If you’re looking tired of corned beef and cabbage but still want an Irish-inspired dish for St. Patrick’s Day, this Shepherd’s Pie recipe is for you!
Ground beef and frozen vegetables make up the base of this hearty casserole, and it’s topped with fluffy mashed potatoes. The flavors come together to create a filling comfort food that’s as easy to make as it is delicious!
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What is Shepherd’s Pie?
Shepherd’s Pie is a hearty casserole with origins in the United Kingdom. While the term “shepherd’s pie” in America has come to mean any baked dish consisting of meat, vegetables and gravy topped with mashed potatoes, shepherd’s pie was originally made with mutton or lamb. If the dish was made with beef, it was known as “cottage pie”.
Shepherd’s pie seems to have originated in the late 1700s as a means to use up leftover meat and vegetables in a tasty new dish. Even back then, families tried to use leftovers in new ways, and to stretch what little they had as much as they could.
Today, shepherd’s pie has been rediscovered, not only as a great way to clean out the refrigerator at week’s end, but as a comforting, hearty midweek supper. Home chefs are putting their own spins on this classic dish, substituting sweet potatoes or mashed cauliflower for potatoes, and using a wider variety of meats, meat substitutes, and vegetables. Some people even incorporate cheese in their potatoes.
The best way to make a shepherd’s pie that your family will gobble down is to use their favorite ingredients. They may discover a new favorite dish!
Why is an Egg Mixed with the Mashed Potatoes?
I like using an egg as a binder in my mashed potato layer. When baked, the egg solidifies the potatoes a little more, giving it more of a crusty texture. It also adds a little golden color to the potato mixture, which gives it a comforting, hearty look.
The egg is not crucial, so if you don’t want to use it, you don’t have to. But I think it makes this dish a little better, both aesthetically and texturally.
What Vegetables Can I Use in Shepherd’s Pie?
I prefer using frozen vegetables since they’re so much easier to use. But fresh vegetables can be used, too. If you choose to use fresh, you’ll need to pre-cook them before adding to the meat mixture. Steaming until crisp-tender works the best, but you can also boil or sauté them.
Whether fresh or frozen, there are a wide variety of vegetables to choose from for your Shepherd’s Pie. Avoid leafy vegetables or those with a high water content. Starchy, hearty vegetables work best. Peas and carrots are traditional, but any of these are delicious:
- Carrots
- Peas
- Corn
- Turnips
- Parsnips
- Leeks
- Green Beans
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Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
Peel and quarter potatoes. Place in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain.
Mash with half and half, 2 tablespoons of the butter, garlic salt, and egg until creamy. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until onions soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add ground beef. Cook until pink no longer shows. Drain, then add rosemary and thyme.
- Add tomato paste, Worcestershire, beef broth and vegetables. Stir to combine. Heat until warm, about 5 minutes. Then pour into casserole dish.
- Spread prepared mashed potatoes evenly over ground beef mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven 25 – 30 minutes. If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes to brown up the top. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
Do You Have Other Irish Recipes?
- The tastiest cabbage ever has to be our Easy Sauteed Cabbage with Bacon
- If you’re looking for a traditional Irish dish, our Beer Braised Corned Beef fits the bill
- A slice of Irish Soda Bread is perfect to sop up the Shepherd’s Pie gravy
Shepherd’s Pie with Ground Beef (Cottage Pie)
Difficulty: Easy8
servings45
minutes30
minutes1
hour15
minutesOur Shepherd’s Pie recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious! Use leftovers for a real time saver, or whip it up from scratch in no time at all.
Ingredients
2 large russet potatoes
1/4 cup half and half
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 egg
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
1 cup your choice of frozen vegetables, thawed
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
Peel and quarter potatoes. Place in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain.
Mash with half and half, 2 tablespoons of the butter, garlic salt, and egg until creamy. Set aside. - In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until onions soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add ground beef. Cook until pink no longer shows. Drain, then add rosemary and thyme.
- Add tomato paste, Worcestershire, beef broth and vegetables. Stir to combine. Heat until warm, about 5 minutes. Then pour into casserole dish.
- Spread prepared mashed potatoes evenly over ground beef mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven 25 – 30 minutes. If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes to brown up the top. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
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