Gardener’s Pie with Root Vegetables
This Gardener’s Pie is a comforting and humbled dish, perfect for those chilly late autumn nights or cold winter evenings. It’s a vegetarian take on the classic shepherd’s pie, full of hearty root vegetables that bring a variety of textures and colors to the table. You can use almost any root vegetable you like—rutabaga, turnip, parsnip, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac, jicama, or kohlrabi—those often-overlooked gems of the produce section. These veggies, which grow underground and absorb rich nutrients from the soil, are true nutritional powerhouses.
Table of Contents
What’s unique about this Recipe?
Grocery and Pantry List
Time Required:
Bake in 400°F(200°C) preheated oven and broiler.
Special Tools to Use:
Recipe Steps at a Glance
Gardener’s pie recipe can be broken down into the following steps:
Step-by-step: How to Make Gardener’s Pie
Step 1: Preparing the vegetables
Clean, peel, and chop all the vegetables. Preparing them in advance will streamline the process and minimize cleanup.
Finely dice the onions and leeks, ensuring uniformity in size.
Dice the carrots into small pieces.
Cut the root vegetables into batons or chunky cubes for added texture and visual appeal. I use my Braun food processor’s french fry attachment. It gives me almost uniformed strips (Batons) in under a minute.
Step 2: Braising the beef (optional)
Cube the meat into bite-sized pieces and season generously with salt and pepper.
Sear the meat in butter until all sides are golden brown, then gently braise in a small amount of water over low heat until tender 30 minutes.
Step 3: Making the stew
Begin by sautéing onions and leeks in a large pot over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then, add the carrots and turnips, seasoning each addition with salt and pepper as you go. Next, add the rutabaga and turnips, stirring everything together.
Create a small opening in the center of the pot and add the minced garlic. After about 30 seconds, sprinkle the vegetables with 1-2 tablespoon of flour (all purpose or rice) to help the broth to thicken. Stir for 2-3 minutes to coat all the vegetables and distribute evenly.
I usually de-glaze my pan with wine but it can be done with broth or any other liquid. Add one cup of the liquid and stir until all the liquid is evaporated.
Pour in enough broth, stock, or water to almost cover all the vegetables. If desired, you can separate the stew into two pots at this point to accommodate both vegan and meat-lovers. Add the meat to one batch for the meat-lovers option.
Continue cooking the stew either on the stovetop or by transferring it to the oven. Let it cook for another 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the stew has thickened and become bubbly.
Step 4: Make mashed potatoes
Peel and chop the potatoes into chunks. Place them in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Season the water with salt. If you see any residue rise to the surface, skim it off with a slotted spoon.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and mash them using a fork, potato masher, or ricer.
For the non-vegan option, add warm milk and butter to the mashed potatoes and mix until smooth and fluffy.
For the vegan option, add the reserved potato liquid and olive oil instead of milk and butter, and mix until the potatoes are smooth and fluffy. Adjust seasoning if needed before serving.
Step 5: Assembling the pie
Spoon the stew into a baking gratin dish or individual soup ramekins. Spread a layer of mashed potatoes on top, or use a piping bag to create rosettes that cover the surface.
To prevent spillage, place the baking dishes on a baking sheet and broil for 2-5 minutes until the potatoes are nicely browned.
If you’ve prepared the stew and mashed potatoes ahead of time and kept them separate, assemble them 30 minutes before dinner. Bake in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes until bubbly, then broil briefly to brown the top.
Best Way to Serve
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like the traditional shepherd’s pie or the French onion soup recipe.
Tips and Wisdom from Cafe Osharak
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you add meat to this dish?
Absolutely. Braise the beef separately for an hour and add the beef right before pouring in the broth. With a bit of an effort you can divide the stew into individual bowls and add the braised beef chunks to selected ones. This way you can please meat-lovers and vegetarians at the same dinner.
More Recipes To Try From Cafe Osharak
If you give this recipe a try, I’d be thrilled to hear from you! Let me know if you find it delicious and easy to make. Feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions. I’m here to help. And be sure to check out other recipes from Cafe Osharak that you might enjoy!
Gardener’s Pie with Root Vegetables
Ingredients
Stew
- 2-3 tablespoon Olive oil or butter
- 1 Onion diced
- 2 Parsnips peeled, diced
- 1 Carrot peeled, diced
- 2 Rutabaga peeled, diced
- 2 Turnip peeled, diced
- 1 Yam peeled, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 8 oz Mushrooms portobello
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 T fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups veggie stock
- 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup fresh Italian Parsley
Potato Crust
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1/2 cup Milk or water more or less
- White pepper
Instructions
Make the stew:
- Heat the oil or butter in the large heavy bottom pot.2-3 tablespoon Olive oil
- Add the diced onions and cook for a few minutes until translucent and glossy then add the minced garlic and cook for one minute.1 Onion, 2 cloves Garlic
- Add the diced root vegetables except for yam (turnip, parsnip, rutabaga, carrots).2 Parsnips, 1 Carrot, 2 Turnip, 2 Rutabaga
- Season with salt and pepper and saute for 10 minutes.
- Add the yam, mushrooms, and chopped thyme and season with salt and pepper.1 Yam, 8 oz Mushrooms portobello, 1 T fresh thyme leaves
- Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat all the vegetables and to avoid flour pockets. Cook for 4-5 minutes.2 tablespoons flour
- De-glaze the pot with the wine and keep stirring until all the vegetables soak up the wine and there is no more liquid in the bottom.1 cup red wine
- Pour the hot broth over the vegetables and add half of the chopped parsley.3 cups veggie stock, 1/2 cup fresh Italian Parsley
- If using the balsamic vinegar add to the liquid. Give it a good stir, cover, and let the stew cook for another 4-5 minutes until the juices are thickened and all the vegetables are cooked.1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Adjust the seasoning and add the remaining chopped parsley.1/2 cup fresh Italian Parsley
Making Potato Crust
- Wash and peel the potatoes.2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- Cut the potatoes into thick slices, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and let it cook until soft and fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes and keep a cup of liquid to add back to the mashed potatoes.
- Mash the potatoes with a smasher or potato ricer.
- Add the oil or butter and season with salt. Mix well.3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- Add the reserved liquid to make the potatoes more lighter consistency. You can use milk for a creamier texture. Season with white pepper or black pepper.1/2 cup Milk or water more or less, White pepper
Assembling
- Once ready to serve, scoop the stew into a baking dish or individual oven-proof bowls.
- Spread or pipe the mashed potatoes over the stew.
- Put the pie into the oven and cook in the preheated oven at 375 degrees F until bubbly.
- Turn on the broiler if you want the potatoes to be more golden brown.