Vegan Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

St. Patrick’s Day (17th March) is a great excuse to make Irish classics like tender stews, seafood chowder, or shepherd’s pie.

Did you know an estimated 80,000 Irish are living in Australia today? So whether you’re feeling nostalgic for home, want to get in touch with your Irish heritage, or simply want to celebrate the day, here are some recipes for you.

MyFitnessPal is sharing a selection of hearty, Irish-inspired recipes featuring lean proteins and plenty of nutrient-packed green fruits and veggies for less than 400 calories per serving.

Vegan Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Ingredients

For the potatoes

• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled, and divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 225g silken tofu, drained
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the mushroom filling

• 14g dried porcini mushrooms
• 680g mushrooms, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and leaves chopped and separated
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup (75g) cooked lentils
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper, to taste
•  2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 190°C.

For the potatoes:

1. Put the potatoes and cauliflower in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until fully tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain and return to the hot, empty pan and let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, put the garlic and olive oil in a small baking dish or foil packet and bake until golden, about 30 minutes.
3. Mash the roasted garlic and olive oil with one chunk of the potato, then run all of the potatoes, cauliflower, and tofu through a ricer, if you have one, or pulse it all in a food processor until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the mushroom filling:

1. Put dried mushrooms in a large bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water; set aside.
2. Separate the stems and caps of the fresh mushrooms; mince the stems and chop the caps.
3. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently until they’ve released their liquid and that liquid has cooked off about 10 minutes.
4. While the fresh mushrooms cook, lift the dried mushrooms from their soaking liquid, squeeze to drain, and mince. Reserve the soaking liquid.
5. Add carrots, celery, onion, and chard stalks. Cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and minced, dried mushrooms; stir to combine. Add the chard leaves and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the mushroom soaking liquid and lentils, bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Stir in thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. For a thicker, more gravy-like filling whisk the cornstarch in a small bowl with a bit of cold water to create a smooth paste. Whisk in about 1/2 cup (120ml) of the liquid from the mushroom mixture to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the mushroom mixture.
7. Transfer mushroom mixture into a baking dish (a 9-by-13 pan works well); top with the mashed potatoes. Bake until the mushroom mixture bubbles along the edges and the potatoes are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool 10–15 minutes before scooping to serve.

Serves: 6 | Serving Size: 2 cups (450g)

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 229; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 241mg; Carbohydrate: 35g; Dietary Fibre: 9g; Sugar: 8g; Protein 15g

About MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is the number 1 global nutrition and food tracking app. Since 2005, MyFitnessPal has empowered over 200 million users in over 120 countries to achieve their health and well-being goals through logging food intake, recording exercise activity, and tracking their wellness habits.

MyFitnessPal is on a mission to support Australians to manage their health goals on their own terms. Through personalised data-led insights, nutritional guidance, and unwavering support, MyFitnessPal provides users with tools for positive, healthy change.