Shepherd’s Pie Recipe With Cheese

How Do You Make Shepherds Pie With Cheese

If youve got some faint memory of cheese being involved, youre right. But the cheese does NOT go in the stew. The cheese in shepherds pie goes into the mashed potatoes, or if you want it more Americanized, on top of the mashed potatoes as a final layer.

I love buttery gruyere cheese, which I stir into the mashed potatoes, where it melts in and makes them extra rich and creamy.

Whats The Difference Between Cottage Pie And Shepherds Pie

The two dishes are close cousins, so they get confused a lot, but theres a key difference: the meat. Theyre both stew dishes topped with mashed potatoes, but cottage pie is an English dish, and uses beef. Shepherds pie is has Irish origins, and is made with lamb.

The same recipes will work with either meat, so its really a matter of what you prefer. But you get extra points if you use the right name with the right dish. If you want to use beef for this recipe, go for it. It will be delicious.

How Do You Make This Shepherds Pie Casserole Recipe

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Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Shepherd’s Pie

There are a few reasons why you’ll love this shepherd’s pie recipe with cheese. First of all, it is incredibly easy to make just combine the ingredients and bake! Secondly, it is extremely tasty. The addition of cheese makes this shepherd’s pie irresistible. Finally, it is a very affordable dish. You can feed a whole family with this shepherd’s pie for under $15.

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How To Make Cottage Pie Step By Step Photos

Peel and cube about 2.5 lbs. russet potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Rinse them briefly with cool water in a colander, then add them to a large pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add 1/2 tsp salt, place a lid on the pot, and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes until they are very tender, about 7-10 minutes.

Once the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander and rinse them briefly a second time with hot water. Let them drain in the colander. While the potatoes are draining, add 2 Tbsp butter and 1/2 cup milk to the pot you just used. Heat them over low until the butter is melted and the milk is hot. Add the drained potatoes back to the pot and mash until smooth . Taste and add more salt if needed. I added 1/2 tsp salt.

Finally, stir in 4 oz. shredded cheddar. Its okay if the cheddar doesnt fully melt. Set the mashed potatoes aside until youre ready to assemble the cottage pie. Placing the lid back on top will help them keep warm.

While the potatoes are cooking you can begin the filling. Also begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF. Dice a yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add both to a large skillet along with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the ground beef and continue to sauté until the beef is cooked through.

Once the gravy has thickened, add 2 cups frozen peas and carrots , 1 cup frozen corn, 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp dried rosemary, and 1/2 tsp dried thyme.

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Preparing The Mashed Potato For The Shepherds Pie

Use any potatoes you like. Butter, milk, and the seasoning play the biggest role here. Do not boil the potato to a point where it turns into a soupy mashed potato. When you insert a knife in the potato, and it goes through with minor resistance. Drain the potato completely and add all the ingredients while the potatoes are still hot. Mashed the potatoes until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

How This Pie Is Different From Traditional Shepherds Pie

The shepherds pie of my upbringing features a hefty portion of meat, with vegetables playing a supporting role, and a thick topping of buttery mashed potatoes. My updated version bumps up the ratio of vegetables to meat and calls for extra-lean ground beef, which is the leanest option in the butcher case.

For the mashed potatoes, the recipe swaps in olive oil for butter, which means more heart-healthy fats in every bite. The sum total of these swaps is a lighter dish with no shortcuts on flavor.

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Can I Freeze Cheesy Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie can be frozen for up to two months. To freeze, simply place the casserole dish in the freezer and let it freeze completely. Once it is frozen, you can remove it from the dish and store it in a zip-top bag or airtight container.

When you are ready to eat it, thaw Shepherd’s Pie in the fridge overnight and then reheat it in the oven. Shepherd’s Pie will last in the freezer for up to two months.

Why Is It Called Shepherds Pie

Originally a meat pie made with minced meat and mashed potatoes was known as a Cottage Pie . It is very popular in Ireland, Scotland and England as well! In the late 1800s the pie was named Shepherds Pie if made with lamb and if made with beef it was called Cottage Pie.

Regardless of the name, this recipe is a classic Shepherds Pie recipe loaded with flavor and the perfect make ahead meal to serve all year long!

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The Best Mashed Potatoes For Cottage Pie

You can easily use leftover Creamy Mashed Potatoes or even Garlic Mashed Potatoes if you have some on hand, but be sure to add parmesan and egg. Heres what youll need to cook mashed potatoes for Shephards Pie:

• Russet Potatoes whip up super creamy and smooth
• Heavy Whipping Cream makes potatoes luxuriously creamy
• Salt add to taste after mashing
• Parmesan cheese gives the potatoes the best taste
• Egg creates that lovely golden hue in the oven
• Butter helps with color and keeps the potatoes moist

What Is The Difference Between Cottage Pie And Shepherd’s Pie

Traditional Shepherd’s Pie is made with ground lamb. Most of us make Cottage Pie because, instead of lamb, we use ground beef in our recipe. I think most of us would prefer using ground beef, anyways. So technically, this dish should be called a cheesy COTTAGE pie because of the use of ground beef rather than ground lamb. If we are going by traditional English terms. However, here in the US we mostly use the term shepherd’s pie to refer to most anything with ground meat and a mashed topping.

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How To Make Shepherd’s Pie Recipe With Cheese

Step 1. Season & brown the ground meat with onion. The amount of onion depends on how much you like onions.

Step 2. Put in the casserole dish with green beans, and mix with a can of tomato sauce.

Step 3. Top with mashed potatoes sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese. Top with the cheese.

Step 4. Bake at 350° for about half an hour.

Step 5. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Popular Substitutions & Additions:

If you’re looking to add a bit of variety to your Shepherd’s Pie, here are some popular substitutions and additions:

• Try using ground turkey or chicken instead of beef
• Add in some diced carrots or celery for extra flavor and nutrition
• For a richer Shepherd’s Pie, try adding some cream cheese or sour cream to the mashed potatoes
• If you’re looking to add a bit of spice, try adding some minced garlic or chili flakes to the Shepherd’s Pie mixture.

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How To Make The Filling

How To Make This Easy Shepherds Pie Recipe

• Preheat Preheat oven to 400 Degrees and coat a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Then set aside.
• Saute First, you will need to saute the yellow onion in the olive oil until they become golden brown. Then add the ground beef and break it apart.
• Cook Beef Next, add parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes Stirring occasionally until meat is completely brown.
• Saute Garlic Then, add the garlic and let it cook for about 1 minute or until it is golden brown. Next, add the Worcestershire sauce and stir until fully incorporated.
• Thickener Add flour and ketchup to the ground beef mixture. Mix until the flour make a nice creamy roux.
• Add Veggies The final step of the ground beef filling is to add the beef broth, frozen peas, carrots and corn kernels. Cook until the beef broth comes to a boil. Then, reduce heat and let simmer for 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Add To Baking Dish Last, spread out the ground beef filling in a 13 x 9 baking dish. Make sure to spread it evenly and set aside.

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Cheesy Beef Shepherds Pie

Minutes Prep Time: 20

• 4 medium baking potatoes , peeled

• PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

• 1 pound ground round beef

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1-1/2 cups Birds Eye® Mixed Vegetables

• 2 tablespoons Hunt’s® Tomato Paste

• 1 cup lower sodium beef broth

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

What Is The Difference Between Shepherds Pie And Cottage Pie

Oh the terminology of Shepherds Pie vs. Cottage Pie. There are some strong opinions out there. Cottage pie has been in use since 1791, when the potato was introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor. The term shepherds pie has been used synonymously with cottage pie since 1877, regardless of the type of meat used, mutton or beef. More recently, the term shepherds pie has been used when the meat is lamb, and cottage pie when the meat is beef. We like to refer to it as a Shepherds Pie, no matter what meat goes inside of it.

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Whats In Shepherds Pie

Shepherds pie is made with ground meat and chopped up vegetables, which is simmered in a rich gravy, then topped with mashed potatoes and baked. In England, they almost always use ground lamb, whereas Americans usually make it with ground beef And I wont be the least bit offended if you call one the other. Both delicious and easily interchangeable.

Does Shepherds Pie have cheese on top? Traditionally, a Shepherds Pie is not topped with cheese, but I always mix some shredded cheddar cheese into the mashed potatoes. Because, of course. Cheese makes it that much more delicious!

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Make Ahead & Storing:

P.S. Don’t be surprised to see ketchup on the table with this meal. It seems to be a common thing.

Cheddar Topped Shepherds Pie

This recipe is a family favorite!

Cheddar Topped Shepherds Pie has a hearty, meat filling with a cheddar mashed potato topping. Super delicious!

Weve been updating some of our favorite recipes and this Cheddar Topped Shepherds Pie recipe was our second post ever published here on A Family Feast.

Its the perfect recipe to make anytime you are looking for some hearty and delicious comfort food! This cheddar topped shepherds pie is very filling, and this recipe makes a generous amount so its great for feeding a small crowd or to have for leftovers the day after!

This recipe uses carrots rather than the version of shepherds pie that I grew up with that included corn in the filling. I personally think the earthiness of the carrots makes this taste so much better, and its the perfect complement to the savory beef and the rich, cheddar-potato topping!

The recipe was adapted from one that originally appeared in we tweaked the proportions of vegetables and cheese a bit and also added in more seasonings to really enhance the flavor of the meat and vegetable mixture to our liking.

We strongly recommend that you use block white cheddar and not the pre-shredded cheddar which seemed to make this recipe a little greasy when we made it for the first time.

This recipe was originally published on A Family Feast in October 2012. The photos and recipe have been updated.

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