When the temperature takes a permanent nosedive and fall is starting to look a lot more like winter, shepherd's pie is one of the first things that I crave. One enormous square of this casserole, with its blanket of mashed potatoes and that savory meat-and-vegetable filling, sends a sigh of contentment through my whole body. One casserole makes more than enough for my household of two, so I can look forward to comfort meals all week long.
This is one of those classic comfort dishes that has endless numbers of variations. Make it with beef or lamb, or both. Or substitute the meat with quinoa and lentils for an equally-hearty vegetarian version.
I also love this particular combination of vegetables in the filling, but you can use whatever bits you have in your fridge. Leftover roasted squash, a half-cup of beans, tiny cauliflower florets, edamame, or even something like sautéed cabbage would serve you well here. I also love Kathryn's suggestions of adding rutabaga or parsnips to the mashed potatoes!
Messing up this dish is extremely hard to do, no matter what you throw at it. If ever in doubt, sprinkle another handful of cheese to the top and call everyone to the table for dinner.
Simple Shepherd's Pie
Serves 8-102 pounds (about 3 large) russet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk or cream
1 - 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, lamb, or a combination
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 cup shredded cheese (optional)
Heat the oven to 375°F. Set a 9x13 baking dish nearby. (You can use an 8x8 pan if you prefer thicker layers.)
Peel the potatoes and chop them into large pieces. In a medium pan, cover them with an inch or two of cold water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 18-20 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender.
Drain the potatoes and mash them thoroughly with a potato masher or a fork until no lumps remain. While the potatoes are still hot, mix in the butter, milk, and a half teaspoon of salt. Taste the potatoes and add additional butter, milk, and salt to taste. Set the mashed potatoes aside until ready to be used.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Set a skillet over medium-high heat and add just enough vegetable oil to film the bottom of the pan. When the pan is hot, add the ground beef or lamb. Break the meat apart with a spatula and stir occasionally until all the meat is crumbled and browned all the way through. Transfer the ground meat to a separate dish. Pour off all about a few teaspoons of the fat.
With the pan still over medium-high heat, cook the onions with 1/2 teaspoon of salt until they have softened and turned translucent, 6-8 minutes. Add the carrots and celery with another 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, another 8-10 minutes. Stir in the peas, corn, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and the reserved ground meat. Cook until the peas and corn are warmed through. Taste and add more Worcestershire sauce or salt as desired.
Transfer the cooked meat and vegetables into the casserole dish. Drop spoonfuls of mashed potatoes evenly over the surface, and then use a spatula to smooth the potatoes into an even layer. Create little peaks with the tip of the spatula or a fork if crispy edges are desired.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. If adding cheese, sprinkle it over the top of the casserole in the last few minutes of cooking. For an extra-crispy top, run the casserole under the broiler for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Leftovers will keep for up to a week, refrigerated.
Additional Notes:
• If you like an extra-thick layer of potatoes, either double the amount of potatoes in this recipe or cook this casserole in a smaller baking dish.
Related: How to Make (And Freeze!) Individual Chicken Pot Pies
(Image: Emma Christensen)
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Comments (16)
Love it! What a great way to use more vegetables. We usually add mushrooms (fresh or dried) to ours, in addition to whatever veg are in season (we get a ton through our CSA), and we also add celery root, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips, etc. to the mashed potatoes in fall and winter. Yum.
Cottage pie is made with ground beef. Shepards pie is made with leftover lamb cut off a joint and any gravy.
This is a favourite cold weather meal in our home. Sometimes I like topping the meat mixture with sweet potatoes and minced ginger.
@JudiAU that's true today, but the terms used to be used interchangeably for whatever leftover meat was on hand (see Mrs. Beeton, etc).
In Québec, it's called pâté chinois (chinese pie). I have no idea where the name comes from. We make it with a layer of ground beef, a layer of corn (some use creamed corn), and a layer of mashed potatoes.
That looks incredibly dry! It really needs a little gravy, or even a splash of of wine / stock, added to the meat mixture before topping it and baking.
Like in this Alton Brown recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/shepherds-pie-recipe2/index.html
I would kill for an easy vegetarian version with lentils. I've tried making this myself several times and it always turns out terrible. I don't know why... it seems simple enough!
My Shepherd's Pie is never dry. I make it with ground beef or ground pork. I add a can of cream corn & add to the bottom & a bit in the middle before baking. Delicious & oh so moist!
It's not with lentils, but I do a vegetarian version with roasted butternut squash, braised kale, and the usual mash on top.
My fiancee hates Shepherd's Pie, thanks to her mother's terrible process of making it.
I offered to make it for her, when we got our house, but she has yet to take me up on the offer.
I will add this to my list of "for when the fiancee agrees, but in the meantime just for me" recipe list :)
You can sub aduki beans for the meat, it's delicious. I would add some vegetable stock (or meat stock for a non vegetarian pie). The filling should be rich and moist.
I agree that it looks terribly dry and needs gravy inside. Also that cottage pie is beef and shepherd's pie is lamb only, preferably cut into small chunks rather than mince. I like to add allspice for another layer of flavor.
@Mike_NJ: I'm with your finacee and it's largely about the vegetable flavor combination (I also really dislike the standard frozen mixed veggies) and the meat texture. Also, I agree with all the posters suggesting this version needed more moisture. Not chicken pot pie levels but it would work best for this picky pie eater if the gravy was not too thin. I thought that info might be useful to you.
Growing up in Quebec, I know this dish as pâté Chinois (Chinese loaf). It's traditionally made with a layer of kernel corn, a layer of ground beef, and then mash on top, served with ketchup. Yuck. My dad's version was slightly better, using creamed corn and adding onions to his meat. But it was still a dish that made me go, WHY?!
Like the OP, I do see the potential in this dish and over the years I've come up with my own version. I like using peas, carrots, and kernel corn for the veggie layer, some lentils cooked with mirepoix in a brown gravy in the middle to add much needed moisture, and then finish with mashed sweet potatoes or butternut squash. Next time, I will try to remember to add cheese on top!
One of my favorite meals! And so quick and easy...I prefer to omit the tomato paste-and add a can of Campbells (or any brand) of brown gravy. It's like eating meatloaf and mashed potato in a spoon!
I love Chinese Pie! French-Canadian comfort food at its best. :) I've read that it was fed to the Canadian railroad workers by Chinese chefs and the recipe followed the Canadians to New England when they migrated to work in the textile mills.