Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe - Whole30, Paleo (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between cottage pie and shepherd's pie? ›

The Difference Between Shepherd's Pie and Cottage Pie

Cottage pie uses minced lean ground beef as its base and beef broth as its gravy. Shepherd's pie, on the other hand, uses ground lamb, and the juices of the minced lamb become the gravy for this comfort food.

To stop the mash sinking into the filling, allow the meat to cool before topping with the mashed potato. Freeze in individual ovenproof dishes for an easy meal for one.

These Whole30 compliant roasted sweet potatoes are one of my favorite ways to meal prep vegetables. It is a super easy technique that's packed with flavor and nutrients. For those practicing Whole30, this is a Whole30 compliant side that's great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Shepherd's Pie Ingredients

Ground Beef: You could also ground lamb if you prefer. Mashed Potatoes: Use starchy potatoes (like russet or Yukon Gold) for the best mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes are also made with butter, onion, and Cheddar cheese.

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.

If meat is difficult for your loved one to chew, try making a shepherd's pie with lentils instead – an ideal option if you're looking for soft food recipes for the elderly. Cooked lentils have a softer texture and take on flavours well – they're also lower in fat and higher in fibre than beef or lamb mince.

Residual moisture from the potatoes will drip into the beef below as it cooks, and too much of it will cause the potatoes to eventually sink. Aside from ridding your potatoes of excess moisture before you mash them, it also helps to cool the beef down, BBC Good Food shares.

How do you keep shepherd's pie from falling apart? Make sure your casserole dish is the right size. You should also have firm mashed potatoes so it won't fall apart when you're serving. As you put the topping on, don't press too hard, using a gentle touch to smooth it out.

Classic shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb, gravy, mashed potatoes, and veggies like peas, corn, celery, and carrots. Why is my shepherd's pie soggy? Avoid a soggy pie by simmering the meat mixture for at least 8 minutes. Be sure to cook down the mixture to remove excess moisture.

Potatoes of all varieties are in, but fries and chips are not. (This should not be a surprise. Fries and chips are about as Whole30 as Paleo Pop-Tarts.)

Can you eat too many potatoes on Whole30? ›

If this is your context, use white potatoes sparingly in your Whole30 meal plan, if at all. Plus, if you eat mashed potatoes with every dinner, you'll miss out on a world of colorful, nutrient-dense vegetables to explore. Bust out of your potato rut and discover a newfound love of Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or kale!

You may have heard that white and yellow potatoes are a no-go on The Paleo Diet®, but sweet potatoes are a completely different vegetable. Sweet potatoes, also known as yams, don't contain the same harmful compounds that white potatoes do, making them a much healthier substitute for white potatoes.

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.

This shepherd's pie recipe uses 2 tablespoons of flour to thicken the gravy but if you feel like the meat mixture is too watery, add in another tablespoon and stir to combine. You may also try simmering the mince mixture for longer so that the stock reduces down and thickens.

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.

Over time, it became more popular and was crowned cottage pie. Shepherd's pie was attributed to a similar Scottish dish that used lamb or mutton rather than beef. Shepherd's herded sheep, hence the name. The textured, mash potato topping also resembles the woolly fleece of a sheep.

The two English terms have been used interchangeably since they came into use in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, although some writers insist that a shepherd's pie should contain lamb or mutton, and a cottage pie, beef.

Cottage pie is made using the same or very similar ingredients to shepherds pie. Nationally Cottage pie is made with Beef mince and Shepherds pie is made with Lamb mince. The name "cottage pie" was first used at the end of the 18th century.