Rich, flavorful tofu shepherd's pie combines traditional elements with a dash of greens and toothsome tofu. It's deliciously hearty and one of my family's favorite meals!
Any time the temperatures begin to dip in Atlanta, my family requests a vegan shepherd's pie for supper. And I'm happy to oblige. This recipe takes about an hour and change to make, but there isn't a lot of active cooking time.
That means I can fix myself a tea and relax while I cook at a nice, leisurely pace. Perfect for a weeknight, when I don't want to work hard in the kitchen.
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More cool-weather recipes: Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese, Cheesy Chili Vegan Tater Tot Casserole
What's a shepherd's pie?
A traditional shepherd's pie is "a meat pie with a mashed potato crust." And I'll confess something now: I've never had a shepherd's pie with meat in it before.
My very first shepherd's pie was vegan, and I ate it at Crank's in London when I visited with my family in the 90s. It was a life-changer, y'all. My vegan shepherd's pie recipe is based on my memory of that first mashed-potato-creamy, veggie-packed bite.
Instead of piling on the meat, this shepherd's pie is loaded with greens and firm, diced tofu. It's still full of the veggies you'd expect in a more conventional shepherd's pie, like peas, corn, and carrots.
And, of course, it still has a dreamy, creamy mashed potato crust.
Pressing the tofu
Pressing your tofu well is critical for this recipe, since the tofu is meant to give this casserole the toothsome texture that traditionally comes from meat. I love to press my tofu using my EZ Tofu Press.
The EZ Tofu Press is faster than weighted pressing, and it does a great job of maintaining your tofu block's shape, so you can dice it into perfect cubes for this dish.
You can get as much as a half cup of water out by pressing with the EZ Tofu Press. I have measured it!
Recipe notes
What I love most about this recipe is how easy is is to make. You even save a dish by baking the pie in the same Dutch oven (or other oven-safe dish) that you use to sauté the veggies.
To make the shepherd's pie, saute the onions, carrots, and garlic. Then add the tofu and the rest of the veggies along with veggie broth, water, and a bit of flour.
Simmer for a few minutes as the veggie turn tender and the broth thickens up to make a flavorful gravy.
Once the veggies and tofu are cooked, pile on those rich, vegan mashed potatoes, and you're ready to bake.
Make ahead option
If you want to make this ahead of time, you can do that easily!
Just assemble the shepherd's pie as directed, put the cover onto your Dutch oven, and refrigerate.
When you're ready to warm it up, pull the pan out of the fridge while the oven preheats. Then, bake as directed in the recipe below.
Variations
Feel free to mix up your veggies to use what you have on hand! I love kale in a vegan shepherd's pie, but feel free to replace it with dark, leafy greens of your choice.
If you want a sausage shepherd's pie, omit the tofu in the recipe below and stir in my vegan tofu sausage crumbles just before spreading on the potatoes and baking.
You can also mix up the other veggies, as you like. Just cook the hard veggies with the onions, so they have time to soften. Then, add softer, quick-cooking veggies when you add the remaining ingredients.
If you like a little crunch, tofu shepherd's pie is delightful topped with a sprinkle of French fried onions just before baking.
Want to really mix things up? Make this a shepherdess pie! Substitute sweet potatoes for the mashed potatoes, and prepare the rest of the recipe as directed.
How to store
I like to store leftover tofu shepherd's pie right in the same Dutch oven I baked it in. Just replace the lid, and stick it in the fridge. It will keep for three to five days.
If you prefer, you can transfer it to a different storage container. I just don't like to dirty an extra dish unless it's necessary.
📖 Recipe
Tofu Shepherd's Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the mashed potatoes
- 4 cups diced red or yukon gold potatoes - cooked and drained
- ¾ cup soy or oat milk
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For the tofu filling
- 2 additional tablespoons olive oil - to saute
- 1 block firm or extra firm tofu - pressed and diced into ¼" cubes
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 4 packed cups baby kale or chopped dinosaur kale
- ½ cup corn kernels – fresh - frozen, or canned is fine
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 cup water
- 1 cube Not Chick'n Bouillon - (or your favorite veggie bouillon cubes)
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour - You can use chickpea flour, for a gluten-free option.
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Make the mashed potatoes.
- In a large bowl, mash up the potatoes with the soy milk, olive oil, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set this aside.
Make the vegan shepherd's pie.
- In a Dutch oven (or any pan that can go stovetop to oven), heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat. Add the tofu, onions, carrots, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Cook for a few minutes, then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the gravy thickens and the kale wilts, about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of your veggies, and transfer the pot to the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until it's nice and bubbly. Serve hot.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Add them to the Instant Pot with ½ cup of water. Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes, then do a 10-minute natural release.
- Add the cubed potatoes to a pot with enough water to cover them by about an inch. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, until they're fork-tender.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
I wouldn't freeze the whole pie, since then your Dutch oven will be out of commission until you thaw it. But you can freeze leftovers in a freezer safe container!
Either thaw in the microwave or place into an oven-safe dish and bake at 350° F until heated through. This could take anywhere form 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the quantity of leftovers.
The difference between these two pies is the type of meat. Since we are bucking tradition and using tofu, you can call this a tofu cottage pie or a tofu shepherd's pie!
You really do, if you want to achieve a super firm, meaty texture. Pressing doesn't take long, and you can prep the rest of the ingredients while the tofu presses. Don't skip it!
Alli
This was a very easy to make, delicious, and nutritious meal. It made about 5-6 well-portioned meals. It was even approved by my meat-loving partner! I did replace the soymilk with ethically-sourced whole milk. I was surprised that I enjoyed the taste and texture of the nutritional yeast.
I'm confused that the recipe's ingredient list mentioned adding vegan bouillon cubes, but didn't include in the directions when to add it. As a result, I forgot to add it. I think I also forgot to add the Herbs de Provence, so I imagine that the next time I cook this it'll taste EVEN BETTER!
Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Becky Striepe
Oh no! I'm sorry if that was confusing. The bouillon is part of the "remaining ingredients" in step 5. Definitely do it next time - it adds so much flavor. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it without - it's one of my family's go-to recipes in fall and winter.
Adam
I had the same challenge! Good to see I wasn’t the only one. The Shepard’s pie is in the oven right now and I’m super excited.
Becky Striepe
Enjoy it, Adam!
Rachel
Did you have another recipie like this without kale? And the tofu added earlier? I am looking for one I used last St Patty’s day and Pinterest sent me to this one. :) This one looks good too!
Becky Striepe
This is the same one, I think. I revamped it wit new photos and a few tweaks. You can def leave out the kale or use broccoli or another green veggie instead!
Denise Antenucci
My favorite recipe with tofu is in a red curry, coconut milk, onion, and a pound of fresh spinach with cubed tofu. Serve as is or over rice. I've already eaten it 4times this week. Love it!
Catlyn Lawson
My favorite way is to press tofu, then marinate it in a mix of soy sauce, sesame seed oil, sriricha, garlic and ginger. Then baking it in the oven, so yummy!
Lisa Hochstetler
I like a good tofu scramble with cumin and turmeric, onions and peppers
Megan
I prefer it baked or scrambled into a breakfast dish instead of eggs!
The Peace Patch
Pistachio Crusted Tofu is my favorite! :)
Ellen
I love baked tofu! I usually press it for about an hour before I marinate it (usually a mixture of soy sauce, maple syrup and garlic), so the idea of a press to make things go a bit quicker is very exciting!
Dawn
i like to bake tofu, either in a vinegar/oil/spices mix to get "egg" patties or in a sweet/spicy glaze to be eaten over kale and israeli couscous. yum.
gaiantlc
I love barbequed tofu SO much! (especially with pineapple & peppers on pizza) The hubs loves stir-fried tofu & veggies with noodles.
Jane C.
Spinach and tofu curry and gado gado are staples in my diet.
Jamie W.
My kiddos love when I make soft tofu peanut butter cups for them in ramekin dishes with a crushed graham cracker bottom and hard dark chocolate top.
My favorite is teriyaki baked tofu. I found a good recipe online. Pressing the liquid out is essential to have it turn out properly.
Linda Voorhees
Love to press marinated it then broil it. Add it to my cooked veggies
Laura Louise
BBQ tofu tacos!
Mary
My favorite way to make tofu is to drain and squeeze, cube and stir fry until golden brown and then add it to a stir fry with whatever veggies are on hand and a blend of chili paste, black bean garlic sauce, ginger, garlic and black vinegar. My son loves it, too!
Andrea
I'm new to the whole cooking with tofu thing, so I've never pressed it. I've used it in stir fry and miso soup so far and loved it. But I think I'll love it even more with it pressed!
Richard Hudak
I love baking tofu in cubes on parchment with a little bit of oil. It's close to the deep fry method and definitely benefits from pressing. That device looks very nifty.
Chris Moultrie
My favorite way to cook tofu is super dense tofu added to Pad Thai. It gets to soak up the tamarind and golden mountain sauce so that it's super flavorful and rich.