18 Comforting Shepherd’s Pie Recipes for Any Taste or Diet (2024)

FAQs

Why do Irish people eat shepherd's pie? ›

It's called cottage pie in the U.K. because they use beef and in Ireland since the shepherds tend sheep, it's shepherd's pie. No doubt, the English put out an excellent cottage pie, but in Ireland it used to be a delicacy since the Irish couldn't afford beef they repurposed any unused veggies and meat.

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

922 calories. 34g protein. 72g fat. 931mg sodium.

Why is my shepherd's pie runny? Generally, this is caused by using too much stock.

Dilute or Bulk Up Your Dish

Diluting your dish with a splash or two of salt-free liquid or adding more vegetables, pasta, or meat, will help a dish that's too salty simply because you are increasing the overall amount of whatever you're making.

This hearty dish is a great source of protein with plenty of tasty vegetables yet is low in salt, potassium and phosphate.

The dish originates from the British Isles, but some might argue that it is an Irish dish by origin. The name "Shepherd's Pie" was first recorded in an 1877 cookbook. In this same cookbook, it was noted that the dish was of Scottish origin. During the period between the 18th and 19th centuries, money was very tight.

This ultimate comfort food can be quite unhealthy, with lots of butter in the mash and pushing up your saturated fat intake. Here are a few ideas to make this classic a little healthier and just as tasty.

You can swap the beef broth for chicken broth if you prefer. For an Irish shepherd's pie, swap the beef broth for Guinness. Worcestershire Sauce. Adds wonderful umami flavor.

Red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar + tamarind paste or concentrate. An equal part of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar, mixed together with tamarind paste or concentrate, can be used as a replacement for Worcestershire.

Crumble ground beef into pan and cook until brown all over. Sprinkle with flour. Stir in ketchup, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Simmer for 5 minutes.

What can I use to thicken my shepherd's pie? ›

The easiest way to thicken shepherd's pie filling is by sprinkling a few tablespoons of flour into the ground beef mixture as it cooks before adding it to the baking dish. The starch in the flour will absorb the extra liquid and create a thick gravy.

The key to a good shepherds pie is not to have the meat and gravy too liquidy or the mash will just sink into it, so make sure the mince mixture is nice and thick, just keep it on the heat until its just right.

Drink 9 to 13 cups of water every day to flush waste, including excess sodium, out of your body. Another way to reduce sodium in your body is to sweat, so try a high-intensity workout or a low-impact exercise in warm conditions, like hot yoga.

Key ingredients in our classic shepherd's pie:

It's rich, savoury and includes some clever flavour-boosting additions (see the next key ingredients) plus stock. Worcestershire sauce: we love the addition of Worcestershire sauce as it brings a deep umami flavour and a sweet, tangy and spicy punch all at once.

Many people believe that the peasant housewives invented the pie as an easy way to repackage leftovers from their Sunday roast. The Shepherd Pie is thought to originate from Ireland and the northern parts of England.

Why were potatoes so important to Ireland? The potato plant was hardy, nutritious, calorie-dense, and easy to grow in Irish soil. By the time of the famine, nearly half of Ireland's population relied almost exclusively on potatoes for their diet, and the other half ate potatoes frequently.

Welcome to Ireland! Traditional Shepherd's Pie has ground lamb with vegetables in a savory brown gravy topped with mashed potatoes. This dish is believed to originate in the late 1700's as a way to use up leftovers.

The Irish often used the good land to grow things like wheat and corn that they would sell to pay their rent. This left the farmers with a small piece of land to grow their own food. Potatoes took up very little space and were very nutritious. One acre of potatoes could feed a family of four for a year.