Shepherd’s Pie, a wealthy, savory casserole of floor meat and greens baked with mashed potatoes on prime, was one among my favourite dinners as a child (largely for the potatoes). As we speak I find it irresistible much more for the hearty filling, particularly at the moment’s succulent recipe!
Technically talking, what my mother cooked for us was cottage pie, for the reason that distinction between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie is the type of meat used.
- Shepherd’s pie makes use of floor lamb, whereas cottage pie makes use of floor beef.
- More often than not within the U.S., we are saying “shepherd’s pie” for each.
- Whereas lamb may be probably the most conventional shepherd’s pie, I’ve made it each methods, and each are delish! Be happy to make use of whichever meat you or your loved ones choose.
Historical past of Shepherd’s Pie
The origin of shepherd’s pie can’t be traced to any particular particular person or place, however we all know it acquired its begin someplace in the UK. It was created as a technique to repurpose leftovers and scale back waste.
Shepherd’s pie known as shepherd’s pie as a result of it’s sometimes made with lamb meat.
Tips on how to Make Shepherd’s Pie
Don’t let the stodgy sound of floor meat and potatoes idiot you—this shepherd’s pie with gravy is delicious.
I’d proudly serve it to a gaggle of pals and know everybody can be happy.
Plus, as recipes like Floor Beef and Potatoes and Prompt Pot Pot Roast reveal, meat and potatoes might be fairly darn unbelievable!
- To make this a straightforward shepherd’s pie, I used a bag of frozen peas and carrots, as a substitute of chopping the veggies myself, which cuts down on prep time.
- Should you make the mashed potatoes forward, you may have it within the oven even sooner.
- The shepherd’s pie seasoning contains garlic, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and thyme. They’re easy and but make all of the distinction in making a wealthy shepherd’s pie filling.
The Components
- Mashed Potato Topping. Luscious mashed potatoes are combined with butter, Parmesan, salt and pepper, milk (or half-and-half), and an egg yolk for a topping that’s wealthy, creamy, and completely scrumptious! (Potato lovers, try my Crockpot Mashed Potatoes too).
- Floor Beef. Full of iron, protein, and nutritional vitamins, floor beef helps make this shepherd’s pie hearty.
- Onion + Garlic. Highly effective taste builders.
- Tomato Paste. Provides wealthy, concentrated tomato taste to the meat combination.
- All-Function Flour. Helps thicken the meat combination, making a gravy-like consistency.
- Beef Broth. Savory, and deeply flavorful, the meat broth provides liquid to the bottom of the dish.
- Worcestershire Sauce. Provides fantastic umami taste.
- Contemporary Thyme + Bay Leaf. Earthy, herby additions that reduce by means of the richness.
- Frozen Greens. I used a bag of frozen peas and carrots to simply sneak in further veggies.
The Instructions
- Lower, boil, and drain the potatoes.
- Mash with the butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Stir till the butter is usually melted. YUM.
- Whisk the milk and egg yolk collectively.
- Stir the milk combination into the potatoes.
- For the filling, saute the onion.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste.
- Stir within the meat.
- Sprinkle the flour over the meat.
- Add the broth, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaf. Deliver the combination to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes. Take away the thyme and bay leaf.
- Stir within the frozen greens.
- Unfold the meat combination into the underside of a baking dish coated with nonstick spray.
- Add the topping, spreading it into an excellent layer. Bake shepherd’s pie at 400 levels F for 25 minutes. Let cool for a minimum of 10 minutes, then DIG IN!
Storage Suggestions
- To Retailer. Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic storage container for as much as 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm shepherd’s pie in a baking dish within the oven at 350 levels F or within the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an hermetic freezer-safe storage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
As much as 1 day prematurely, put together the mashed potato topping as directed. Refrigerate it in an hermetic storage container till you’re prepared to complete the recipe.
Leftover Concepts
Flip leftovers into meal prep paradise. Rigorously take away portion-sized items from the baking dish, and switch them to the wells of a muffin tin (hold the mashed potatoes on prime). When you’ve transferred all of your leftovers, freeze till stable. Switch the frozen shepherd’s pie “muffins” to an hermetic freezer-safe ziptop storage bag for as much as 3 months. Take away and thaw the “muffins” as wanted for a consolation meals repair.
What to Serve with Shepherd’s Pie
Beneficial Instruments to Make this Recipe
Stunning Baking Dish
Excessive-quality and delightful, this baking dish will likely be in your kitchen for a lifetime. Is available in a number of colours.
Did you develop up consuming shepherd’s pie or cottage pie?
When you do this model of conventional shepherd’s pie recipe, I’d love to listen to what you assume within the feedback beneath!
Often Requested Questions
Including beer to your dish is a scrumptious and enjoyable twist. For an Irish shepherd’s pie, swap the meat broth for Guinness.
Should you don’t have russet potatoes available, swapping Yukon gold potatoes is the very best substitute. Should you’d choose to make a candy potato shepherd’s pie, you could possibly experiment with swapping candy potatoes as a substitute.
To make this recipe gluten free, swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free flour like this one.
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- 1 ½ kilos russet potatoes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter diced
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon floor black pepper
- ¼ cup milk or half-and-half
- 1 giant egg yolk
For the Meat Filling:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 pound lean floor beef or floor lamb
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon floor black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup much less sodium beef broth or hen broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs recent thyme
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 (10- to 12-ounce) bag frozen peas and carrots no have to thaw
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Boil the potatoes for the topping: Peel the potatoes and reduce into 1-inch chunks. Place in a medium saucepan. Add sufficient cool water to cowl the potatoes by 1 inch. Cowl the pot and convey to boil over excessive warmth. As quickly because the water is boiling, uncover, then scale back the warmth to a simmer. Prepare dinner, adjusting the warmth as wanted to keep up a delicate, regular simmer, till potatoes are fork tender, about 12 to 16 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan. If the potatoes are very moist, warmth the saucepan over low, shaking it often, till any liquid on the floor of the potatoes has cooked off, about 1 minute, then take away from the warmth.
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Combine the topping collectively: With a potato masher or wood spoon, mash the potatoes nicely. Scatter the butter items excessive. Add the Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
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With a wood spoon or rubber spatula, stir just a few instances, till the butter is usually melted.
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In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup with a spout, whisk collectively the milk and egg yolk.
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Add to the potatoes. Stir to mix. The potatoes needs to be wealthy and fluffy.
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Make the filling: Coat a 9×9, 8×10, or 11×7 casserole dish with nonstick spray. Place rack within the middle of your oven and preheat to 400 levels F. In a big skillet, warmth the oil over medium-high warmth. As soon as it’s sizzling and shimmering, add the onion and prepare dinner till it’s starting to brown, about 3 minutes.
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Add the garlic and tomato paste. Stirring constantly, prepare dinner 30 seconds.
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Add the meat (or lamb), salt, and pepper. Prepare dinner, breaking up the meat, till it’s browned and cooked by means of, about 4 minutes. If there’s extra grease within the pan, rigorously drain it off (this shouldn’t be an issue in case your beef is round 93% lean).
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Sprinkle the flour excessive, and prepare dinner, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
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Stir within the broth, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaf. With a rubber spatula or wood spoon, scrape the underside of the pan to take away any stuck-on browned bits. Deliver the liquid to a boil, scale back the warmth to low, then cowl the pan and let simmer gently till the sauce thickens barely, about 10 minutes. Take away the thyme and bay leaf. Style and alter the seasoning as desired.
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Stir within the peas and carrots.
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Switch the meat combination to the ready dish, spreading it into an excellent layer.
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Add the mashed potatoes by spoonfuls excessive, beginning across the edges to create a “seal” (it will stop the filling from effervescent up). With a spatula, gently unfold the potatoes into an excellent layer.
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with a chunk of parchment paper, then place the dish on prime (it will catch any components of the filling that bubble over). Bake the shepherd’s pie uncovered on the middle rack for 25 minutes, or till the potatoes start to brown. Let cool for a minimum of 10 minutes previous to serving.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic storage container for as much as 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm shepherd’s pie in a baking dish within the oven at 350 levels F or within the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an hermetic freezer-safe storage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.
Serving: 1(of 6)Energy: 351kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 24gFats: 14gSaturated Fats: 7gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gMonounsaturated Fats: 5gTrans Fats: 0.5gLdl cholesterol: 98mgPotassium: 1030mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2735IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 4mg
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