One Pot Vegetable Shepherds Pie (Vegetarian/Vegan Option)

Back at it again with the one pot dinner! Listen, if you don't have a cast iron pan/pot, you're going to want to go get one. I use cast iron for my one pot dinners and they make my clean up a breeze. This dinner required one cast iron and one bowl (to mash potatoes in) and the clean up was SO easy! This is the perfect meal to make when you've had a long day and you're looking for some comfort food. However, this shepherds pie isn't the norm. It is loaded with good for you ingredients to give you tons of nutrients, while not sacrificing on taste or comfort. This is also a good recipe to make if you have a bunch of produce you need to use up, because you can really throw anything that you like/have in here! If you're making any of these recipes, be sure to tag me in your photos! (Instagram- @lifewithsarahdavis Facebook-@SarahElizabeth)

Author: Sarah Davis

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Baking Time: 20-25 minutes

Servings: 4

Keywords: shepherds pie, vegetarian, vegetables, hidden vegetables, 1 pot dinner, easy dinner, weeknight dinner, healthy dinner, one pot dinner

Ingredients:

For the Mashed Potatoes *See Notes*:

• 2 russet potatoes (or any other white potato you like) peeled and large dice
• 2 sweet potatoes peeled and large dice
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Splash of half and half (or milk)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon each pepper and onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Filling:

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables (my blend had carrots, peas, green beans, and corn)
• 1/2 bag beef-less ground (or use 1 package of mushrooms) *See notes*
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Topping:

• A couple handfuls of cheese (I used Mexican Blend)
• Paprika, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Pepper to taste
• Optional: Top with fresh chopped Italian Parsley

Instructions:

1. Fill up your cast iron most of the way with water and put on a high heat to boil the water.

2. Peel and largely dice your potatoes. Add to the boiling water. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. While the potatoes are cooking, dice your onion and zucchini and mince your garlic.

This is the size I cut my potatoes into. Notice that I did not remove all the skin.
Ain't nobody got time for that :)

3. Drain the potatoes and add to a medium/large bowl. Add butter, half and half (or milk), salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion. Mash with a potato masher until fairly smooth.

Still a little bit lumpy, but that's okay. We don't judge here :)

4.Preheat oven to 400 F. Return cast iron to the stove and add olive oil. Heat over a medium high heat.

5. Add zucchini and onion to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, until the onions are mostly translucent and have started to soften. Add garlic and stir. Cook for 30 seconds.

6. Add frozen mixed vegetables, beef-less ground, and vegetable stock to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Here's what my filling looked like before adding the potatoes on top.

7. Remove the pan from heat and flatten/level the filling so it sits evenly in the pan. Spoon mashed potatoes over the top and spread so you have a nice, even layer.

Here's what mine looked like after spreading the potatoes evenly. 

8. Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with a few handfuls of cheese and paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.

Here's what mine looked like before baking. 

9. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Broil on high for 1 minute (to get that nice, crispy cheese) . Remove from oven and cool for 15-20 minutes. Optional: Sprinkle with fresh chopped Italian Parsley. Enjoy!

Notes:

1.For this recipe, I made my mashed potatoes by hand because I had a few potatoes that needed to be used. If you don't have any potatoes that need to be used, or you don't feel up to making mashed potatoes, instant potatoes work great for this and will definitely cut down on the cooking time!

2. Non-Vegetarian Option: Use your favorite (or whatever you have) ground meat. Ground turkey, chicken, and ground beef are all great options. You can also use chicken or beef stock as well!

3. Vegan Option: Use vegan butter/milk in the mashed potatoes. Omit cheese or use your favorite vegan cheese substitute.