Shepherd’s Pie – Immaculate Bites

Shepherd’s Pie vs. Cottage Pie

Turns out there are different names for this dish. Sheperd’s pie, Hachis Parmentier, and, yes, cottage pie. But here in the U.S., we’re usually talking about the same thing. However, there is a technical difference. Shepherd’s pie usually has ground lamb, while cottage pie has ground beef. That said, most people think of the ground beef version here in the States, no matter what you call it.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Potato Topping – Russet potatoes, milk, butter, sour cream, and a few seasonings make the potato topping extra fluffy and creamy.
2. Meat Filling – Ground beef (lamb or venison), an assortment of veggies (which you can totally customize), and plenty of seasonings are the base of the meat filling. And don’t forget about the luscious gravy!😋
3. Gravy – Tomato paste, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon, and a touch of flour make the ultimate flavorful gravy to accompany the meat and veggies in this hearty potato pie. 😉

How to Make Shepherd’s Pie

Potato Topping

• Prep the Spuds – Rinse the potatoes under cold water and transfer them to a large saucepan. Add cold water. It should cover the potatoes by at least 3 inches. Season with a generous amount of salt. 🧂
• Cook Them – Next, bring it all to a boil over high heat. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, turn down the heat to medium and simmer the potatoes until they’re tender – 12-15 minutes.
• Drain – Then drain the potatoes, rinse them with hot water, and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
• Mash – Use a potato masher or a hand mixer to combine the boiled potatoes with the milk, butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper until it’s nice and creamy. Set aside.

Meat Filling

• Brown the Meat – Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the ground meat and brown for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into bits so it doesn’t form large chunks.
• Drain Fat – Remove any grease from the beef using a spoon or ladle.
• Season – Add the thyme, bay leaf, carrot, celery, onions, and garlic to the skillet and stir to combine for 4-6 minutes, until the ingredients start to soften.
• Simmer – Next, decrease the heat to medium and add the red wine and tomato paste. Simmer on low until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Add More Flavor – Add flour, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and (optionally) beef or chicken bouillon.
• Keep Simmering – Bring the mixture to a simmer, then set the heat to low, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened slightly, 10-15 minutes.
• Add Veggies – Add the peas and corn and stir until thoroughly combined and heated through.
• Final Touch – Next, season it with salt and pepper and set aside.

Assemble the Shepherd’s Pie

• Prep the Baking Dish – Preheat the oven to 425°F/218℃. Spray a generous amount of nonstick coating on a 9×13 casserole dish.
• First Layer – Add the meat filling.
• Second Layer – Top with the mashed potatoes and spread them out evenly using a spatula until the entire dish is covered.
• Bake – Transfer the dish to the oven and bake until potatoes start to brown slightly around the edges, 18-20 minutes.
• Rest – Let the dish cool for about 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with parsley to garnish.

Recipe Variations

1. Meat Swap – You can certainly use ground lamb or pork instead of ground beef for this recipe. So if you want to make an authentic lamb-based shepherd’s pie, go for it!
2. Customize the Veggies – I like the classic peas/corn/carrot combo in my shepherd’s pie, but you can use any veggie combo you like. Green beans, asparagus, lima beans…so many veggies would taste good in this dish.
3. Add Cheese – I see you, cheese lovers. Go ahead and sprinkle some freshly grated cheddar, parmesan, or gruyere on top of the potato topping before you bake. It’s delish! 😋

Tips and Tricks

1. The beef mixture should have some sauce before placing it in the baking pan, so if your meat filling seems dry during the cooking process, feel free to add a bit more beef stock, red wine, or other liquid to make it nice and saucy.
2. On the other hand, if your meat filling has too much sauce and is on the runny side, you can add a cornstarch slurry to help it thicken up. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cool water, then pour it into the sauce, turn up the heat, and stir, stir, stir until it thickens.
3. Want to make your shepherd’s pie look fancy? Use a fork or spoon to carve designs into the potato topping before you bake. It looks gorgeous, especially once the potatoes get nice and golden during the baking.

Make-Ahead Instructions

To make this recipe a day in advance, cook the potato topping and meat filling, then assemble everything in the baking dish. Cover it with aluminum foil or plastic and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake the next day.

You can also freeze this dish. Assemble as instructed, seal the dish in an airtight container and send it to the freezer for up to two months. Thaw it in the fridge the night before you plan on baking it.

Serving and Storage Instructions

The mashed potatoes will be very hot on coming out of the oven, so let them cool for about 10 minutes before serving them up. Garnish with parsley for a pretty finish. 🌿

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Leftovers reheat well in the oven or the microwave. If you go the oven route, set it to 350℉/177℃ and pop the casserole in whole for about 20 minutes or until heated through.

FAQs

What to Serve With Shepherd’s Pie

This dish is a meal in itself, so you really don’t need sides. But you know me, the more choices on the table, the merrier, especially when entertaining. So I like to include some homemade garlic bread for sopping up the gravy and a wedge salad – something fresh and crunchy to balance the rich, savory qualities of the pie.

I also recently discovered that creamed corn and homemade gravy are heavenly when paired with shepherd’s pie. Try it, and I know you’ll be thoroughly impressed. 🤤

More Savory Pie Recipes to Try

1. Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
2. Jamaican Meat Pies
3. Vegan Pot Pies
4. Aloo (Potato) Pi
5. African Meat Pie

Conclusion

‘Tis is the season for shepherd’s pie; rich and savory, filling and cozy, everyone needs to know this recipe. Are you a shepherd’s pie fanatic like me? If so, drop your best recipe tips in the comment section below. I can’t wait to see what you share. 💕

Watch How to Make It

This blog post was originally published in December 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.