Sriracha Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Hash

I have a confession to make. I have tried. Several times. And I do not like shepherd's pie. I find it to be bland and complicated to make. With it's billowy mashed potatoes mashed with plenty of fat, shepherd's pie is also not your beacon of health.


Seeing as St. Patrick's Day is coming up, I am on the hunt for some sort of semi-celebratory dish that is tasty (of course) and healthy (ideally). So, I've created my own version of shepherd's pie, switching the nutrient-lacking potatoes out for nutrient-rich sweet potatoes, and using this green been and tempeh sriracha stir-fry as my inspiration. I also added tahini for creaminess and richness. This is more of my personal take on shepherd's pie, and is reminiscent of green bean casserole, but with a kick. Perfect for those straggling chilly days in March!

ALSO: I've been creating a vegan Irish cream recipe that's super fast, easy, and delicious! (I may or may not take swigs of it while passing through the kitchen at random times of day.) It will be going up soon so stay tuned! :)

Sriracha Shephard's Pie with Sweet Potato Hash

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds green beans, rinsed, tough stems removed, and cut into 2-inch peices

1 large yellow onion, sliced into half moons

3 packages tempeh, crumbled

1 cup tahini

1/2 to 3/4 cup sriracha

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 cloves garlic

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup cilantro

2 tablespoons agave

2 large sweet potatoes, grated

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place the green beans and onions in a 9x13-inch rectangular casserole pan, toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and roast for 20 minutes while preparing the other ingredients. 

Place the tempeh crumbles in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Place the pan on high heat, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium low and simmer the tempeh for 10 minutes. 

While the tempeh simmers and the veggies roast, prepare the sauce. In a blender, combine the tahini, 1/2 cup sriracha, soy sauce, garlic, water, cilantro, and agave and blend until smooth. Add more sriracha to achieve your preferred spice level. 

Once the tempeh is finished, strain it and return to the saucepan. Pour the sauce over the tempeh and stir to coat. Once the veggies have been roasting for 20 minutes, evenly distribute the tempeh over the green beans and return to the bottom level of the oven. 

Using several pieces of paper towel or a kitchen towel, envelope the grated sweet potatoes, twisting at both sides to tightly squeeze the potato and remove excess moisture. Transfer to a bowl, toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread into a thin layer on a baking sheet, roughly matching the shape of the casserole pan. Place on top level of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes, broil the sweet potatoes to finish them. Turn off the oven, and turn the broiler on high. Leave the sweet potatoes on the top rack, and broil until evenly toasted. Turn off the broiler, remove the sweet potatoes and tempeh mixture from oven. Transfer the sweet potatoes to the top of the casserole so that the entire casserole has an even crust of sweet potato hash. 

Cheers!