Vegetarian mushroom Shepherd's pie

There are so many different Shepherd's pie recipes, let me show you my favorite vegetarian one with a bit of twist in it.

In this version we would like to show you a mushroom based one.
Mushrooms are an excellent source of protein and every mushroom has different flavors and textures that enhance the end result!

By replacing butter and milk with a plant-based version, and the Worchester sauce with soy sauce you can easily make this recipe vegan too!

Ingredients for 4 generous portions:

For the pie:

• 1 bag of dried mushroom mix
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 stalks of celery
• 2 Tbsp of oil
• 500 ml of the mushroom rehydrating water as broth
• 150 ml of red wine
• 2 Tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 carrots
• 2 cups of peas
• Salt, pepper, thym, paprika, bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon of Worchester sauce

For the mashed potatoes: 

• Salt, pepper 
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 5 Tbsp of butter
• 5 medium potatoes

Start by soaking the whole pack of dried mushroom in warm water for at least an hour.

After they are re-hydrated, take the mushrooms out and keep most of the liquid that they were soaking in. We are going to use this to replace the broth. Throw out the bottom residue part of this liquid.

For the pie filling, sauté chopped onion, garlic, carrots, celery in oil. After about 5 minutes add the mushrooms and cook it for another 2-3 minutes.

Add a generous amount of salt, pepper, and Worchester sauce. Then add the herbs and spices, 1 cup of red wine, 2 Tbsp of tomato paste and 500ml of the mushroom liquid to the base and let it simmer for about 20 minutes while stirring it occasionally. At the end, add the peas.

In the meantime, make your mashed potatoes.

Peel and cut your potatoes in cubes and boil them in salty water until they become tender. 

After straining the potatoes, add 5 Tbsp of butter, ½ cup of milk, some salt and pepper and mash them.

Preheat the oven to 375°C. 

Pour your mushroom filling in a casserole dish, then add the mashed potatoes on top and even them out. Use a fork to graze the top and leave a nice pattern on top.

Bake it for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are becoming golden.
Let it rest for 20 minutes and it is ready to serve!

Bon appétit!