How To Cook Shepards Pie

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Easy Shepherds Pie Variations:

Shepherd’s Pie Recipe | How to Make Perfect Shepherd’s Pie

Want to customize your shepherds pie recipe? Feel free to:

  • Make it vegetarian. To make a vegetarian shepherds pie, just omit the meat and double the amount of mushrooms. And of course, use veggie stock instead of beef stock, and vegan Worcestershire sauce .
  • Make it vegan. Do the above, plus use vegan butter, milk and cream cheese in your mashed potatoes.
  • Make it gluten-free. Nix the flour and whisk 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch together with the stock before adding it to the sauce. Also be sure to double-check, as always, that all of your other ingredients are certified GF.
  • Use sweet potatoes: For an amazing sweet+savory combo, feel free to use sweet potatoes instead of Russets or Yukon golds in your mashed potatoes. So good!!!

Tips For Making Shepherds Pie

There are a few stages to making Shepherds Pie, but its a straightforward recipe. Theres just two little things that you dont see in most recipes, little things that bugged me:

  • Cool the filling before topping with potato: It thickens and makes it easier to spread the potato across the top and it stops the potato weeping into the filling

  • Creamier mashed potato = easier to spread and just an all round better eating experience. I just dont like dry, very firm mash. When I break through the mash, I want it to be borderline collapsing, rather than being able to cut cleanly through it like cake.

  • I stress again these are little things that bug me, so feel free to by-pass them! Nagi x

    PS One last time Cottage Pie is made with beef. Shepherds Pie is made with lamb!

    To Assemble A Shepherds Pie

  • Transfer the Meat Sauce into a pie dish or casserole.
  • Top with scoops of potatoes then spread potatoes evenly over the filling. An ice cream scoop makes this easy.
  • Drizzle with melted butter and bake at 400F for about 30 minutes or until potatoes start to turn golden.
  • Pro Tip: Shepherds Pie can be made ahead which is perfect for the holidays or busy weeknights. See the Make-ahead section below for tips on refrigerating or freezing the pie.

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    How Long Can I Keep A Cooked Shepherds Pie In The Fridge

    Freshly baked shepherd s pie will keep for about 3 to 5 days in the fridge refrigerate covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Can you freeze shepherd s pie? Yes, to freeze: wrap shepherd s pie tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place in heavy-duty freezer bag.

    What Is The Best Way To Thicken Shepherds Pie

    How to Make An Easy Shepherd

    While you dont want your Shepherds Pie to be runny, its important to note that it shouldnt be too thick or stodgy either.

    What you want is a nice, luxurious looking consistency.

    So, whatever you do, make sure you dont use too much of your chosen thickening agent.

    Our suggestion would be to approach making your Shepherds Pie without even thinking itll turn out runny .

    In other words, wed avoid using plain flour at the outset. This could risk making the dish heavier than you want and it tasting of raw flour.

    Instead, wed say just be prepared to use cornflour and water, or one of the other alternative methods, if it turns out to be needed. They should work equally as well.

    At the end of the day, anythings better than a runny Shepherds Pie!

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    Traditional Shepherds Pie With Lamb

    Traditionally, Shepherds pie is made with lamb chops. However, lamb may be hard to find in your local store If you dont live in Britain, I believe! So I used mainly more common beef and a small amount of lamb mixed mince.

    Moreover, lamb has a stronger, meatier flavor and its quite fatty. Tender and juicy lamb is a delightful dish, however not all like its flavor. Of course the flavor of lamb depends on how the animal was raised, fed and how old it was.

    But to my mind it is totally worth making the dish with beef. This will be classic cottage pie. Any way, this meat pie is a great dinner idea, if you have leftover mince!

    Why Is Your Shepherds Pie Runny

    Your Shepherds Pie might turn out to be runny for a few reasons:

    • If you use low quality lamb mince
    • If you use too much stock
    • If you dont reduce/simmer for long enough
    • If you dont use tomato purée
    • If your mashed potato topping is sloppy

    So how do you prevent / fix all of that and thicken your Shepherds Pie?

    Heres how

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    Nutritional Basics Of Shepherds Pie

    A shepherds pie has two main components: minced meat in vegetable gravy and mashed potatoes. Traditional shepherds pie is high in all of the macronutrientsprotein, fat, and carbs. Meat supplies protein and fat, butter and heavy cream supply more fat, and potatoes, flour , and vegetables supply carbs.

    While it differs based on the recipe, one-sixth of a traditional shepherds pie has about 50 grams of carbs, 40 grams of fat, and 35 grams of protein.

    Is Shepherds Pie Keto

    The Best Homemade Shepherd’s Pie: Easy Simple Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

    As you might have guessed by now, traditional shepherds pie is not keto-friendly. There are a couple of ingredients used in a traditional shepherds pie recipe that arent permitted on a keto diet, including potatoes and wheat flour. Even if these ingredients were keto-friendly, the mashed potatoes, starchy gravy, and higher-carb vegetables would provide too many carbohydrates. In fact, a single serving of traditional shepherds pie could very well use up your entire days allotment of carbohydrates.

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    How To Make Shepherd’s Pie In A Pressure Cooker

    When I first came across this recipe, I was puzzled. Maybe I hadn’t had my coffee yet, but I imagined tossing ground beef, veggies, and a few whole potatoes into the Instant Pot and then lifting off the lid to reveal a table-ready Shepherd’s Pie topped with mashed potatoes.

    In reality, there are a few more steps involved — though not many!

    Coco has you start by prepping the filling using the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. Then you place a tall steamer rack in the pot and place the peeled potatoes on top.

    Then the lid goes on and everything pressure cooks together. At the end of cooking, the potatoes are perfectly cooked and ready to be mashed with milk.

    For a traditional casserole-style shepherd’s pie, you transfer the filling to an 8×8 pan, top with the mashed potatoes, and broil until the top is golden. You can also serve this in bowls by scooping out some filling and topping it with a generous dollop of mashed potatoes. So easy!

    You Will Need: For Afelias Shepherds Pie

    For the mash:1/2 1 tsp salt 1 large tbsp buttera little warm milk as needed 100g grated mature cheddar

    For the filling:1 tsp coriander powder1 tsp cumin powder1/2 tsp mixed curry powder 1/2 tsp ground black pepper1 tsp garlic powder OR 3 cloves of grated garlic1 tbsp tomato puree250ml vegetable stock 1 cup of frozen petit pois/peas

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    Ingredients For Shepherds Pie

    • Ground Beef we used lean beef, or you can substitute with ground lamb.
    • Salt and Pepper after several tests, we found this simple seasoning is all that is needed. Thyme and rosemary are commonly added but we found it overpowering in any quantity.
    • Onion we used yellow onion, but you can substitute any variety
    • Garlic aromatic that enhances the sauce
    • All-purpose flour thickens the sauce
    • Red Wine use a dry red wine to add rich flavor. Use any dry red wine such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet, or Sauvignon
    • Beef Broth you can use Chicken broth if that is what you have on hand.
    • Tomato paste rounds out the flavor of the sauce
    • Worcestershire sauce adds the umami
    • Frozen vegetables we use a combination of carrots, peas and corn

    The Special Topping: Cauliflower And Potato Mash

    Recipe: Delicious Healthy Shepherds Pie

    One other change from traditional shepherds pie is the topping: Its a blend of cauliflower and potatoes! This means fewer carbs and calories , but more importantly, the added health benefits of cauliflower.

    The recipe calls for sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, which plays off of the cauliflower and adds a pleasing crust when baked.

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    Ingredients You Need For Easy Shepherds Pie Recipe

    To sum up, you will need only few ingredients for the Shepherds pie. Potatoes check. Any vegetables in your pantry and freezer like carrots, celery, peas, corn Check. The only thing you will need, if you dont have leftover mince put it on your shopping list.

    Moreover, you will need few spices and a Worcestershire sauce . If you dont have Worcestershire sauce, dont panic, you can add soy sauce, lemon juice and garlic to your taste.

    Also you may have a stick of butter and few tablespoons of milk in your fridge. Thats it!

    Hope that you will enjoy this British meat pie with your family!

    Check also our Irish Colcannon recipe to make tasty potato mash and Rigatoni pasta bake with beef. These main dishes can be followed by a rich Irish dessert Baileys cheesecake.

    Easy Shepherd’s Pie How To Make Shepherd’s Pie

    More Tips For Making Stovetop Shepherds Pie

    Can I use store-bought mashed potatoes?

    Shhhh.yes, and just between you and me, I may have done this a time or two when I wanted to save time. I recommend the mashed potatoes you find in the refrigerated section but if you love the kind in the box, you do you!

    Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

    Yep! The only thing I would do at the last minute is put the potatoes on the beef mixture. But you can make both those things ahead of time and warm them up in the microwave or on your stovetop.

    Im telling you what.comfort food in a bowl. To the max.

    This is also a great way to use up any leftover mashed potatoes .

    And my last piece of advice? Eat it with a soup spoon. Happiness!

    OTHER SHEPHERDS PIE RECIPES WE LOVE!

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    New Cookbook: The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook

    This is absolutely my new favorite way to make Shepherd’s Pie, but there are plenty more recipes in this book that I’m excited to try.

    I’ve actually already made the Sweet Potatoes Stuffed With Black Beans and Quinoa. Verdict: phenomenal. I love having this easy, meat-free meal in my back pocket.

    A few that are next on my list:

    • French Toast Casserole
    • Hoisin-Glazed Spareribs
    • Caramelized Onion Dip

    Coco sprinkles her recipes with useful tips and suggestions for substitutions, which are all very useful for cooks like me who employ a mix of roughly 80% “follow the recipe” and 20% “wing it.”

    Reading through the book, I also appreciate how straightforward and approachable all the recipes feel — though of course, this shouldn’t come as a surprise since this is why I love featuring her recipes here on Simply Recipes as well! With its mix of basic recipes and recipes to make for dinner, I think this book would be a good one for new Instant Pot users and die-hard fans alike.

    Does Costco Sell Shepherds Pie

    How to Make Shepherd’s Pie

    Yesterday we picked up one of the pre-made Costco shepherds pie for about twenty bucks. Thought it would make an easy dinner and then leftovers for lunch. While the mashed potatoes on top browned up nicely and the pie itself was beautiful, the inside was gross. The beef had an odd taste and the mushrooms were slimy.

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    Shepherd’s Pie Vs Cottage Pie

    So What exactly is the difference between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie?

    Traditionally shepherd pie is made with lamb mince, whereas cottage pie is made with beef mince. I tend to make and serve both with the same sides and I tend to make both in a similar way.

    I have a great recipe for Cottage Pie too.

    How To Make Keto Shepherds Pie

    Fortunately, making keto shepherds pie is easier than you may think. With a few simple swaps, you can make a shepherds pie thats high in fat, moderate in protein, low in carbs, and full of flavour:

    for our recipe for Grass-Fed Shepherds Pie with Avocado Oil & Avocado Mayo. In addition to the swaps mentioned above, this recipe includes bone broth, a rich source of collagen and other health-optimising nutrients.

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    What Is The Keto Diet

    Before we discuss whether or not shepherds pie is keto-friendly, lets cover some basics for those who arent familiar with the keto diet. The keto diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb eating plan in which you consume about 60 percent of your daily calories from fat, 30 percent from fat, and 10 percent from carbohydrates .

    Achieving a state of ketosis is the goal of the keto diet, and the way to enter that state is to ruthlessly cut carbs, including grains, anything with added refined sugar, most fruit, and even starchy vegetables. Thats because limiting carbs keeps blood sugar and insulin levels low which, in turn, causes the liver to start burning fat and producing ketones.

    How To Make Shepherds Pie

    How to Make Easy Shepherdâs Pie Recipe
    • Sauté some chopped onions in olive oil.
    • Add ground beef or ground lamb.
    • Add dried parsley, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper.
    • Stir and cook the meat mixture until the meat is browned.
    • Add minced garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
    • Cook the garlic for a minute.
    • Add flour and tomato paste.
    • Add beef broth, frozen mixed peas and carrots, and frozen corn kernels.
    • Simmer the meat gravy until it is thick.
    • Boil some peeled and chopped potatoes until they are soft.
    • Drain the potatoes
    • Add butter, half & half, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
    • Mash the potatoes until smooth.
    • Pour the meat mixture into a casserole dish.
    • Top it with the cheesy mashed potatoes.
    • Bake until the meat is bubbling and the potatoes are golden.

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    How Do You Make Shepherds Pie From Scratch

    To make this recipe for Shepherds pie with ground beef, you start out by making the meat filling. Combine all the ingredients for that and simmer together. Once its ready, you can get the oven pre-heated. Then youll make your mashed potatoes. After you have them ready, you can assemble this casserole in a baking dish with the meat mixture on the bottom and the mashed potatoes on top. Bake it uncovered for 30 minutes, let it cool for about 15 minutes, and then serve.

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