Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 large carrots
  • 1 white onion
  • 16 ounces extra firm tofu
  • ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
  • ½ small butternut squash
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 4 cups cauliflower florets
  • ¼ cup water, divided
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan (see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Heat a large pot on medium heat with olive oil. Dice carrots, onion, and drained tofu into small cubes and add to the pot along with the ground thyme. Sautee for 5-7 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, dice the ½ of a butternut squash into slightly larger cubes (about 3 cups total). Add the diced squash to the pot with the vegetable broth and mushrooms and let it simmer together for 10-12 minutes, avoiding a hard boil but allowing some liquid to evaporate. Turn off the heat when the butternut squash can be pierced with a fork.
  4. While the butternut squash is cooking, add the cauliflower florets and 2 tablespoons of water into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 6 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 6 minutes until soft.
  5. Puree the cauliflower in a food processor until creamy, adding the grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast for flavor. Set aside.
  6. Stir the cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth, and add to the main pot of filling. Stir for a few minutes until thickened and taste, adding salt and pepper as desired.
  7. Ladle the filling mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Carefully spread the pureed cauliflower mixture on top of the filling along with salt and pepper.
  8. Bake the shepherd's pie for 30 minutes, until bubbling (slide a cookie sheet on the rack below to catch any spills). Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
For vegan option: Sub 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast for the parmesan in the cauliflower mash.
Recipe by Uproot Kitchen at https://uprootkitchen.com/2014/11/14/vegetarian-shepherds-pie/