Classic Shepherd’s Pie
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Classic Shepherd’s Pie with a bit of a healthy twist. Ground lamb or beef cooked in a savory simmering gravy sauce. Fresh vegetables and topped with a layer of creamy and rich mashed potatoes. Baked until a golden crust is reached.
Classic Shepherd’s Pie
One of the most homey and comforting dishes you could ever have is Shepherd’s Pie. Made with ground lamb or beef cooked in a savory gravy sauce and fresh veggies. Topped with a layer of creamy and rich mashed potatoes. Then baked until a golden crust is reached. If you’ve never tried Shepherd’s Pie before, then you sure are missing out. It’s one of my personal favorite foods. It’s just such a comforting, filling and satisfying meal. Love the fact that it consists of meat, veggies and potatoes all together in a delicious sauce.
Ingredients needed to make Classic Shepherd’s Pie:
- Yellow Potatoes– You can also use russet potatoes.
- Unsalted Butter– I like using unsalted butter to control the amount of salt myself. If you have salted butter you can use it. Add salt in small amounts and taste as you go.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk– Or any preferred milk.
- Spices and Herbs– Pink sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and rosemary.
- Ground Lamb– Or Ground Beef.
- Avocado Oil– For cooking.
- Aromatics– Yellow onion and garlic.
- Vegetables– Carrots and frozen peas.
- Tomato Paste– Adds flavor and helps create a thicker sauce as the beef cooks.
- Beef Broth– I like using low sodium broth too.
- Red Wine– Adds so much depth to the beef.
Equipment needed to make Classic Shepherd’s Pie:
- Cast Iron Pan– For cooking beef in.
- Large Pot– To boil potatoes and make mashed potatoes.
- Baking Dish– For baking the Shepherd’s Pie in.
How to make Classic Shepherd’s Pie:
- Step 1– Start by rinsing and peeling potatoes. Cut them into fourths and place them in a large pot. Fill pot with enough water to cover the potatoes to the top. Place pot on stove top and turn heat to high. Allow potatoes to come to a boil and keep boiling until they become soft and tender.
- Step 2– While potatoes are boiling; peel and dice carrots, dice onion and mince garlic. Place a large skillet or pan on stovetop. Add oil and bring to heat on medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions, and saute for 2 minutes.
- Step 3– Toss in diced carrots and continue to sauté for another 3-5 minutes until carrots start to soften. While carrots are sauteeing, sprinkle with spices and herbs; dried oregano, dried rosemary, pink sea salt and black pepper. Continue sauteeing to mix spices and herbs with veggies.
- Step 4– Using your hards, crumble ground beef as you toss it over sautéed veggies. Use a spatula to toss beef with veggies. Stir in tomato paste and continue cooking until beef browns.
- Step 5– Once beef has cooked through most of the way, pour in beef broth and red wine. Allow for broth and wine to simmer on high for 5-7 minutes. Once most of the liquid has evaporated, turn heat off and mix in peas. Set aside.
- Step 6– As beef brown, keep an eye on potatoes. Make sure they don’t ever cook because they will be too mushy. Once ready, drain potatoes and place them on a large bowl. Use a potato masher and slightly mash potatoes. Add butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mash a little more, then start slowly pouring milk in and you continue to mash the potatoes. Keep mashing potatoes until creamy consitancy has been reached.
- Step 7– Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish or pan with a bit of oil or butter. Add cooked beef and veggies using a spatula to even them out throughout the dish. Use a spoon and dollop mashed potatoes over beef. Use a clean spatula to evenly spread the mashed potatoes over the beef. Make sure the beef is evenly coated with the potatoes.
- Step 8– Bake for 35 minutes.
- Step 9– Remove pie from the oven and set it on stove or countertop. Allow pie to cool down for a bit. Use a spatula to cut into the pie and take out servings. Serve and enjoy!
Tips and Substitutions:
- Use different kind of ground meats- for a healthier and leaner Shepherd’s Pie try using ground turkey or chicken.
- Don’t overcook potatoes- This will make them too mushy and the mashed potatoes will come out too soft and thinned out.
- Use different potatoes- You can use russet potatoes to make the mash instead. Try using sweet potatoes too!
- Try it with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes– This makes a great low-carb version!
- Switch up the veggies- You can use any variety of vegetables. Brussel Sprouts, corn, bell peppers, etc. are great substitutes or additional veggies you can add. You can also use frozen veggies.
- Dry red wine is best- When it comes to cooking, dry wines are generally the best. They give so much flavor to foods! My go-to’s are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot.
What to serve Classic Shepherd’s Pie with:
Shepherd’s pie is a hearty and complete meal all on its own. You can serve it with some garlic bread, a side green salad, or some roasted veggies. Some of our go-to side dishes are:
- Parmesan Baked Asparagus
- Honey-Ginger Roasted Carrots
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Sautéed Garlic Butter Mushrooms
- Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Roasted Harvest Vegetables
Variations:
- Switch up your meat– You can use ground beef or lamb to make a more traditional shepherd’s pie. You can also use ground turkey or even chicken for more of a healthy twist.
- Add more veggies– You can add more veggies to make this dish more nutrient packed. Green beans, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, celery, broccoli, etc.
- Make it low-carb– Substitute mashed potatoes for Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
Classic Shepherd’s Pie FAQ’s:
What is shepherd’s pie normally made of?
Shepherd’s Pie is a dish consisting of cooked ground lamb or beef, topped with a layer of creamy mashed potatoes. It’s also common for vegetables to be added to the pie filling along with the meat.
What is the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie?
Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie are very similar dishes. They are both prepared and cooked the same way. Both consist on using ground meat cooked through with veggies and topped with mashed potatoes. Essentially, the only difference between both dishes is the type of ground meat that is used. Traditional Shepherd’s Pie is made with ground lamb while Cottage Pie calls for ground beef.
Why is my shepherd’s pie soggy?
If your shepherd’s pie is soggy, it’s probably because you didn’t simmer your meat and gravy long enough. You want to simmer your ground beef or lamb until the sauce thickens enough that it’s a gravy like consistency.
Meal Prepping it:
Shepherd’s pie can actually be a great dish for meal prepping. It makes a large batch, which makes enough servings for a few days. For a healthy meal prep, use ground turkey as your meat; and either cauliflower mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes instead of mashed potatoes.
Storing Classic Shepherd’s Pie:
Place any leftover shepherd’s pie in an airtight container. Keep it refrigerated for up to 2-3 days. Reheat by placing back in the oven for best taste. You can also microwave it but it will not taste as fresh. Note, as the mashed potatoes sit in the fridge, the more moisture they will start to release. So it’s best to consume all the shepherd’s pie within 1-2 days.
Did you like this Classic Shepherd’s Pie recipe? You may also like these other comfort food recipes:
- Leprechaun Shepherd’s Pie
- Dutch Oven Beef Stew
- Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs (Gluten-Free)
- Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake
- Best Lasagna Soup
Classic Shepherd’s Pie
Classic Shepherd's Pie with a bit of a healthy twist. Ground lamb or beef cooked in a savory simmering gravy sauce. Fresh vegetables and topped with a layer of creamy and rich mashed potatoes. Baked until a golden crust is reached.
Ingredients
Potato Topping
- 2 lbs yellow potatoes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1.5 tsp pink sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
Pie Filling:
- 1 lb ground beef (or lamb)
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 large carrots
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1.5 tsp pink sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
Instructions
Start by rinsing and peeling potatoes. Cut them into fourths and place them in a large pot. Fill pot with enough water to cover the potatoes to the top. Place pot on stove top and turn heat to high. Allow potatoes to come to a boil and keep boiling until they become soft and tender.
While potatoes are boiling; peel and dice carrots, dice onion and mince garlic. Place a large skillet or pan on stovetop. Add oil and bring to heat on medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions, and saute for 2 minutes.
Toss in diced carrots and continue to sautee for another 3-5 minutes until carrots start to soften. While carrots are sauteeing, sprinkle with spices and herbs; dried oregano, dried rosemary, pink sea salt and black pepper. Continue sauteeing to mix spices and herbs with veggies.
Using your hards, crumble ground beef as you toss it over sauteed veggies. Use a spatula to toss beef with veggies. Stir in tomato paste and continue cooking until beef browns.
Once beef has cooked through most of the way, pour in beef broth and red wine. Allow for broth and wine to simmer on high for 5-7 minutes. Once most of the liquid has evaporated, turn heat off and mix in peas. Set aside.
As beef brown, keep an eye on potatoes. Make sure they don't ever cook because they will be too mushy. Once ready, drain potatoes and place them on a large bowl. Use a potato masher and slightly mash potatoes. Add butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mash a little more, then start slowly pouring milk in and you continue to mash the potatoes. Keep mashing potatoes until creamy consitancy has been reached.
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish or pan with a bit of oil or butter. Add cooked beef and veggies using a spatula to even them out throughout the dish. Use a spoon and dollop mashed potatoes over beef. Use a clean spatula to evenly spread the mashed potatoes over the beef. Make sure the beef is evenly coated with the potatoes.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Remove pie from the oven and set it on stove or countertop. Allow pie to cool down for a bit. Use a spatula to cut into the pie and take out servings. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
- Use different kind of ground meats- for a healthier and leaner Shepherd’s Pie try using ground turkey or chicken.
- Don’t overcook potatoes- This will make them too mushy and the mashed potatoes will come out too soft and thinned out.
- Use different potatoes- You can use russet potatoes to make the mash instead. Try using sweet potatoes too!
- Try it with Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes– This makes a great low-carb version!
- Switch up the veggies- You can use any variety of vegetables. Brussel Sprouts, corn, bell peppers, etc. are great substitutes or additional veggies you can add. You can also use frozen veggies.
- Dry red wine is best- When it comes to cooking, dry wines are generally the best. They give so much flavor to foods! My go-to’s are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
