This comforting cashew cream shepherds pie soup is a delicious, homemade twist on a classic casserole dish. A rich and flavorful recipe that is easy to make and perfect for your next family dinner! Made with tons of veggies, ground beef, and a creamy cashew cream base for a comforting meal you’ll want to make again and again! Gluten free, dairy free, Whole30, paleo, and easily adapted to be vegan.

A bowl of thick and creamy shepherds pie soup, with a spoon tucked into the soup to show the creamy texture.

The best shepherds pie soup

Shepherds pie is one of those all around classic comfort food recipes that really hits the spot whenever the weather turns chilly! The perfect hearty food to warm you and the family up from the inside out.

And because the only thing that can make a cozy recipe even MORE cozy is turning it into a soup (like our recipe for Dairy Free Chicken Pot Pie Soup!), we’re gonna go ahead and go down that road with this one!

Wholesome, made with simple ingredients, and totally satisfying, all with an easy to manage ingredient list and a cook time of just under an hour. So you can sit down to enjoy a warm meal in no time.

If you love shepherds pie, I promise you’ll absolutely love it as a soup!

Why you’ll love this soup

It is…

Easy to make
Comforting and cozy
Perfect for soup season!
Great for the whole family
Versatile
Super thick and creamy
Gluten free, dairy free, and protein rich
Easily made vegan
Filling and full flavored
Absolutely delicious!

Close up of a spoon dipping into a thick and creamy bowl of dairy free shepherds pie soup.

Ingredients for shepherds pie soup in various ceramics on a creamy background.

Ingredients and substitutions

This soup is made without dairy and gluten. Real deal comfort food that will leave you feeling satisfied and with a happy belly!

The creaminess of the soup comes from raw cashews blended with flavorful broth to create a savory cashew cream. YES!

The versatility of cashew cream never ceases to amaze me!

It is our go to dairy free alternative for everything from soups to sauces and it happens to be the perfect addition to this recipe, too.

If you have a cashew allergy feel free to leave it out and substitute with a generous pour of a non dairy creamer that works for you.

Here’s what you need:

Raw cashews – Raw cashews are used instead of cream in this recipe – IMO they are the best alternative to dairy for dairy free soups! They add a truly luscious and rich texture.
Olive oil – For sautéing the vegetables.
Ground beef – Our meat preference for this soup is ground beef, but ground turkey, or chicken would both work as well. Use a vegan meat crumble instead for a vegan option!
Onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes – The flavor base of this soup and all classic shepherds pie recipes is these veggies.
Green peas – Added just before serving to make sure they stay bright green, plump, and flavorful.
Flavor boosting ingredients – Tomato paste, coconut aminos, nutritional yeast, paprika, and dried parsley all contribute a generous amount of umami rich flavor to this recipe.
Beef broth – The classic choice for this soup is beef broth, but really any good tasting broth will work. Chicken broth is a great alternative, or a veggie broth if you’re making a vegan version.

Can this recipe be made without cashews?

Yes! This soup can absolutely be made without cashews.

For a cashew free alternative I would recommend adding about 1-2 cups of whatever dairy free creamer works for you.

We love the original unsweetened / unflavored nutpods as a cashew free option in savory recipes, but it does contain other types of nuts.

For a nut free option I would look for an unsweetened oat milk creamer.

Or, if you can have dairy about 1 cup of half and half would work beautifully.

How to make shepherds pie soup: Soaking raw cashews in a small glass bowl in hot water.

Finished shepherds pie soup with a ladle lifting some out of the pot.

How to make shepherds pie soup

This soup is super easy to make. All you need is a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients, a soup pot, and a blender!

Here’s the step-by-step

Soak the cashews. Add raw cashews to a heat proof bowl, cover with hot water, and allow to soak while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
Make the flavor base of the soup. Heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened and onions are translucent.
Add the meat. Move vegetables to the side of the pot and add ground beef with salt and black pepper. Cook, breaking up with a spatula, until nicely browned.
Add potatoes, spices, and broth. Add potatoes, tomato paste, paprika, dried parsley, and nutritional yeast and cook a bit more. Add half of the broth to the pot, scraping up any stuck-on bits and bring to a simmer.
Make the cashew cream and add to the soup. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Transfer to a blender with the rest of the broth and coconut aminos. Blend on high speed until smooth. Add to the soup pot and stir to combine. Gently simmer until potatoes and veggies are tender and soup has thickened slightly.
Add the peas and serve. Just before serving turn off the heat and add frozen peas. Cover and let sit for a minute or two until the peas are bright green and warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve, topped with fresh parsley if desired.

How to make a vegan / vegetarian version

It is totally possible to make a delicious vegan / vegetarian version of this soup.

All you need to do is swap the ground beef for a plant based ground meat, and use veggie broth instead of beef or chicken.

If you would rather not use a vegan ground meat alternative, white beans, or extra veggies also work well.

A bowl of thick and creamy shepherds pie soup, topped with some chopped fresh parsley.

Expert tips

Blend the cashew cream for longer than you think. For the best texture you really want to blend it for at least a minute on high, until no pieces remain and it’s super smooth and creamy. If you under-blend it the result could be grainy.
Thin the soup with extra broth if it gets too thick. This soup will thicken up a bit while simmering, which is totally fine if you like a thick and creamy soup. But if you want it to be more “brothy”, all you need to do is thin it out with a little extra broth until your desired consistency is reached.
Wait until the end to add the frozen peas. Frozen peas are already cooked, so they only need to be added to the hot soup to thaw and warm through. Waiting to add them until just before serving ensures they stay bright green, plump, and flavorful!

Does this soup make good leftovers?

This soup is great for leftovers.

It makes about 6 servings, so unless you’re serving a big family you should have enough to tuck some away in the refrigerator to enjoy throughout the week!

Storage and re-heating

To reheat: This soup can easily be re-heated in the microwave or over low heat on the stove top.

To store in the refrigerator: Allow it to cool to room temperature and transfer to an air tight container before moving to the fridge. It should keep for up to 5-6 days.

Can you freeze shepherds pie soup?

Yes! This soup can be frozen.

To freeze: Allow to cool completely and transfer to an airtight container, leaving about an inch of room at the top. Freeze for up to 4 months. To thaw, move to the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove top, or run the container under warm water until the soup can be easily released into a pot and thawed and warmed over medium low heat.

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe.

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!