My Favorite Shepherd's Pie

Updated Jan 14, 2024

Happy Pi(e) Day! Since I've never been great at math, I'm all about celebrating 3/14 with something I AM great at: (edible) pies. While I am known for going all out with lattice-top pies, I tend to reserve that 4-hour undertaking for Thanksgiving. Today, I figured I'd celebrate with a pie of a savory, lower-maintenance variety - shepherd's pie!

Now maybe this is a hot take, but I think using "The Best" as a superlative for online recipes is overused and annoying. So instead, I'm going with "My Favorite” for this shepherd’s pie. Because who can argue that? Even if I was the only person in the world who felt that way, I wouldn't be wrong. 

I also can't in good conscience profess that this shepherd's pie is "the best" - because it's not trying to be. It’s non-traditional, so I can't and don't want to compare it to any other. It's just really good - so good that I have found myself making it over and over and over again for years. The filling is juicy and savory, the potato topping is a little bit sweet, a little bit creamy, and a LOT fluffy. Did I mention it reheats well and there are ways to make it ahead?

If you try it, I am sure you will love it. But even if you don't, the good news is I didn't claim it was the best, so I DID NOT LIE TO YOU. 😇 

The Mashed Potatoes

Rinsing the potatoes before and after boiling is a quick, optional step that gets rid of excess starch resulting in a smoother mash. If you skip this, it won't make or break your dish. That said, two things are key to prevent a lumpy mash. Slice your potatoes into rounds (rather than cubes) to make them easier to mash evenly. And, start your potatoes in a pot of cold water. This may be counter-intuitive, but it helps your potatoes heat at the same rate as your water for even cooking.

The Meat

Traditionally, shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb, and using ground beef would technically make this a “cottage pie.” While I use ground beef in this recipe because it's more widely available, you could use lamb to be more authentic. I often use ground turkey as well. If you're plant based, you can use a ground meat alternative like Beyond Meat or Impossible Meat. Use whatever is readily available and affordable! 

The Vegetables

Chopping veggies while you wait for the potatoes to boil is a great way to make use of hands-off time. Make sure you cut your veggies into small pieces that are as evenly sized as possible. This isn't just for aesthetic - it's to make sure that they cook evenly.

The Seasonings

I put a touch of fresh rosemary, garlic, and ground nutmeg in the filling, because they pair really nicely with the sweet potatoes. Feel free to play around with the amounts or additional herbs and spices.

The Liquid

Traditional shepherd's pies often call for tomato paste, beef stock, and/or dark beer to create a deliciously rich, brown gravy. For this non-traditional recipe, I use white wine with the natural juices of the meat. The result is delicate, yet juicy and incredibly flavorful. If you don’t cook with alcohol, sub 1/2 cup of stock. To replicate the flavor and acidity of cooking with wine, you can add a splash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice to your stock.

Options for Prepping Ahead

If made all at once, I’ll admit this recipe isn't as quick or effortless as some of my other recipes. HOWEVER, there are ways to plan ahead to make this recipe work for your schedule!

1. Do some chopping in advance. At least 30% of the time it takes to make this dish is spent chopping, so if you have a spare 15 minutes earlier in the day or the week, do some chopping ahead of time! Refrigerate the onions, celery, and carrots together in one container and the rosemary and garlic together in a separate small container for up to 2-3 days. If you pre-slice the potatoes, put them in a sealed container of water in the fridge overnight.

2. Make the mashed potatoes in advance and refrigerate them for 1-2 days. Be sure to let it cool before refrigerating, and bring it back down to room temperature before spreading it on top your filling (you can add some milk to loosen it up, if needed).

3. Make the whole thing in advance. Once assembled (but before baking), refrigerate up to a few days. When ready to bake, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before putting it in the oven, uncovered.

My Favorite Shepherd's Pie

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Yield: 4-6

Author: Sarah Kenner

Prep time: 40 MinCook time: 22 MinTotal time: 1 H & 2 M

A non-traditional spin on shepherd’s pie with a mixture of sweet and regular potatoes, and a juicy white wine and rosemary filling.

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 lb. ground meat (i.e. ground beef, lamb, or turkey, or a plant-based ground meat alternative)
• 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 ribs celery
• 1/3 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Topping

• 2 medium russet potatoes
• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter (or plant-based butter alternative)

Instructions

1. Position the upper rack of your oven in the middle slot, and preheat to 425 ̊F.
2. Peel your russet and sweet potatoes and slice into half-inch thick rounds. Rinse them, place them in a pot, and cover with cold water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. While you wait for the water to boil, dice your onion, celery, and carrots into small pieces. Put them in a medium bowl together and set aside. Finely chop the rosemary and 4 cloves of garlic and set aside in a separate, small bowl.
4. Check the water on the potatoes. When it's boiling, add 2 tsp. Kosher salt, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until fork-tender. (TIP: While you wait, feel free to start the filling in Step 5, but don't forget to set a timer and come back to this step!) When the potatoes are cooked, remove them from heat, drain, and rinse again. Return the potatoes to the pot and immediately add 4 Tbs. butter. Mash until smooth and the butter is fully incorporated, adding more salt to taste if desired. Set aside.
5. Heat a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs. olive oil and then add your meat. Season with salt and pepper and break it up in the pan, stirring regularly until browned.
6. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 7-10 minutes.
7. Add the chopped rosemary and garlic plus the 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
8. Pour 1/2 cup white wine or stock into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. When the liquid has mostly evaporated, stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas and cook until the peas defrost, about 1-2 minutes.
9. Pour the filling into a baking dish and pat down with a spatula until even. Cover with the mashed potato topping, smooth out the top, and drag a fork through the surface to create texture. Fun patterns are welcome!
10. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until the top is set and the meat mixture is bubbling. Put your oven on broil for about 5 minutes or until the peaks have browned on top, keeping an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t burn.

Notes & Substitutions

Options for Prepping Ahead

1. Do some chopping in advance. At least 30% of the time it takes to make this dish is spent chopping, so if you have a spare 20 minutes earlier in the day or the week, do some chopping ahead of time! Store the onions, celery, and carrots together in one container and the rosemary and garlic together in a separate small container for up to 2-3 days. If you pre-slice the potatoes, put them in a sealed container of water in the fridge overnight.

2. Make the mashed potatoes in advance and refrigerate them for 1-2 days. Be sure to let it cool before refrigerating, and bring it back down to room temperature before spreading it on top your filling (you can add some milk to loosen it up, if needed).

3. Make the whole dish in advance. Once assembled (but before baking) refrigerate up to a few days. When ready to bake, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before putting it in the oven, uncovered.

meat, shepherds pie, cottage pie, casserole, beef, potato, winter, fall, sweet potato

dinner, meat,

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