To prepare a vegetarian beef shepherds pie recipe, first you need to prepare the ingredients for the pie. First, you'll need the following ingredients: 1 pound ground beef 2 tbsp. kosher salt 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 tablespoon thyme 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon paprika 12 teaspoon cayenne pepper Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and grease and flour two 9-inch pie pans. Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces. Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. In the meantime, mix the remaining ingredients together. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shells and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. Serve with sour cream, if desired.