Shepherd’s Pie!!!
Shepherd’s pie has got to be one of the yummiest things on the planet and I can not BELIEVE it’s taken me this long to post about it. It’s kind of weird, like I used to make this a lot when I was vegetarian, but then I started digging on the animals again and left them totally out of the shepherd’s pie party! Well, the party’s on now, fools! I mean, foals!
Just kidding; I don’t eat baby horses.
If you’d like to try a vegetarian version, just swap the meat out for about 3 cups of something else: fake meat products, TVP, more vegetables, or beans. And that reminds me of one of the most glorious facts about shepherd’s pie: you can put in pretty much any vegetables you got. It’s a great way to use up leftovers AND, if you have the mashed potatoes already made, it’s a one-dish meal! Yay!!! Shepherd’s pie wins for the BEST RECIPE EVER.
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie Video
Shepherd’s Pie Recipe – Printable
PrintShepherd\’s Pie!!!
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 3–4 cups mashed potatoes
- 3 strips bacon, chopped (or 2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil)
- 1 pound ground lamb, beef, or turkey
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 1 cup beef broth or beer
- 2 carrots, cut into half-moons
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 1 cup peas
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar or Swiss
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, fry the bacon pieces over medium heat until cooked and most of the fat has rendered.
- Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the meat and break it up while it’s cooking so you end up with lots of little crumblies. Cook about 5 minutes or until all the pink is gone.
- Add the flour and cook a minute or so until it’s absorbed into the fat.
- Add the tomato paste and rosemary.
- Add the broth, carrots and celery and stir.
- Bring to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes to thicken.
- Spread the mashed potatoes on top and sprinkle the cheese over.
- Bake about 20 minutes until the cheese is melty and browned.
- Let it cool about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
You can sprinkle it with paprika or parsley after baking for a pretty color contrast.
You can make the mashed potatoes fresh for this, but it’s also an awesome thing to do with leftover mashers. Try to bring them to room temperature before topping the pie so they’re easier to spread.
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A cheesy topping is delicious, but you also can leave it plain or brushed with cream, then rake the top with a fork to give it a ridged top. Serving it up in the cast iron pan is a great idea.
Yeah, the fork across the top makes a pretty design, too. Never brushed with cream before…probably because I always have cheese around!
I’ve always wanted to try Shepherd’s Pie, but was never sure how to make one. Definitely gonna have to try this one!
Hey Amber! I hope you try it. It’s really very easy especially if you have the potatoes already made. I’m sure you’ll love it.
Okay, I have got to try a gluten-free veggie version. Thanks for the suggestion. It just sounds really good!
Yay! You’re welcome, Amber! Let us know how it turns out for you!
Hello Hilah
Being a Vegan for almost 30 years, and not knowing about Shepherd’s Pie just blown me away! I think of Veggie Chunks, Veggie Mince and Tofu.
Yum Yum
Best Regards
Julette
Hi Julette!
Yes, there are so many combinations you can do. One of my favorites was kind of a Tex-Mex version with kidney beans, vegetables, and a little jalapeno. Sometimes I’d use tomato sauce in place of the broth, especially when using veggie mince, and it turns out more like an Italian-style pie.
Have fun with it! Thanks for writing.
hugs,
h
Thought you might like an good ole Irish Stew recipe. With or without the scary made-up Irish dancing!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vVqR8GWyKFg
That’s the most amazing video I’ve ever seen.
Выглядит аппетитно. Надо попробовать приготовить. Спасибо.
What a fantastically easy recipe and it even passed the 7 year-olds Mikey test (“he won’t like it. He hates everything,”) You done good Hilah. He usually won’t eat anything with red meat or that is “mixed together” i.e. casseroles. So thank you for expanding food horizons.
Hooray! That’s great to hear Tom! (And he’s not the first kid I’ve heard of that doesn’t like “mixed together” stuff, but I’m glad he might be softening on that position.)
omg thats looks soooooo good but just a little hint dont say “dudes” all the time it sometimes it it get lame 🙂 also i would so care if you help m to try to make this recipe called “egg in a nest” it looks so good! you are good at cooking!
followups
Amanda 🙂
Oh I’m totally ok with the “dudes” thing…just sayin’
We loved this recipe!!! I am not a big fan of Shepards pie but I like this one.
I’m so glad you tried and liked it! Thanks, Olivia!
That reminds me of the sweet potato cottage pie I made for the holidays. It was very light on the veggies – using frozen ones is a good tip! And sweet potatoes are a pain in the butt to mash nicely, I might have to go with plain potatoes. Or mashed cauliflower?!
Mmm, Don! That sounds delicious! I bet the sweet potatoes would go especially nicely with lamb, too. You’re right they are harder to mash smooth, but a stand mixer with a paddle attachment works well if you have one of those. I’m gonna have to try your version for sure. Thank you!
Hey hun i have a question how much of cornstarch can i use? since I’m gluten allergic :[
No problem, Midori! In that case, just dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in the broth before you add the broth to the pan.
OMG i absolutely love you and your cooking.
you have some of the easiest and greatest things ever,
plus you are funny as hell and i love the chick fil gay sandwich 🙂
Thanks, Korey!!! 🙂
I was looking up various directions for shepherd’s pie tonight because I was concocting my own recipe but not sure if I should go for a high temp/low time or vice versa.
Either way, it hadn’t occurred to me to use the Lodge pan…I was going to fry stuff and then move it to one of the casserole dishes.
But I made it in the cast iron and put that in the oven because of you, dear Hilah, and while my recipe needs tweaking, your methodology in that regard was spot-on. You rock, as always!
Thanks, Kimberly! It’s pretty flippin’ amazing how versatile the old cast iron is. I’ll be interested to see your shepherd’s pie recipe when you get it perfected. 🙂
Never really had shepherd’s pie before and I seen Guy Fieri on Food Network eating it on Diner’s Drive-Ins and Dives looked good but I’m not to fond of peas or carrots so I’m thinking about doing a tex-mex style!!
That would be delicious, Sara! Hope you have fun playing with the recipe and come up with something you love. 🙂
Girl, you are awesome, you sound like me and shiznit. lol do you sing, and we are looking for hostses
I promised my daughter Shepherd’s Pie last week, positive we had potatoes in the pantry. Turns out we didn’t. Damn! Not wanting to disappoint, I worked out an alternative. With the cornmeal we did have on hand, I made a basic polenta. Spiced up the ground beef with cumin, chili, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic and onion. Added a can of tomatoes. Thickened the mixture with a roux. Poured the mixture into a casserole and topped it with the polenta. Sprinkle of grated cheese and chili flakes and into the oven. Voila! Torta de Pastor (that’s what I’m calling, anyway). Teenager approved!
What quick thinking, Alan! I call that Tamale Pie, but your name is much more elegant. Thanks for sharing! Sounds delicious.
If using leftover mashed run the masher through them again to soften them up before spreading or press them through a ricer for a really fluffy topping.
I made this last Monday…. So so good!!
I didn’t have tomato paste so squirted in a hearty tablespoon of ketchup and WOW! So tasty. Jane
I love using ketchup instead of tomato paste! Thanks, Jane 🙂
The one and only recipe I use for shepherds pie.
Great to hear, Steph! 🙂