Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Last week I made Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie—an old favorite that I hadn’t made in a long, long time. It is absolutely heavenly, and certainly a go-to recipe for fall. The original version of this recipe (made with meat) is from Gluten Free Goddess, and the version below is 100% vegan.

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Adapted from Gluten Free Goddess

INGREDIENTS
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
A dash of nutmeg
A drizzle of fruity olive oil, to taste
2 cans vegan chili (I always use Trader Joe’s veggie chili)
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 small to medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into pieces
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and cut up
1 14-oz can fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles, drained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the sweet potatoes in a pot of fresh salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until under fork tender and mashable. Meanwhile, saute onions and garlic; stir and cook for five minutes or until the onions are soft. Add in the zucchini; stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in the artichokes and tomatoes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, dried herbs and cinnamon. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduced a bit. Remove from heat. Once the sweet potatoes are ready, drain and mash them lightly. Season with sea salt, ground pepper and nutmeg. Drizzle with a little fruity olive oil if desired. Now it’s time to layer the casserole dish. Start with the two cans of chili, followed by the veggie mixture, then top with the mashed sweet potatoes. Bake in the center of the preheated oven until bubbling and hot—about 25 minutes.

NOTE: I recommend placing your casserole dish on a baking sheet, just to catch any bubbling goodness that might drip out during the cooking process. It’ll save you a lot of cleanup time later!

What’s your go-to fall recipe?