Read The Labels On Your Worcestershire Sauce
Diving into the meat filling, youll see that Worcestershire is a key ingredient. This is a vinegar based sauce made from fermented onions and garlic, along with molasses, tamarind, anchovies, spices and more. Yep, you can say this sauce has an intense depth of flavor, making it perfect to add to meats.
But if youre gluten-free, youll need to be mindful of the brands you buy. Worcestershire often includes a wheat-based soy sauce to get that deep dark brown color. So, I recommend purchasing one of the below brands that are gluten-free .
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Everything You Love About Shepherds Pie But Way Easier
Shepherds pie and its brethren really got their start as a way to use up stewed or roasted meat and leftover vegetables, but it has since come to represent a comforting Sunday night dinner. Its a shame, really, that we dont eat Shepherds pie more regularly, because a chilly Tuesday night is actually when we need this cozy dish the most.
Here, weve figured out how to simplify the recipe without sacrificing the deliciousness of everyones favorite part: the potatoes.
Shepherds Pie Versus Cottage Pie
How To Freeze Healthy Shepherds Pie
Once the shepherds pie is baked, cool completely and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Place it in the freezer until fairly firm, about two hours. Then, cover tightly with plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil. Mark the date on the outside and store in the freezer for up to two months.
When ready to serve, remove the foil and plastic wrap. Use the foil you just removed to loosely cover the pie. Make sure that your casserole dish can go straight from freezer to oven if not, set the casserole in the oven while the oven preheats so that the dish warms slowly.
Bake the casserole for an hour, or until the pie is hot all the way through. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes to allow the top to brown.
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The Best Quick & Easy Shepherds Pie Recipe Made With Ground Beef
If youre looking for cheap and easy dinner recipes for the family, this ground beef and potato casserole recipe is always a hit! Even your picky eaters will love this simple meal. Its also loaded with veggies, so consider it healthy enough to serve often.
The idea behind a classic shepherds pie is simply to mix ground beef or lamb with a good hearty tomato based sauce and mixed vegetables, top with mashed potatoes in a casserole dish , and then bake until the potatoes and cheese are well browned.
How To Make Easy Shepherds Pie Recipe

Although this is called a shepherds pie, technically it is a cottage pie. It is easy because it can be made with leftover beef and instant mashed potatoes. The cooking time is cut out and the baking is short.
- 1 Package instant mashed potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon grated onion
Preheat oven to 400F degrees grease a 2 quart casserole dish.
Prepare mashed potatoes according to package.
Add grated onion to the hot water required for the potatoes beat in the egg.
In a large bowl mix beef, parsley, celery, mushrooms, salt, pepper and milk.
Spoon half of potato mixture in bottom of casserole cover with the meat mixture.
Top evenly with remaining mashed potatoes sprinkle with cheese.
Bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 6.
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How To Make Shepherds Pie
- 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.
How To Peel And Cut Beets
Dealing with beets can be a messy affair. Put on some food-safe gloves before tackling your root if you dont want to stain your hands, but the color will wash out in a few hours. With a sharp, sturdy knife, cut off and discard the stubby stems on top. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, remove the peel like you would a potato or other root vegetable.
Then, place your beet on a cutting board, and cut in half. Place the flat sides down and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Did your beets come with greens? You can cook them! Wash and stem them and add them to the soup in the final 5 minutes of cooking. Or try them in a recipe of their own.
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Meat Pie As One Of Easy Dinner Ideas
What I love about Shepherds pie, it was a lot much easier to prepare, comparing with other comfort dishes like lasagna or moussaka. Mainly because it is tasty even without Bechamel sauce, and you will need to make only two layers! And believe me, it has nothing complicated during the cooking process, if you follow my step-by-step instructions.
So this Shepherds pie will turn amazing every time you make it! Oh, and cheese is the must, dont miss this step!
What Is Shepards Pie/sheperds Pie
Where does the term shepards pie come from? Its spelled two different ways but is the same thing and usually refers to minced meat, cooked in a gravy or sauce with onions, vegetables, topped with mashed potatoes. This version is a little different in that ground beef is used instead of lamb as it was in the olden days. While there are lots of varieties, this is one on that I grew up on and look forward to making and eating!
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Tips For The Best Shepherds Pie
- Use lean ground beef or lamb so that everything holds together and does not fall apart from the excess grease.
- Use russet potatoes for the lightest and fluffiest potato topping.
- Let the shepherds pie rest for 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the juices to absorb back into the meat and help everything stay together.
- Broil the last couple of minutes to brown the potato topping.
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Main Dish Recipe Index
Browse main dish recipes that are tried and tested. From meatloaf to chili to chicken recipes. These are great options for the busy family any day of the week!
Check out these great entree recipes.
Hi, Im Amanda Finks
Im a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Zionsville, IN. Im an avid cook, travel nerd, & lover of good food! Im trained in Food Science & recipe development. Its my mission to bring you the BEST recipes your whole family will love! See More.
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Lose The Carbs But Keep The Flavour
When following the keto diet, it can be easy to fall into a humdrum pattern of eating the same dishes over and over, which can lead to boredom, frustration, and ultimately the temptation to resume poor eating habits. Thankfully, it isnt difficult to recreate some of your favourite meals in healthier ways.
While traditional shepherds pie isnt keto-friendly, you can whip up a keto version of this comfort food classic with a few simple swaps. Our keto shepherds pie recipe features flavourful meat, veggies, and creamy cauliflower mash topping. Its healthy, easy to make, and is sure to satisfy your belly and soul.
All information provided on our website and within our articles is simply information, opinion, anecdotal thoughts and experiences to provide you with the tools to thrive.
It is not intended to treat or diagnose symptoms and is definitely not intended to be misconstrued for medical advice. We always advise you seek the advice of a trained professional when implementing any changes to your lifestyle and dietary habits.
We do however recommend seeking the services of a trained professional who questions the conventional wisdom to enable you to become the best version of yourself.
To Assemble A Shepherds Pie

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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Why Youll Love This Savory Shepherds Pie
I look forward to making homemade Shepherds Pie also referred to as Cottage Pie any time the temperatures dip. Its the perfect all-in-one dish to warm you up from the inside out!
Theres no crust in Shepherds Pie. Instead, the ground beef mixture is topped with smooth mashed potatoes that get browed in the oven to form a crust-like topping thats toasted on the top and creamy underneath.
The best part of this Shepherds Pie recipe is that its a great way to use up any veggies in your fridge! I used carrots, celery, onions, and peas, but really any veggie that pairs well with beef will work here.
Learn How To Make Shepherds Pie In A Muffin
Recently I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about making savory cupcakes, specifically lasagna cupcakes. These are individual servings of lasagna in the shape of cupcakes. It seems this is the big craze in the entertainment world of Los Angeles.
Now I must tell you my first thought was what a stupid idea! Having the love for creating food that I do, I gave the idea a second thought. I started thinking what purpose these cupcakes could serve. Now I love the idea but I am thinking more on the line of a quick meal or a meal to go. I call it Painless Cookings Tuffin Muffins.
Thinking how to make shepherds pie came first to my mind thinking about my new Tuffin muffin recipes. More families are moving their dining out of the restaurants and into the home kitchen to save money in this bad economy. This muffin idea is a way to spruce up family dining to make dining at home special. With my shepherds pie recipe or cottage pie recipe, the vegetables are included in this giant muffin entrée. The children will get their vegetables and thoroughly enjoy eating at home. Another thought I have is that these can be prepared in advance and heated in the microwave. These would also work well when only feeding one or two people, like retires.
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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:
- Swap mashed potatoes for cauliflower
- Swap peas and carrots for kale
- Swap wheat flour for konjac root
- If youre dairy-free or Paleo, swap butter for Hunter and Gatherer Avocado Oil and heavy cream for Hunter and Gather Garlic Avocado Oil Mayonnaise
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.
What Are The Benefits Of The Keto Diet
While limiting carbs might sound a bit daunting to some, this way of eating is popular for a reasonactually many reasons! Following a keto diet has been shown to lead to weight loss, more stable energy, reduced need for insulin in those with diabetes, improved brain health, and reduced cravings and hunger.
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Prep This Ahead Of Time
If you plan to make this ahead of time, I suggest keeping the mashed potatoes and filing separate at first. Store them away in the fridge in sealed containers. When youre ready to bake, let the potatoes and filling sit at room temperature to soften before assembling. Then, pop it right into the oven for baking.
When it comes time to freeze leftovers, just place them in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months. This could be a great option if you also plan to meal prep this on a Sunday night. Just bake it, divide it into 6 sections, and freeze it!
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.
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More About This Recipe
- Whether you call it shepherds pie or cottage pie, it will take just one taste to call this recipe delicious. While it seems like a super-trendy new dish, shepherd’s pie has long been a go-to comfort food in the British Isles. Sub out the ground beef for ground chicken or turkey. Looking for more creative recipes for mashed potatoes? Cooking with potatoes is not only fun and easy, but the blank canvas for the tender spuds allows you maximum creativity and inspiration. Looking for more creative recipes for mashed potatoes? Check out all of our delicious side dishes, dinners and more.
Vegetables In Shepherds Pie

For the vegetables, I used frozen peas, celery and leek instead of onion. You can add any vegetables you have in your fridge or pantry, actually! Use different vegetables every time you prepare delicious easy Shepherds pie for dinner! You can also replace half the potatoes in the recipe with the pumpkin mash, which will add interesting color to this easy dish.
Shepherds pie is a classic winter comfort dish. Yes, I know it is March in calendar, but it is cold and snowy outside my window!
I think Shepherds pie is a filling dish that can be served for any family gathering to feed a lot of people. Moreover, you can freeze it or chill ahead of time!
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