Comfort food season is hereee!
I’m quite happy to have an excuse to crank up the oven and put that bad boy to use on the regular.
Vegan comfort food is definitely a thing, so don’t even get me started there!
To be honest I don’t think I’ve tried traditional shepherd’s pie before, you know, the ground meat variety.
It honestly looks kind of questionable/unappetizing/vom.
But let me tell you…
This version—packed with veggies, chickpeas, and flavor—is quite divine!
It’s both cozy and healthy, plus there are creamy mashed potatoes involved.
Heck yes.
All you have to do is sauté diced carrots with a fragrant bay leaf until tender, then throw in frozen broccoli and cauliflower florets, plus green peas, chickpeas, savory tamari, dried thyme, freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt.
Dump your delicious mixture into a greased baking dish, then top her off with fluffy mashed taters!
I add a pat of vegan buttah to my tender potatoes before folding in warmed vegetable broth, unsweetened unflavored oat milk, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper (for a kick), and salt + pepper.
Sprinkle on a handful of vegan Parm then it’s all set for the oven.
Golden brown, bubbly perfection.
Bonus points if you ladle a generous portion of mushroom gravy on top!
P.S. Do not cook your veggies for long on the stove because they will cook in the oven and veg mush is gross. End of story.
P.P.S. I used two jumbo Yukon Gold potatoes, which produced about 5 cups after I cut them into large chunks.
P.P.P.S. Investing in a potato ricer is an excellent idea for fluffy, creamy mashed potatoes. However, lightly mashing and folding with a fork will do.
P.P.P.P.S. Make sure your plant milk is unsweetened and unflavored. Sugary vanilla potatoes are a no go my friends. I didn’t use all of the liquid and you may not need every last drop either!
P.P.P.P.P.S. Yes I highly recommend adding cayenne for a little extra something something but if spice is not your thang, feel free to leave it out.
Vegan Chickpea Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (5 cups large chop)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing dish
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen small broccoli florets (chop if too large)
- 1 cup frozen small cauliflower florets (chop if too large)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 2 teaspoons reduced sodium tamari
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Pink sea salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter (I use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened unflavored oat milk or other unsweetened unflavored nondairy milk (I used Silk Oat Milk), warmed
- 1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth, warmed
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 3 dashes cayenne pepper, or to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Pink sea salt, to taste
- Vegan Parmesan (I used Follow Your Heart), optional, for topping
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375.
- Bring a large pot of water with the chopped potatoes to a boil. Cook until fork tender.
- While the potatoes are boiling, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the carrots and bay leaf, sauteing until the carrots have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broccoli, cauliflower, peas, chickpeas, tamari, thyme, and black pepper and salt to taste.
- Cook until the frozen veggies are just heated through, then remove the bay leaf.
- Transfer the vegetable mixture to a greased glass 8x8 baking dish.
- Once the potatoes are tender, drain and run the potatoes through a potato ricer. If you do not have a potato ricer, carefully peal the cooked potatoes and lightly mash with a fork.
- Fold the butter into the potatoes. Then slowly add the warmed milk and broth, until your desired texture is reached. I didn't use all of the liquid.
- Gently fold in the nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt.
- Smooth the mashed potatoes over the veggies, then sprinkle with vegan Parmesan, if you wish.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and the potatoes are lightly golden brown along the edges.