Best Vegan Shepherd’s Pie (1 Hour!)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Start the mashed potatoes: Start the Vegan Mashed Potatoes recipe**. (You can also make these in advance; just reheat before spreading onto the filling to bake.)

Prep the vegetables: Meanwhile, dice mushrooms into bite-sized chunks. Peel and slice the carrots into thin half-circles. Cut the onion into thin slivers length-wise (also called French cut; see the instructions in 1:40 of the linked video).

Make the filling: In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium high heat. Cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes until golden and tender. Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the sliced onion and carrots. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and cook 5 to 7 minutes until the onions are tender and just browning.

Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir in the flour (or cornstarch), fennel seeds, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and dried sage and cook for 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth , peas, lentils (drained if canned), soy sauce and remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt . Cook for about 5 minutes until the broth is very thick and the vegetables are heated through.

Finish the mashed potatoes: When the potatoes are done cooking, mash them according to the instructions in that recipe.

Bake: Pour the filling into a 2-quart small baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes in a layer on top. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned. If desired, broil for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the top. Garnish with chopped rosemary and serve warm.