekly menus, have a look at the options in this collection of Meatless Meals - You Won't Miss the Meat.
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🛒 Ingredients
- mushrooms: I use a combination of portobello mushrooms and cremini (brown mushrooms). I love the savory flavor of portobellos! When finely chopped, they give the filling for this recipe a meaty texture. If you leave them sliced too thickly, they tend to become rubbery.
- onions and garlic: for flavor, and for their suspected cancer-prevention properties.
- veggies: carrots, celery, and frozen peas: all these are traditional vegetables in shepherd's pie
- broth: store-bought or your own homemade vegetable broth
- tomato paste: adds a rich flavor and color to the broth
- red wine: a small amount adds lots of flavor. Most of the alcohol cooks off, but if you don't cook with wine, you can leave it out or just add a little more broth.
- herbs: thyme, a bay leaf, and fresh parsley
- potatoes: traditional mashed potatoes made with butter and sour cream, or made with olive oil to keep this recipe vegan.
🔪 Instructions
1. Start with the mashed potato topping
Begin by preparing the mashed potato topping. Use my recipe for Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes, (make half quantity) or if you don't have an Instant Pot, follow the directions below.
Peel and cut potatoes into similarly sized pieces, about 1 ½ inches in size. Add to a large pot of cold water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 - 12 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
Meanwhile, while the potatoes are boiling, in a small saucepan on the stovetop heat the butter, a whole garlic clove, and a sprig of thyme or rosemary. Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the herbs and the garlic clove.
Drain the potatoes, then return the pot to the burner on low heat for a minute or so to dry the potatoes a little. Remove from the stove and mash until only a few lumps remain. You can use an electric mixer if you like.
👍🏼Tip: A blender or an immersion blender will not work well for mashing potatoes. These appliances can cause the potatoes to release too much starch and result in gummy mashed potatoes, (which none of us like!)
Using a spatula, gently stir the garlic-infused butter into the mashed potatoes a little at a time, then add the sour cream and fold it in as well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set the potatoes aside.
2. Make the filling
In a large skillet, brown the finely chopped portobello mushrooms and the sliced cremini mushrooms. Cook until they are tender and have released some of their moisture.
Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to the skillet. You may have to add a little more oil. Cook until the vegetables are softened.
Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir to coat the vegetables. Add the tomato paste and stir, then add the red wine, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the skillet.
Add the stock or broth, bay leaf, and dried thyme, then stir until well combined. Let the mixture simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, then remove the bay leaf.
Stir in the frozen peas. They will defrost quickly in the hot mixture. If you add them too early, they lose their bright green color.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
3. Assemble the mini shepherd's pies
Divide the mixture evenly between six individual 10 or 12-ounce casserole dishes, or in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with a layer of mashed potatoes.
You can simply spread a layer of mashed potatoes on top of the vegetable mixture. You can get fancy if you like, too! I like to spread a thin layer of potatoes first, then use a piping bag and a decorating tip to pipe small mounds of mashed potatoes on top. Brush or drizzle with melted butter so the potato crust will brown a little.
Place the casserole dishes on a baking sheet, then bake in a preheated 400°F. oven for 20 minutes or until potatoes are beginning to brown and the gravy in the filling is beginning to bubble up around the edges.
❓Frequently asked questions
You can freeze this dish before baking. Cool the mini casseroles completely, then wrap tightly with a layer of aluminum foil, label, and freeze. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake until lightly browned and bubbly.
You can also freeze these after baking. Cool completely, wrap, label, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 350°F. oven until warmed through.
This recipe for mini Shepherd's Pie is a good one to make in advance for days when you know you'll be busy. If you're not planning to bake it the same day, prepare the mashed potatoes and the filling but keep them separate. Chill the filling in the fridge, then spread the potatoes on top, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
🔁 Possible Variations
Replace the mashed potato topping with mashed cauliflower. You'll find the ingredients list and instructions in this recipe for Shepherd's Pie with Mashed Cauliflower Crust.
While it's not traditional, some cooks like to add corn to their Shepherd's Pie recipe. You could also add diced turnips or rutabaga along with the carrots and celery. It's your Shepherd's Pie!
You might also like to add a sprinkling of finely grated Parmesan cheese to the mashed potato topping.
🍽Serving Suggestions
These individual vegetarian shepherd's pies make a balanced meal, but I like to serve them with a green salad or this Kale and Cara Cara Orange Salad for extra fruit and veggies.
Round out your meal with a delicious dessert! You'll love this easy 2-ingredient Affogato Coffee Dessert or a mini Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse!
🗒 More dinner ideas
- Delicious Avocado Tacos (Easy)
- Easy Japanese Chicken Yakitori Skewers
- Chicken Fajita Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
- Easy Japanese Chicken Stir Fry with Broccoli
When you make this vegetarian shepherd's pie with mushrooms, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks in advance! Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
📖 Recipe
Mini Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with Mushrooms
Equipment
Ingredients
Mashed Potato Topping
- 2 ½ pounds potatoes, Yukon gold, yellow, or a mix of yellow and Russets
- 1 clove garlic, leave whole
- ⅓ cup butter
- ½ cup sour cream, or cream cheese, or milk
- salt and pepper, to taste
- sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
for the Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin, or avocado oil
- 1 or 2 large portobello mushrooms, very finely diced
- 1 ½ cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups carrots, diced
- 1 ½ cups celery, diced
- ¼ cup flour, or gluten-free flour blend
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Mashed Potato Topping
- Begin by preparing the mashed potato topping. Use my recipe for Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes, (make half quantity) or if you don't have an Instant Pot, follow the directions below.
- Peel and cut potatoes into similarly sized pieces, about 1 ½ inches thick so they will cook evenly. Add to a large pot of cold water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 - 12 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, while the potatoes are boiling, in a small saucepan on the stovetop heat the butter and whole garlic cloves and a sprig of thyme or rosemary. Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the herbs and the garlic cloves.
- Drain the potatoes, then return the pot to the burner on low heat for a minute or so to dry the potatoes a little. Remove from the stove and mash until only a few lumps remain. You can use an electric mixer if you like.
- Using a spatula, gently stir the garlic-infused butter into the mashed potatoes a little at a time, then add the sour cream and fold it in as well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set the potatoes aside.
How to Make the Filling
- In a large skillet, brown the finely chopped portobello mushrooms and the sliced cremini mushrooms. Cook until they are tender and have released some of their moisture.
- Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic to the skillet. You may have to add a little more oil. Cook until the vegetables are softened.
- Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir to coat them. Add the tomato paste and stir, then add the red wine, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the skillet.
- Add the stock or broth, bay leaf and dried thyme, then stir until well combined. Let the mixture simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, then remove the bay leaf.
- Stir in the frozen peas. They will defrost quickly in the hot mixture. If you add them too early, they lose their bright green colour.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the Shepherd's Pies
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Divide the mixture evenly between six individual 10 or 12-ounce casserole dishes, or in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Top with a layer of mashed potatoes. You can simply spread a layer of mashed potatoes on top of the vegetable mixture or spread a thin layer of potatoes first, then use a piping bag and a decorating tip to pipe small mounds of mashed potatoes on top.
- Place the mini casserole dishes on a baking sheet, then bake in a preheated 400°F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are beginning to brown and the gravy in the filling is beginning to bubble up around the edges.
Notes
You can also freeze these after baking. Cool completely, wrap, label and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 350°F. oven until warmed through. Make ahead. If you're not planning to bake this the same day, prepare the mashed potatoes and the filling but keep them separate. Chill the filling in the fridge, then spread the potatoes on top, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
Lily
These are just the cutest. I'm ordering those little casserole dishes today. Can't wait to make them!
Elaine
I love these little mini cocottes, and I'm dreaming up lots of different recipes to use them with. Let me know how the shepherd's pies turn out for you!