What Do You Need For Shepherd’s Pie

Can I Use Instant Potatoes Instead Of Fresh Mashed

The purist in me says, “please, no!”. That said, you can definitely use instant mashed potatoes in a pinch. I don’t personally like the flavor, even when “doctored up” as my husband would say. Instant potatoes are a hard no from me, but that doesn’t mean they are for others.

Freshly made mashed potatoes are so easy to whip up that I don’t see the need for a substitute, but again, do what works best for you and your family.

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

A true shepherd’s pie is made with lamb while a cottage pie is made with beef. In the US, I notice that it is often called a shepherd’s pie when it really is just a cottage pie.

Since the type of meat used is the only real difference in this dish, I find most have a version using beef that they call shepherd’s pie even if it technically isn’t. Our family often grabs beef for this since lamb isn’t as readily available in our grocery stores. That said, I much prefer the truly authentic version using lamb.

If you are watching your red meat intake, you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, or even ground pork in place of lamb or beef. While that will keep it from being truly authentic, the flavors can still be fantastic.

Shepherds Pie Including Directions For Freezing

Higher starch potatoes like Russets or Yukon golds make for the fluffiest mashed potatoes. Start potatoes in cold water or theyll cook unevenly with the outside starting to fall apartwhile the inside remains uncooked. Drain well after cooking you might even heat the potatoes gently on low heat on the stove top for about a minute. Avoid mashing potatoes in a food processor as it can turn them into glue. By the way, did you know one medium-size potato has only 110 calories?

Serves 6Ingredients

• 4 oz. Neufchatel or cream cheese, cubed and softened at room temperature.
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables , thawed
• 1 cup savory beef gravy, purchased or homemade

Directions

TO BAKE NOW:

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Gather The Ingredients For Shepherd’s Pie

This recipe requires a fair amount of ingredients, so be sure to check for items that you may have at home already. Start with 2 pounds of potatoes and some butter. In addition, you will need to get salt, pepper, and milk. The recipe also calls for extra virgin olive oil and a few things in the produce section like an onion, carrots, and garlic.

For the meat, be sure to pick up some ground beef. You will also need a few spices like thyme and rosemary. Next, grab a little flour and tomato paste. Then, throw some beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into your car. You will also need to swing by the frozen section for corn and peas.

Shepherd’s Pie With Ground Turkey Recipe

Although this dish is called a pie, there isnt any pastry involved. It is simply a mix of ground turkey and vegetables in a sauce with a topping of mashed potatoes. The dish is browned in the oven for a delicious example of comfort food. For a pretty effect, pipe the topping over the filling, using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.

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Assemble The Shepherd’s Pie In A Baking Dish

There are still a few more things you will need to add to the skillet. Begin with the tomato paste, broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine with the meat and veggies. Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower the heat. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.

Next, add in the frozen corn and peas. Then, you can transfer the ground beef and vegetable mixture into a baking dish. Put the mashed potatoes on top of the ground beef and smooth them out in an even layer.

How To Make Shepherds Pie

Find out how to make this classic comfort food casserole, and learn the difference between shepherds pie and cottage pie. #goodtoknow

Nicole McLaughlin, aka NicoleMcmom, shows you how to make her recipe for hearty shepherds pie, with loads of how-to tips along the way. But first, a few words about shepherds pie, because thats how we roll.

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What To Serve With Shepherds Pie

I usually serve some vegetables alongside shepherd’s pie or some Yorkshire Puddings. I often keep Yorkshire puddings in the freezer then just pop them in the oven for the last 5-10 minutes of baking the pie.

In my world you always need dessert after dinner, a fruits of the forest pie or strawberry cream cheese pie would be great accompaniments.

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 .

• New Primal Cooking Sauce

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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!

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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Can You Freeze Shepherds Pie

A Shepherds Pie is the perfect make ahead food.

Once your pie is assembled you can chill and then freeze for up to one month. It can also be cooked from frozen. To bake from frozen, cook at 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 for 1 hr-1 hr 20 mins until piping hot in the centre. Flash under the grill to brown, if needed.)

If not freezing, you could also keep in the fridge 2 days before cooking.

What To Serve With Shepherd’s Pie

Since this meal has vegetables, protein, and starch all in one spoon, you don’t have to serve anything alongside the meal. Much like a pot pie, this meat pie is one that really doesn’t need additional sides.

However, if you are like our family and like to load up on vegetables on the side, then definitely serve up more! Anything from a simple side of green beans to a side salad will work. Since this is a rather heavy and richer meal, you’ll probably want to avoid fried foods or heavy sides. Instead, consider the fresh greens or green veggies to go with this.

One of my favorites is this recipe for roasted garlic parmesan asparagus spears. They are super easy to cook while your pie is cooking, and they pair really well with this rich dish.

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Shepherd’s Pie Including Directions For Freezing

Higher starch potatoes like Russets or Yukon golds make for the fluffiest mashed potatoes. Start potatoes in cold water or theyll cook unevenly with the outside starting to fall apartwhile the inside remains uncooked. Drain well after cooking you might even heat the potatoes gently on low heat on the stove top for about a minute. Avoid mashing potatoes in a food processor as it can turn them into glue. By the way, did you know one medium-size potato has only 110 calories?

Serves 6Ingredients

• 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds of potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 oz. Neufchatel or cream cheese, cubed and softened at room temperature.
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables , thawed
• 1 cup savory beef gravy, purchased or homemade

Directions

TO BAKE NOW:

Alices Notes

Saut The Onion Carrots And Beef

Take out a large skillet and drizzle in the olive oil. Turn on the heat to medium and add your chopped onions and carrots. Sauté the veggies for about four minutes, and once the four minutes are up, add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add ground beef to the same skillet and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Season the meat mixture with the remaining teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink. Add the flour and stir to coat.

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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.

Tips From The Pillsbury Kitchens

• tip 1 Part of what makes this Shepherds Pie recipe easy is the fact that the ingredients are fully cooked before your layer them together in the baking dish, so youre just heating them up until hot and aromatic.
• tip 2 Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese onto mashed potatoes before baking for a cheesy topped Shepherds Pie.
• tip 3 A main-dish pie is a great way to use that extra pound of ground beef. Try a few varieties of frozen vegetables you have stashed in the freezer for a different twist on this Shepherds Pie recipe.
• tip 4 If you arent sure about the volume of your casserole dish, pour in measured amounts of water to be sure you wont overflow it with the pie filling.
• tip 5 Ground beef is the usual, budget-friendly go-to for weeknight meals, but stock up on other ground meats when theyre on sale. Ground turkey, chicken, or pork would be great in this easy Shepherds Pie recipe. Cook the ground meat with the onion until thoroughly cooked continue with recipe.
• tip 6 Refrigerated mashed potatoes are easy and nice to have on hand. Try any flavored refrigerated mashed potatoes to top this main-dish pie.

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How To Make Shepherd’s Pie

Find out how to make this classic comfort food casserole, and learn the difference between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie. #goodtoknow

Nicole McLaughlin, aka NicoleMcmom, shows you how to make her recipe for hearty shepherd’s pie, with loads of how-to tips along the way. But first, a few words about shepherd’s pie, because that’s how we roll.

A Quick Word On The Mashed Potatoes

I decided to put Greek yogurt in my potatoes to lean towards healthy while still being creamy-tangy .

That being said, if you want this to be a completely vegan shepherds pie, just use olive oil instead of butter and maybe a splash of non-dairy milk in your potatoes and you will be golden. And if youre gluten-free? I have a hack for you involving mashed potatoes check the FAQs.

Can you smell it though? That red wine, garlic, olive oil, rosemary aromatherapy?

If youre really looking ahead, Ill also say that Shepherds Pie is a perfect after-Thanksgiving recipe, because guess what you have a lot of in your fridge after Thanksgiving? Leftover mashed potatoes. This is an amazing way to use up some of those holiday potato leftovers.

Important to note that this vegetarian shepherds pie is a total comfort food meets real food situation, so its going to require pajamas or sweats. A big fluffy sweater would be okay, too. Blanket, slippers, and candle are all optional. But a big appetite will be necessary. I know you can deliver.

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