This comforting Shepherd’s Pie recipe is one of my family’s favorites. Mashed potatoes, meaty gravy, and veggies all in one, what’s not to love? Don’t be surprised when you find yourself without leftovers!
Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie are names for the same dish, with a slight difference: Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb, Cottage Pie with beef. “Cottage Pie” was named for the cottages that potato farmers in Ireland, Scotland and England lived in. The dish becomes known as “Shepherd’s Pie” when the lamb is added, since shepherds raise sheep.
I’m really glad I could provide these meat pie facts for you. Now you can check off the “random thing I learned today” on your Bingo card.
You may wonder about using lamb if you don’t cook it often. (Or at all.) Trust me here – the 50/50 mix of lamb and beef makes an awesome flavor combination. It’s a blend I often use for meatballs or meatloaf too. And with the gravy and veggies mixed in, there’s a good chance you family will become fans of lamb without even realizing it. If you can’t find ground lamb, you could use 50/50 beef and pork or beef and turkey too. It’s your dinner, after all.
I serve this with a green salad or my Crazy Delicious Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad, and that’s pretty much it. Dinner is served, and the crew is happy. Just the way I like it.
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
for the potato layer:
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed 900 g
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream 57 g
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
for the meat layer:
- 2 shallots diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 1 lb lean ground beef 450 g
- 1 lb ground lamb 450 g
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour blend or tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup gluten-free chicken or vegetable stock 240 mL
- 1/4 cup frozen peas 45 g
- 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free hot sauce or more to taste
- olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200C).
- Boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 12-15 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter and stir it into the sour cream in a medium sized bowl. Add the milk, egg yolk and salt, and whisk to combine. When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and put them back into the pan, then pour the butter mixture over them. Mash the potatoes until they are are smooth.
- Now make the meat filling. Sauté shallot and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until shallots are translucent, add carrot and celery, cook for 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and lamb, breaking the meat up as it cooks. Use a small ladle to remove any excess fat that may be pooling on the edge of the pan. Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire and paprika, continue cooking. When meat is about 1/2 way browned, add the flour or tapioca starch and tomato paste and continue cooking, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add stock and peas. Taste meat mixture for seasoning, then add hot sauce and more salt and pepper if needed.
- Pour meat filling into a 7×11 inch (28×18 cm) pan, top evenly with potatoes, being sure to cover the edges thoroughly.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Photos by Katie Roletto, who also loves meat pie now.
