Traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie Recipe - Cottage Pie

A plate of shepherd's pie on a table with a fork.

Traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie Recipe - Cottage Pie

With a meat mixture of ground beef, and yes, you can use ground lamb for that authentic touch, nestled under a creamy mashed potato crust - it's the perfect meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Irish

Budget Cheap

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 669kcal

Equipment

Saute pan
wooden spoon
Baking ish

Ingredients

For the mashed potatoes:

2 pounds potatoes peeled & Chopped
⅓ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter

For the filling:

1 pound ground beef fried and drained
1 cup frozen vegetables (corn, peas, carrots)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
⅓ teaspoon salt
⅓ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh herbs for serving

Instructions

Place the potatoes in cold water and bring to a boil. Wait 15-20 minutes after the water begins to boil then check for doneness. In the meantime, heat the oil for frying while the potatoes are cooking, and add the onions to the pan. Fry on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring. Then add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
Add ground beef and fry everything together for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add all-purpose flour and mix, fry for another 2 minutes.
Add beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. You can also add any other spices to taste.
Stir and cook everything together for 6-7 minutes until the broth becomes thick. Then add the frozen vegetables, stir, and turn off the heat after 2 minutes.
Transfer the filling to a baking dish. My oval baking dish is 11 inches long and 7 inches wide. Preheat the oven to 360F.
When the potatoes are cooked, drain the water. Add whipping cream, salt, butter, and Parmesan cheese.
Make mashed potatoes.
Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the minced meat filling. Put the pie in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Serve Shepherd's Pie hot or warm with fresh parsley or green onions sprinkled over the potato topping.

Nutrition