Easy Shepherd’s Pie aka Cottage Pie Recipe (+ Video)

On Mar 6, 2019

Easy Shepherd’s Pie aka Cottage Pie Recipe (+ Video)

Easy Shepherd’s Pie – This classic dish is homemade comfort food at its best. It has a rich beef base filled with vegetables and a thick buttery potato filling.

This classic dinner recipe is hearty and perfect for any Sunday dinner. We love it with rolls and even glazed carrots, making it the epitome of comfort food!

What is Shepherd’s Pie?

Have you ever made shepherd’s pie? This is my second time trying this dinner recipe and I have to say, it is absolutely delicious. This classic dish is homemade comfort food at its best. It has a rich beef base filled with vegetables and a thick buttery potato filling.

This is definitely not a traditional version, but it does have some traditional elements. Our family prefers ground beef instead of lamb, so it’s technically a copycat pie. We also like to add aged white cheddar to our mashed potatoes, which makes it even more amazing. This is optional, but highly recommended! ?

What’s the difference between a shepherd’s pie and a peasant’s pie? Really, it’s meat. Shepherd’s pie is usually made with lamb, while farmer’s pie is usually made with beef.

Tips for Making Shepherd’s Pie:

Get an extra-large frying pan (or an oven if you don’t want to transfer it later). There’s a lot of filling, so you’ll need something wide and deep!
Dice, chop and chop fresh vegetables. Frozen veggies won’t taste as good, and they have excess moisture that we’re trying to avoid.
Use beef stock instead of broth. why? Beef broth is more concentrated, which means it has more flavor than broth. I like to buy a 32 oz. its box.
Let the filling simmer. Your filling needs to be thick enough to withstand the density of the potatoes. Do not worry.
seasoning. What does it mean? Before continuing, take a spoon and taste the filling. Once you add those potatoes, the deal is complete. Double entendre. ?

How to Make Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie has ingredients similar to mashed potatoes, but with less liquid.

To make toppings for Shepherd’s Pie:

Cook potatoes until fork tender, then drain.
Return the potatoes to the pot and put the pot back on the warm burner. This will help the excess moisture evaporate.
Add cream, butter, salt, pepper and cheese (if desired).
Use a potato masher to make smooth, thick mashed potatoes.

Carefully spread the topping over the filling. You can make this in the same pan if possible, or transfer the filling to a 9×13 inch plate and use that instead. Using a spatula or offset spatula works best. Spread a small amount over the filling to keep the potatoes from dragging the filling.

Then grab a fork and swirl through the potatoes. Design doesn’t matter. You can do a plaid design, waves, straight lines, basically get creative!or if you feel additional For fancy, you can use a large pastry bag and a large star tip to put the potatoes on.

Drizzle with melted butter and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Potatoes should be golden brown. Remove from oven and allow shepherd’s pie to rest for 20 minutes before serving.

First Tips + Frequently Asked Questions

Why let the shepherd’s pie rest? This is our first recommendation for this recipe. why? Allowing the shepherd’s pie to rest allows the filling and topping to cool and reabsorb the liquid. Or in short, it helps cement the situation. You don’t want a messy mess.

Can I prepare shepherd’s pie ahead of time? sure! Just make as directed, then cover and refrigerate 48 hours ahead. Then, bake as directed. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze this? Yes! To freeze, let the pan cool after baking, then cover tightly with foil and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, reheat pie at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Shepherd’s Pie is a delicious and delicious meal the whole family will love – I know ours! It’s also easy to customize. Don’t want to use beef? Try lamb. Don’t want to add peas? Try corn. Got a picky eater who doesn’t like vegetables? Try to grind them finely! There are plenty of ways to make this easy shepherd’s pie recipe a crowd-pleasing meal.

What goes with Shepherd’s Pie?

For more delicious dinner ideas, check out:

main course

American food

Prep time 30 minutes

1 hour cooking time

Total time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 425 kcal

by Lil’ Luna

For padding:

2 tablespoons.olive oil
2 carrots diced
1 celery sliced thinly
1 diced onion
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons.all-purpose flour
1/4 degree Celsius.ketchup
2 3/4 degrees Celsius.Beef broth is not broth
2 tablespoons.Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp.red wine vinegar
1 tsp.garlic powder
1 tsp.Salt
1/2 tsp.black pepper powder
¼ tsp.cumin
1/4 tsp. Dried thyme or ½ tsp.fresh chopped thyme
1 bay leaf
1°C.frozen peas

For potatoes:

5 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2/3 degrees Celsius.heavy cream
2 tablespoons.butter
1 tsp.Salt
1/4 tsp.black pepper powder
1/3 degree Celsius. grated aged white cheddar cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons.Butter, melted – reserve for drizzling on top

In an extra large skillet over medium heat, add oil. brown meat. When the meat is almost brown, add the carrots and celery and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Sprinkle with flour, bake for 30 seconds, then add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the beef broth, stirring into a smooth sauce. Add Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin, thyme, and bay leaves. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a large stock pot filled with water, cook potatoes until fork tender, about 20 minutes.
Add peas and stir. Cook for another 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
Drain the potatoes and return the pot to the burner. Let the heat evaporate the excess water. This should take a minute or so. Add cream, butter, salt, pepper and cheddar if desired. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes to a smooth, creamy consistency. They should be on the thicker side.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pour the filling into a 9×13-inch baking pan, and if it’s deep enough to hold the potato layer, place it in the pan. Use a spatula (or an offset spatula) to carefully spread the potatoes over the top. You’ll want to add “clumps” of potatoes to the spots so that the weight of the potatoes doesn’t drag the filling into them.
Use a fork to drag swirls or markers into the potato layer. Drizzle with melted butter.
Put in the oven for 40 minutes. If the top is not the desired golden color, turn the broiler down and bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and let rest 20 minutes before serving.

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