Vegan Plantain Shepherd’s Pie is a Caribbean twist on the traditional dish. Instead of mashed potatoes, we use creamy plantains, for a sweet and savory fusion of flavor. Make this hearty, comfort food in just 1 hour.
Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
Wondering how to spice up your shepherd’s pie? If you love traditional shepherd’s pie, you have to try its more flavorful cousin: vegan plantain shepherd’s pie. This dish is a fusion between Puerto Rican pastelon and shepherd’s or cottage pie and was originally created in partnership with Artisana Organics.
With ingredients like yellow plantains and coconut milk the classic Irish recipe gains Caribbean flair. The luscious plantain mash is supremely creamy and rich. And although this dish is hearty, it is also plant-based so you can treat your taste buds while consuming a nutritious meal.
- Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
- Why You’ll Love This Vegan Plantain Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- What is shepherd’s pie traditionally made of?
- Ingredients for Vegan Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
- How to Make Vegan Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
- Storage
- Tips for the Best Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
Plantains are an incredibly versatile fruit. Try my Sweet Plantain Fries, Plantain Chips, and Plantain Porridge next!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Plantain Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Ultimate Comfort Food: Baking shepherd’s pie fills your entire home with a warm aroma. This layered treat is so rich, it’s like a hug in every forkful.
- Easy to Make: Mash plantains, prepare your veggie filling, assemble, then bake! Dinner is on the table in just 1 hour.
- Meatless Meal: With filling ingredients like mushrooms, carrots, peas, and carrots, and plenty of spices and seasoning, you won’t miss the meat.
What is shepherd’s pie traditionally made of?
Classic shepherd’s pie is made with minced or ground lamb, cooked veggies, and herbs. The filling ingredients are usually held together with gravy and the topping is a layer of mashed potatoes.
Some recipes use ground beef instead of lamb because it’s cheaper and easier to find. Those are technically called “cottage pie” but the terms are often used interchangeably, particularly in the United States.
Ingredients for Vegan Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
Transforming a classic meat-based dish to vegan can be difficult. Artisana Raw Coconut oil and Artisana Raw Cashew Butter are key ingredients that help me achieve the best flavor and consistency without using dairy or eggs.
- Yellow plantains: Use firm yellow plantains. If they’re soft, they’ll be too sweet.
- Water: Use this to boil the plantains until they’re soft and fork-tender.
- Seasoning: Season the plantains with salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Artisana Raw Coconut oil: I mash the boiled plantains with this organic oil to enrich and soften the mixture. It enhances the texture without overpowering the flavor of the sweet plantains.
- Nutritional yeast: This ingredient serves multiple purposes. It adds cheesy, savory flavor to a dish without using dairy. It also enhances the texture of the mashed plantains, making them velvety smooth and easily malleable.
Shepherd’s Pie Filling:
- Artisana Raw Coconut Oil: Double back on the coconut oil and use it to sauté your vegetables.
- Yellow onion: Once cooked, these have a rich caramelized flavor.
- Mushrooms: This adds a savory flavor and thickens the pie filling. It’s a great meat substitute.
- Pepper: Use diced red bell pepper and green bell pepper for a hint of spicy flavor. They also add color to the dish.
- Garlic cloves: Grate fresh garlic for the best results.
- Cilantro: Finely chopped.
- Seasoning: Season the filling with salt and smoked paprika.
- Frozen peas & carrots: This is an easy addition for added nutrients.
- Artisana Raw Cashew Butter: The best shepherd’s pie recipes include a secret ingredient and this is mine! This is how I achieve that thick creamy filling without using dairy.
- Nutritional yeast: For cheesy flavor without the cheese.
- Coconut milk: This enriches the mixture and adds a hint of sweetness to the deep savory flavor of the sautéed veggies.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Vegan Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
Prepare Mashed Plantain Topping
Peel and cut each plantain into 6 pieces.
Then add the peeled plantains to a saucepan along with the water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover the saucepan and add it to medium heat. Bring it to a boil and continue to cook until the plantains are tender (about 10 minutes).
Drain the plantains from the liquid, then crush them with a potato masher or a fork until smooth.
Then add the remaining salt, coconut oil, garlic powder, onion powder and nutritional yeast. Mix together until fully combined and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F then heat up a skillet on medium. Next add the coconut oil to the skillet and when the oil is hot add the diced onions. Sauté until the onions become soft (for about a minute), then add the mushrooms and red and green bell peppers.
Continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft (about 2 minutes) then add the garlic, cilantro, salt smoked paprika and frozen peas and carrots. Mix together well and continue to cook, stirring often, until the peas and carrots defrost (about 3 minutes).
Add the Artisana Raw Cashew Butter, nutritional yeast, and coconut milk. Mix until fully combined then remove from the heat.
Pour the filling into a greased casserole dish, top with the crushed plantain, smoothing it out to cover the filling completely.
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Then remove the plantain shepherd’s pie from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave. For larger servings, use the oven.
Tips for the Best Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
- Ensure uniform slicing or chopping of vegetables to promote even cooking. This helps you maintain a consistent texture and prevents some pieces from being undercooked while others are overdone.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Make sure there’s enough space in the pan for the vegetables to cook evenly. Overcrowding can lead to steaming rather than sautéing, resulting in a loss of texture and flavor. Cook in batches if you need to.
- Taste test your filling. Ensure the vegetable filling is well-seasoned before assembling the shepherd’s pie and make any necessary adjustments. This step is crucial for a flavorful dish.
- Evenly coat the vegetable mixture with mashed plantains. Spread the plantain mash evenly over the filling to ensure each bite incorporates the sweet and savory elements.
- Use a fork to scrape the crushed plantains after smoothing. This adds a textured topping that’s more visually appealing.
- Rest before serving. Allow the shepherd’s pie to rest for a few minutes after baking. This helps the flavors meld together and makes it easier to slice and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some recipes incorporate eggs into the mashed potato topping for a more golden brown crust. Others may add it to the filling as a binding ingredient. However, it is not necessary or used traditionally.
If your pie is runny, you may be using too much liquid. Check your measurements when preparing your filling. Also, letting it rest for at least 5 minutes once it’s out of the oven will help it maintain its shape.
This casserole originated in England but is popular across the UK, particularly in Ireland.
Plantain Shepherd’s Pie
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Potato masher or fork
- Skillet
- Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 4 Yellow and firm plantains
- 6 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Artisana Raw Coconut oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Filling:
- 2 tbsp Artisana Raw Coconut Oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 lb mushrooms diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 6 garlic cloves grated
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 cups frozen peas & carrots
- ¼ cup Artisana Raw Cashew Butter
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 cup coconut milk
Instructions
- For the topping, peel and cut each plantain into 6 pieces. Add the peeled plantains to a saucepan along with the water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover the saucepan and add it to medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the plantains are tender (about 10 minutes).
- Drain the plantains from the liquid, then crush them with a potato masher or a fork until smooth. Add the remaining salt, coconut oil, garlic powder, onion powder and nutritional yeast. Mix together until fully combined and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F then heat up a skillet on medium. Next add the coconut oil to the skillet and when the oil is hot add the diced onions. Sauté until the onions become soft (for about a minute), then add the mushrooms and red and green bell peppers.
- Continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft (about 2 minutes) then add the garlic, cilantro, salt smoked paprika and frozen peas and carrots. Mix together well and continue to cook, stirring often, until the peas and carrots defrost (about 3 minutes).
- Add the Artisana Raw Cashew Butter, nutritional yeast and coconut milk. Mix until fully combine then remove from the heat. Pour the filling into a greased casserole dish. Then top with the plantain topping. Smooth out the topping to cover all of the filling.
- Bake at 350 °F for 30 minutes. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.
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