Basic Shepherd’s Pie – Spend With Pennies

A conventional Shepherd’s Pie recipe is a straightforward consolation meals!

Tender floor lamb (or beef) and greens baked in a savory gravy and below a fluffy mashed potato topping.

It’s a whole meal, and we love that it reheats and freezes properly.

What’s Shepherd’s Pie?

It’s the last word Irish recipe that’s heartwarming and hearty! Though many variations use floor beef, a conventional Shepherd’s pie recipe is made with floor lamb. For those who use floor beef, it’s really cottage pie, though the phrases are sometimes used interchangeably.

Components & Variations

This recipe is a standard Shepherd’s pie, in case you’re brief on time, attempt our shortcut Shepherds Pie.

Floor Meat – Though floor lamb is historically utilized in shepherd’s pie, floor beef is extra extensively accessible and customary in North America, making it a fantastic choice for the filling. You should use both or a mixture of each. Skip the meat solely for a vegetarian shepherd’s pie.

Greens – A mix of onions, carrots, celery, and peas provides the right taste. For those who’re pressed for time, use a bag of frozen combined greens or add leftover veggies like mushrooms or inexperienced beans.

Sauce – The gravy is tremendous easy with beef broth, tomato paste, and herbs. You should use leftover gravy and even canned cream of mushroom or tomato soup.

Mashed Potatoes – Creamy mashed potatoes are the right shepherd’s pie topping. Strive creamy garlic mashed potatoes and even On the spot mashed potatoes.

adding flour to beef to make Lamb Sheperds Pie

adding carrots and celery to beef to make Lamb Sheperds Pie

adding seasonings and tomato paste to pot to make Lamb Sheperds Pie

adding peas to pot to make Lamb Sheperds Pie

The way to Make Shepherd’s Pie

Making a basic shepherd’s pie recipe is simple:

Cook dinner Potatoes: Cook dinner potatoes per recipe instructions beneath. Drain & mash with a potato masher.
Make Filling: Whereas potatoes are boiling, cook dinner floor meat with onion & garlic. Add veggies.
Make Sauce: Stir flour into the meat. Add remaining components and simmer till thickened. Stir in frozen peas.
High & Bake: High the meat combination (within the skillet or a baking dish) with mashed potatoes. Bake till golden and bubbly.

You’ll be able to pile the potatoes on high and scrape it with a fork to make a fairly design. For those who’re feeling additional fancy, put the potatoes in a piping bag with a star tip and pipe them on high.

Ideas for Shepherds Pie

Swap out the recent veggies for frozen combined veggies to maintain the prep quick!
Ready or packaged mashed potatoes work properly on this recipe. It’s also possible to used mashed cauliflower.
Stir in an egg yolk to make the mashed potatoes additional wealthy in taste or some cheddar cheese.
If utilizing an oven-proof pan, skip the casserole dish and layer the potatoes over the meat within the skillet!
Make it fairly by piping the mashed potatoes with a piping bag.
Let shepherd’s pie relaxation for about 5 minutes earlier than serving.

What’s the Distinction between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie?

Shepherd’s pie is made with lamb whereas cottage pie is made with floor beef. Many individuals make it with floor beef and nonetheless name it Shepherd’s pie.