Irish Shepherd's Pie

Name: Irish Shepherd's Pie
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 large onion, diced; 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound ground lamb; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon coarse salt; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup beef broth; 1 10-ounce bag frozen peas and carrots; 3 – 4 cups mashed potatoes, cooled to room temperature; 1 egg

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a serving bowl of shepherds pie with a fork

Why I love this traditional shepherd’s pie recipe

There are thousands of recipes for shepherd’s pie out there, and so many of them contain cheese, in some for or another, which is just crazy to me since it totally over powers the delicate flavor of the lamb.

While shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with lamb, I’ve used a combination of beef and lamb to make the recipe a little more budget friendly, but feel free to use only lamb if you want.

To make it dairy free, I made a batch of my favorite dairy free mashed potatoes, which I’ve been making in large batches in my pressure cooker lately.

Either way, this shepherd’s pie is insanely delicious. It’s such a great comfort food and would be great for a hearty, weeknight meal. You don’t even really need a side dish because the veggies are mixed right in.

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serving bowls with shepherds pie and forks ready to dig in

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

cast iron skillet

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measuring spoons

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hand mixer

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a cast iron filled with the meat mixture for shepherds pie

a cast iron dish of garnished shepherds pie missing a scoop

How to make Irish shepherd’s pie

Make the mashed potatoes. I like to make a big batch of my dairy free mashed potatoes ahead of time, and if I know I want to make this recipe, I’ll purposely make extra for another meal so I have enough.

Let the potatoes cool slightly and the quickly beat in an egg with an electric mixer until the potatoes are nice and fluffy.

Sauté the onion and meat. Heat a large, cast iron skillet to medium-high. Add some olive oil and cook the onions until they’re translucent.

Then add the meat and cook until it’s no longer pink, breaking up the pieces as you go. Once the meat is cooked, drain any excess fat.

Make the sauce. Sprinkle the meat with flour and stir until it’s evenly coated. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.

Bake the shepherd’s pie. Top with mashed potatoes and transfer the pie to the oven for about 20 minutes to set the potatoes. If not using an ovenproof skillet, transfer mixture to a baking dish before baking.

a close up of a cast iron dish of garnished shepherds pie missing a scoop

FAQs about making shepherd’s pie recipe

What’s the difference between Shepherds pie and cottage pie?

A cottage pie is traditionally made with any kind of meat (usually ground beef) whereas a shepherds pie uses ground lamb.

What’s a good side dish for shepherd’s pie?

Simply adding a nice gravy over the top could be great, but to change up the textures and flavors on your plate, consider a fresh garden salad.

Can you make shepherds pie the night before?

Yes! Make it the night before, and cover it well in the same dish you’ll be baking it in. Then take it out, preheat the oven, uncover the dish and bake. You may want to add a few minutes to the cooking time though.

How long can I keep a cooked shepherds pie in the fridge?

If you keep it well covered in the fridge it can last anywhere from 3 to 5 days, giving you plenty of time to enjoy those leftovers!

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