Cora's Cottage

Sometimes it can be difficult to find things to do with all of the leftovers that your family will enjoy, but it doesn’t have to be. Shepherd’s pie can be a simple and fast way to use a variety of vegetables that are leftover or can be made completely from scratch.

Growing up shepherd’s pie was always made with just green beans, and I wasn’t even aware that you could add whatever vegetables you would like. Now I like to add corn, carrots, and peas in addition to green beans.

While mashed potatoes was something that was almost never leftover growing up, I often find that I make way too many for my family. Making shepherd’s pie is a fantastic way to use up those mashed potatoes and any leftover vegetables that are lingering in the refrigerator.

This is also a great dish for gluten or dairy-free as it can easily be altered to fit both of those diets or lifestyle choices. For example, you can make the mashed potatoes with chicken broth and a plant-based butter rather than traditional butter and milk. Additionally, you can change out the gravy for the meat and vegetable mixture to be tomato-based or broth-based instead of dairy-based.

While those are changes that you can make to this dish, my family much prefers a dairy-based gravy for the meat and vegetable mixture. Therefore as I walk through this recipe, I will be using the dairy-based approach that my family likes. However, I will try to include possible swaps if your family is dairy free.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Versatility: As I already mentioned, this recipe is great if you are gluten or dairy free and has lots of variations for the gravy that is added to the meat and vegetable component.

Simple: This recipe is incredibly simple to throw together last minute from leftovers you have in your refrigerator or to make from scratch. It is the perfect dish for the beginner or seasoned chef.

Large Batches: Doubling this recipe is not difficult to do and can be great if you are feeding large numbers of people or wanting to meal prep for a later date.

Freezer Friendly: Being a recipe that is very easy to double and make in large quantities it is perfect that it is freezer friendly. In my experience,  shepherd’s pie can store in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months. This makes it the perfect dish to prep for postpartum or to just have on hand when you need a meal but don’t have time to cook.

Tips & Tricks

Additional Nutrients: You can add additional nutrients to this dish by adding liver to the hamburger or by adding bone broth to the gravy component of your meat and vegetable mixture. This recipe also naturally includes lots of vegetables to help get those essential nutrients.

Leftovers: As previously mentioned, this is the perfect recipe to use up leftover vegetables and mashed potatoes that are just hanging out in the refrigerator.

Ground Beef: While I will refer to the meat in this recipe as ground beef, any ground meat will do. In fact, I have used pork, wild game, and beef for this recipe and they all work well.

Tools

• Skillet
• Spatula
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Hand Mixer or Potato Masher
• 9×13 Baking Dish

Ingredients

• Ground Beef
• Ground Liver (optional)
• Black Pepper, ground
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Salt
• Corn
• Carrots
• Peas
• Green Beans
• Bone Broth
• Heavy Whipping Cream (Half and Half will also work)
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Potatoes Mashed

How to Make Shepherd’s Pie

When starting from scratch, the first step will be to peel and cut potatoes to boil and mash. I like to boil my potatoes with some salt when I know I’m going to mash them; approximately 1 tablespoon for one meal worth of mashed potatoes.

Once the potatoes are boiling, start browning the ground beef with liver if you choose to add some for the additional nutrients. (Read more about adding liver to your ground beef recipes here.)  Add in your pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.

When the meat is browned, add it to your large mixing bowl. You can also add to the large mixing bowl all of the vegetables you are going to use. For example corn, carrots, peas, and green beans. If you are using fresh vegetables you will need to chop the green beans and carrots.

Once you have your ground beef and vegetables added to your large mixing bowl, it is time to add the gravy component. My family’s preference is to use a dairy-based gravy component so you will add the bone broth and heavy whipping cream (half and half will also work) and Worcestershire sauce.

Mix all of the ingredients in your large bowl together until they are incorporated and the vegetables are mixed evenly throughout. Dump the meat and veggie mixture into a greased 9 by 13 pan and spread evenly.

Meanwhile, the potatoes should be ready to be mashed. Drain the potatoes and add them back into the pot they were boiled in. I like to add milk and butter before whip it all together with a hand mixer until the potatoes are to the creaminess I desire. Oftentimes I will add additional milk after my initial mixing to get to the desired creaminess.

Once the potatoes are mashed, spoon them on top of the meat mixture in the 9 by 13 and spread evenly. when the potatoes have been spread evenly, you can top the 9 by 13 with shredded cheese. Any cheese that your family likes and you have on hand will work. For example, I have used cheddar, calico, and mozzarella in this recipe.

It is best to spread the mashed potatoes when they are still warm as they spread much easier than when they are cold from the refrigerator. However, if you are using leftover mashed potatoes you can simply spoon small amounts onto the top of your meat mixture and press them down with a spoon or spatula before adding the cheese. This method with cold potatoes is not as visually appealing, but it tastes just as good!

Now that the shepherd’s pie is put together, it can be placed into the oven at 350°F for 45 minutes or until the cheese is melted and it is heated through. A cooked shepherd’s pie will keep in the fridge for 7 to 10 days, but is best served hot immediately after baking.

FAQs

My family is dairy free. What is an alternative gravy mixture I can use?

If your family is dairy free, you can use more bone broth or you can substitute tomato juice. If using additional broth or tomato juice it is best to add either some flour or some tomato paste to help thicken the gravy component.

Can I add additional spices when I’m cooking the meat?

Of course! Always feel free to add additional spices when you were cooking the meat for your shepherd’s pie. In fact, experimenting with different spice combinations might create a variety of different shepherd’s pies for your family’s recipe rotation.

How long can an uncooked shepherd’s pie be stored in the freezer or refrigerator?

An uncooked shepherd’s pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week though it is best to use it sooner rather than later. Additionally, an uncooked shepherd’s pie can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Just be sure to thaw the shepherd’s pie before adding it move to the oven and always start with a cold oven.