Okay soooo are y’all pro or con sun-dried tomatoes in the pie?!?? PS - I FULLY HAD A NIGHTMARE ABOUT GHOSTS on the night before posting this sooo I think we know where my ancestors stand 😵

Re: Infusing oil: Cooking herbs in the oil first ensures all the bacteria is killed and any residual water is removed, preventing the growth of botulism. So, if you're not going to use the oil within a couple days, definitely cook the herbs in the oil!

So would you be willing to do another video in the near future where you try combining your personal recipe with this one? I'd love to see that!

The only reason the ancestors would be mad is because shepherd's pie isn't an Irish dish, it's British! The ancestors definitely don't like being confused with the Brits 😛

@Merle O'Neal This looks great, and not overly complicated, so I hope to try it soon. I just need a few thing from the store. I noticed the flavour profile of the stew portion resembles what my late husband used to to for his tomato-based Vegan vegetable soup. He wasn't Vegan, just a southern guy who learned to cook from a dozen women. For this recipe here, I think the only thing I will do differently than you did is, I will leave the veg a bit chunkier, so it will be like a stew underneath the lovely mashed potatoes. I might also sprinkle some herb and buttered bread crumbs, as I like the browned top, and potatoes take forever to brown like they are here. I've tried shepherd's pie before, but mine I always tried to use some kind of fake meat, and never considered chickpeas and lentils (which I love). Thanks for sharing this.

I've used lentils as an alternative to meat for years but never in a shepherd's pie, so I'd definitely give this one a try. I would love to hear your recipe too!

I like the motto "don't let perfect be the enemy of good".

Two things... first, the addition of Marmite in a stock would give it a meaty, umami flavor. In LA you can get it at Ralph's, World Market, and several other places. Pro-tip: if you're making vegan yorkshire puddings, add a small dollop of marmite at the bottom of the tin to give it the flavor of beef drippings without the actual beef drippings. Second, and this has nothing to do with food, did you know that according to traditional Irish lore, in Irish surnames, the addition of O' at the start of a surname indicates a historical relationship of the family with the banshee/bean sidhe (literally, the fairy woman)? It means that in these families people were known to hear the cry of the bean sidhe when a family member was near death or had died. The more you know...

haven't watched the video but I know it's gonna be great merle ! you never disappoint

This was a great video, both the dish but also the production and editing! And off-topic, but I loved your eye makeup haha

You explain how to make this recipe in really simple and easy terms. Fun to watch! Appreciate when a youtuber makes it look so easy! Love to see more whole food plant based recipes using whole food ingredients (not pre-made "vegan meat," "vegan cheese" that uses coconut oil and other ingredients high in saturated fats). Thanks again!

OMG I am very excited for this! I looove sun dried tomatoes so the thumbnail was perfect for me

I loved this recipe and will definitely try it! Here in Brazil, we cannot find all the vegan substitutes you'll find in the US (like vegan butter, cheese and fake meat). When we find them, we can't afford them, and they (ours at least) are usually these super processed foods that I'd rather not eat. These substitutions with chickpeas and lentils are my go-to, so I'm glad to see those here!

That pie looks magnificent. As someone that loves sun dried tomatoes I'll have to give it a go.

Yay my girl is back. Im not vegan, but your videos always entertain me.. ❤️❤️ love from indonesia. Hope you make indonesian food vegan too

If you would be interested in trying a vegan olive oil brioche with Aquafaba. I’ve tried and tried but I can’t seem to get mine to be the brioche that I remember 😢

in tune with you , just made james oliver falafel yesterday and it was so good! and different and simple , this one will do it 2 , one day

Love this reciepe! Getting the skin off garlic is SO EASY when you know the trick, Merle (I'm a chef). Trick: Place a clove of garlic with the skin on it in the middle of your cutting board, and then take the side of your chef's knife (the flat side) and with the butt of your free hand, smash the clove of garlic hard enough that it breaks the skin. Easily remove the entire skin of the garlic. Finito!

I always add lentils to my beyond and impossible dishes, it helps bulk it up on a budget, to feed our family of 6, but doesn’t alter the yummyness and textures of the imitation minces I subscribed because I can’t wait to see your version!

You should definitely try it again with Marmite, it will be a completely different experience! You can substitute Vegemite!

Loved the hair on the screen haha! And the recipe as well, voy a hacerla pronto 🎉

This recipe looks so delicious, I once made a vegan shepherd's pie (I went vegan 6 years ago) and this took me quite a while in the kitchen. I definitely wanna try these too on special occasions, dear Merle, would you recommend to add some jackfruit in addition? Love your channel

A shepherds pie with a mix of sundried tomatoes and marmite broth is so perplexing to me, I may just have to try it! Always inspiring me!

You need a rosemary plant, put it on your balcony, front step or near a window. It grows like weeds in Sourthern California. It is the ONLY plant I have not been able to kill. Some of my neighbors rosemary just started sprouting on my yard. Also it supposedly keeps mosquitoes away (that might be internet bullshit though), thanks for your videos, my 8 yr old son recently decided to go vegetarian so your channel has been very helpful.

This turned out really pretty and looked delicious. If you like rosemary you should try rosemary banana bread and rosemary chocolate chip cookies by Isa Chandra Moskowitz!!!!

I absolutely agree. Cultural/traditional dishes should be preserved. I'm Mexican and NGL, it upsets me when people change a recipe and call it by the original name or make up a dish and call it "mexican" when that dish doesn't even exist. We should cherish our culture.

I'm happy to see that Jamie made a decent recipe. I've been pretty pessimistic about his recipes recently, after trying a couple, and them coming out pretty meh or kinda gross even (I followed the recipes to a t). Neat that he sometimes does come out with something good on occasion!

I always add marmite to veggie mince stand ins. I bet this would have been even better with that flavour!!!! Looks delicious though

Looks yummy! I know the ancestors were pleased. 😋 You can get Marmite from Amazon, btw. In some places it is sold as Vegemite.

I actually reeeeaally love RPLs version of the Shepherds Pie. It is also based around a lentil rosemary filling, but the potato crust is beautifully enhanced with tahini and some cauliflower, and I really absurdly love it. Would love to see you battle it out between those 2 recipes and yours :)

This isn't super different from the vegetarian pie I make sometimes (I use lentils, but no chickpeas, a bit of tomato paste instead of the sundried tomato, etc.) It's super hearty and delicious, and a great way to jam a ton of veggies and herbs into one meal.

I already made this several times - it's a good recipe for a vegan version of an old favourite

You should do a video on your shepherds pie!!

Wow! that pie looks delish! 😋

I Just found your channel Via youtube recommendation. I'm not vegan nor am I considering being vegan ( before anyone comes for me, i have Crohns, vegetable and fruit fiber are a huge trigger for me so veganism is not even an option for me regardless, I would waste away) But despite all that , I actually am loving your videos ! Super interesting to me to see you try out alternate recipes plus I love your humour . Great work !

I really liked this video, I will give that recipe a try.

I ❤ comfort food! Looks yummy.

Can anyone tell me what I can replace wine with? Plz don't tell me non-alcoholic wine, I don't have access to it and many still contain some percentage or traces of alcohol.

Do you have a Cost Plus World Market nearby? I have purchased Marmite there. It is an import, so there's no buying it locally, but if you're just using it for flavorings and not on toast, a small jar will last you forever. The flavor is unbeatable in broths and soups, order some online if you have to.

Is that a vegan red wine? He commented that eggs are usually in the processing of reds. I was not aware. I only use alcohol in cooking so, noted. ALSO, Vegemite is made of yeast, so a nutritional yeast would give you some flavor, but it may not be as concentrated. (Brits, Aussies, back me up or correct me please!) Did you leave the Garbanzos whole on purpose? I liked the idea of the broken ones, because it would keep the texture more like shepherd's pie original recipe. I like Garbanzo Beans/Chick peas, but I do get fatigued at seeing them EVERYWHERE. :D

I also love fresh Rosemary, and also oregano and thyme... like get that lavender away from me and get me some herb bushes hahaha

Great video merle o'neal your amazing

That looks really good - I love saucy shepherd's pie

I need to see the Merle version of shepherd's pie. I was hoping this didn't have mushrooms, I'm not super in love with them. Maybe I could sub impossible meat.

Hello my vegan queen, so good to see you posting more on here, I love to see it, it always makes my day!! 💖👍🤗❤️😁❤️❤️❤️🙏🤞✌️

Besides how good this recipe looks, it also shows me how freaking easy a shepherd's pie, basically filling+mashed taters. Can probably whip something up without even going to store.

Looks great

Totally trying this.

I know I am commenting on an aging video, BUUUTTTT… I got Marmite at World Market! If you are looking for import ingredients, I highly recommend check there 😊

I made this last week! But I replaced the sundried tomatoes with grilled bell pepper, because I dislike sundried tomatoes.

I think I'll make this tomorrow.

I'm not vegan but I do eat vegan food options. This one I am definitely goin to make this one.

I'm pretty sure we always put a tin of tomatoes in our Shepherd's pie, so elevating to sun dried kinda makes sense to me? I'm guessing that's not the norm tho, as you were so baffled Haha!

I'm French and never I never met someone called Merle ! A merle is a kind of bird, but I never did the connexion in my head as the prononciation is very different

That looked delicious!

Would love to see you make your recipe

I've made this a few times and I can absolutely attest to the sundried tomatoes. They MAKE the dish!

Is the 19 crimes wine that Merle is using actually vegan? I don’t drink wine so I was just going to get a bottle of it to use for this recipe but I’m getting conflicting results in it being vegan or not with more (including Barnivore) saying it isn’t vegan.

I think marmite is a strong ingredient. I don't like it. But in Sauces it makes a huge difference.

You gotta try this

So, can you please share your recipe for the pie? Please! 🙏🙏🙏

Your eyes are stunning you’re make up is on point!

Seeing you next Tuesday 😂

I try it perfect for st Patty day. I try one without impossible beef one with.

I’m a omnivore that try to eat less meat for environmental reasons. But Marmite is magic, and I think really a powerful ingredient for vegan cooking. Marmite or vegemite, they are more or less the same (don’t kill me Australians and British people). It’s a yeast extract that I believe is made of the byproducts leftover from brewing beer. And it actually for real tastes very much like beef. Not beef as in stake, but like super super intense beef stew flavour. Or like a beef bone stock that simmered for a very long time. It’s like a super packed umami flavour bomb with a beef flavour. I think using marmite as the main flavour ingredient for a vegan gravy, as a meat eater I probably will notice it’s made with non-cow milk products. But the marmite is spot on beef gravy flavour, and I think you will fool like 99% of people. Delicious stuff, if you are a vegan or not and a little goes a long way.

1:45 I had this dream.... then winter came up and my rosemary tree died.

can we have a video of your shepherds pie recipe?

Merle you got a p.o. box? I'll send you some Marmite. It's a great vegan beef stock. We Brits eat it on toast, and it's packed with vitamins. Anyways yooze missin a trick!

Show us your recipe next (please 🙂)!

2.36 Missed the opportunity to say “If I could save thyme in a bottle”

This looks interesting. I like Shepard's pie. I could eat it everyday

"Rosemary is my favourite errrrb." "Errrrrrb"

Don’t forget to mention that most wines are not vegan! Looks delicious…… 😍

I caramelize some tomato paste in my pie, so guessing the sun dried is the same vibe.

APPETIZING 😋😋😋

mjam! did you ever share your sheperds pie recipe? 🙂

Mushroom and lentil Sheppard's pie is the best

i love 19 crimes wine 😂

good video

Can you post your shepards pie recipe?

6:40 Girl your Irish Ancestors were screaming at you the moment you put chickpeas and lentils instead of lamb! 🤣

My mum is obsessed with ur purple plant and NEEDS to know what type of plant it is? Lol

You can use vegemite for marmite

Omg Merle that wine isn’t vegan!!! I used to love that wine too then found out they use products derived from animals in the winemaking process 😢😢😢 I’m sure you just didn’t know so wanted to make you aware for next time ❤

merle choking on the wine ahahah at least you didnt pull a cody and projectile it all over the camera

could you show pls your personal recipe?))

also my lazy ass just ordered door dash but really this is what i want.

I need a substitute for mushrooms I'm allergic

I mean the purple flowers are bouncing and moving around during the sun dried tomatoes….

Rosemary bushes you say? Maybe wild in yer yard ? C'mon down to the PNW !

Be careful with hebs in oil, it is the perfect environment to grow botulism.

JFYI...you can almost always find Marmite at Cost Plus World Market.

now honestly I don't really like Jamie Oliver and I'm side eyeing those sun dried tomatoes but overall this does look pretty delicious

I've never seen O'Neill spelt O'Neal b4 is that an American way of spelling it ??

Jamie Oliver's wife eats alot of vegan dishes. I don't know if she is still vegan, but that is why he developed these recipes.

I LOVE JAMIE OLIVER THE NAKED CHEF HEHEHE

Can you please make your Shepherd's Pie?

merle you missed the vital step of layering the potato with huge amounts of cheese!!! a crime

Since people often like to argue shepherds pie is lamb. And cottage pie is beef. What should this be called? Bean pie is already taken.

I am a vegetarian. And I am generally against sun-dried tomatoes in anything. They’re not nice.