Shepherd’s Pie: Things to do with a Pound of Ground Beef

Shepherd’s Pie. Cottage Pie. For many those two are interchangeable, but if you ask someone from the UK or Ireland, they’re definitely different things. Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made with lamb meat, while cottage pie is made with minced meat/ground beef. Despite the type of meat being used, the basics of a savory pie is fairly simple: ground meat, minced onion, spices, vegetables, and a covering of mashed potatoes on top. Since Americans typically don’t make a distinction between the two, hopefully you’ll give me a bit of leeway to call it by what’s become the more generic name in America – Shepherd’s pie.

Another Great Use for Leftovers

The best thing about shepherd’s pie and its various iterations is that it can be a great way to use up leftovers. I actually make a version around Thanksgiving that I affectionally just call “Leftover Pie” because I layer up all the leftovers from Thanksgiving into a tasty savory pie. It’s a great way to use up the little odds and ends that aren’t usually enough to make a meal.

While you can cook shepherd’s pie from scratch, also think about how you can put it together from leftovers. Have leftover ground meat? Leftover vegetables of various kinds? There’s nothing that says you can’t use leftover taco meat and grilled vegetables to give it more of a Mexican flavor. Or use leftover lamb, mushrooms and zucchini to give it more of a Greek flavor. That’s what I love about savory pies – the combinations are as endless as your imagination.

A Great Way to Stretch A Small Amount of Meat

Here’s another thing to consider: shepherd’s pie is a great way to stretch the amount of meat that you have. You can get to the number of servings that you need by adding more vegetables – with an added bonus that you’re also adding additional nutrients as well. Maybe you’re finding yourself with just a half a pound of meat leftover from something else. Or maybe you find yourself with unexpected dinner guests just as you’re putting dinner together.

Whatever the reason, you can add additional vegetables (even rice or quinoa) to stretch the savory pie filling and make up it more filling.

How I Make Shepherd’s Pie

While you can make shepherd’s pie from leftover meat, many times I make it from scratch. It’s a very flexible meal, which I appreciate.

First, I start the oven preheating to 375ºF and pull out my baking dish. I usually use an 8×8, but if you plan to stretch the filling with additional vegetables or rice, you can use a 9×12 dish.

Mashed potatoes

If I’m not using instant potatoes because I’m in a hurry, I’ll make the mashed potatoes from scratch using my Instant Pot (affiliate link) because it’s fairly quick. To do this, start with 4-5 medium-sized, peeled potatoes. You can use more if your potatoes are smaller (or if you are using a larger pan) or fewer if you are using larger potatoes. I slice them long ways down the middle, then 3 times across. After placing the potatoes in the Instant Pot, add about 1 cup of water. (Use a little more if you are adding additional potatoes.) Seal and cook for 8 minutes on manual, high pressure. Quick release when the time is done.

If there is a little too much liquid, go ahead pour some of it off. Otherwise, mash in the instant pot with your desired amount of dairy – milk and/or butter. Essentially, you want just enough milk (and/or water left from cooking) to get the consistency to smooth and creamy. I usually will start with 1/4 of a cup and add from there.

Shepherd’s pie filling

While the potatoes are cooking, I start the filling. Put about a tablespoon of oil in the bottom of a medium pan over medium-high heat.

A note about oil: I’ll use olive oil or coconut oil usually, but you can also use vegetable oil or butter as well. Generally I don’t need to add oil, but if I’m using a super low-fat meat, I use just enough to keep the meat from sticking to the pan while until it renders the fat. (If you’re substituting a lower fat meat like turkey or chicken or super-lean ground beef, you may need to add a little bit more oil to keep it from sticking.)

Once the pan is hot, add the ground beef and break apart with a spatula or spoon. When the meat is about halfway cooked and has rendered most of it’s fat, I add in my onion, salt and pepper. I use either fresh or dried minced onion, depending on what I have.

Continue cooking the meat and onion mixture until meat is crumbled and browned all the way through. At this point, your onion (if fresh) should be just about translucent and softened. If you’re using dried minced onion, it will have rehydrated.

If I find there is too much fat in the pan with the meat, I’ll go ahead and spoon off a tablespoon or two. I then add the vegetables in with the meat. Usually I will use frozen mixed vegetables – either a mixed bag or a mixture of what frozen vegetables that I in the freezer. However, you can also use fresh or canned vegetables, depending on what you have on hand.

Cook, stirring periodically, until the vegetables are tender, then add your tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and stir again to combine. At this point you can taste and adjust the seasonings: salt, pepper and/or Worcestershire sauce.

Assemble and bake

Pour the meat and vegetables mixture into the baking dish.

Drop spoonfuls of mashed potatoes over the surface, then smooth until the potatoes are spread evenly across the surface and sealed against the side of the baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. If you want to add cheese, sprinkle it over the top in the last few minutes of cooking and return to the oven until the cheese is melted.

If you have any leftovers, they’ll keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Spoiler alert: it never lasts that long in our household.

#RealLifeMoment

Now that I’d said all that, here’s something you may have noticed in the photos – it was a day for a #RealLifeMoment. On the day that I was taking photos, I was having ocular migraines. It’s usually a rare thing, but every once in a while I have them, and it can be very difficult to see for about an hour. So even though I love to cook from scratch, some days I know it just isn’t going to happen. Today was a day to just take short cuts: a packet of instant mashed potatoes, frozen mixed vegetables, and a tube of tomato paste meant that dinner happens a lot more quickly. While it’s good to know how to be able to use fresh ingredients, don’t feel that you have to – especially if it means saving your sanity or taking care of your mental or physical health that day.

The recipe below is the mostly from-scratch version, but just know that there’s no shame in short cuts!

Pin for Later: