Shepherd’s pie has got to be one of my husband’s and my all-time favorite comfort foods. I like it because it’s super easy to make.

We both like it because it’s delicious and filling.

Comfort Food for Dinner

It has a wonderful blend of flavors from the meat, potatoes, vegetables, and cheese. What’s more is you serve it warm, so it makes you feel good from the inside out.

Another thing I like about this is that you can assemble it in advance and put it in the fridge. All you have to do when you’re ready is put it in the oven to heat it up.

You’ll have a delicious family dinner by the time you get out of your work clothes and set the table.

Most casseroles are convenient like this. So sometimes I make more than one so there’s always something I can pull out when I’m busy.

You can also make the chicken and rice casserole and mac and cheese with ham casserole ahead of time. In fact, some people claim that they taste better if you prepare them one day and cook them another. They’ve had some time for the flavors to blend.

Key points to keep in mind:

• You may use cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes if you’re trying to keep your carb count low. Another thing you can do is half potatoes and half cauliflower.
• For a completely different flavor, use mashed sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.
• If you prefer to leave out the gravy, that is fine. It will taste just as good.
• Most vegetables will work in a shepherd’s pie.
• Canned vegetables will cook more quickly.

What You Need to Make Shepherd’s Pie

There are surprisingly few ingredients in my version of the shepherd’s pie. I use grass-fed ground beef, potatoes, canned or frozen vegetables, and beef broth.

Most of the time I add some cornstarch to the broth to thicken it a bit. However, it’s not necessary. In fact, you don’t even have to add broth.

Alternative Ingredients for Shepherd’s Pie

You can swap out some of the ingredients, and it’s still good. If you prefer ground turkey, then you can use that instead of ground beef.

As I researched shepherd’s pie, I was surprised to learn that it was originally made with lamb. I would like that, but my husband doesn’t care for lamb, so I probably won’t make it that way.

Shepherd’s pie purists call the version with ground beef “cottage pie.” They’re also not fond of adding cheese to their shepherd’s pie.

There are also meat alternatives for vegetarians. I’ve used some of the soy crumbles in the past, and they’re good. However, I still prefer to use ground beef.

Another thing you may want to swap is the type of vegetables. I used peas and carrots this time, but there have been times when I used green beans. By all means, use whatever you have on hand.

While I prefer traditional mashed potatoes—either from scratch or prepared mashed potatoes—you can also use sweet potatoes. My daughter and her family prefer the mashed sweet potatoes.

The most important thing is to make it however you and your family like it. After all, the key to a wonderful family meal is to make food everyone will enjoy while dining together.

How to Make Shepherd’s Pie

I always coat the bottom of my casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray to make cleanup easier.

Or you can use any type of oil to coat the pan or dish.

Next, brown the ground beef, drain it, and pour it into the casserole dish. You may season it if you want.

I typically shake a tiny bit of salt and pepper onto the ground beef to keep it from being bland.

After that, drain a can of vegetables if you used the canned version and pour it over the ground beef.

However, if you use frozen, I recommend steaming them first.

The mashed potatoes come next. You may either make them from scratch or purchase the ones that are already prepared.

I use whichever one I have on hand. Smooth the potatoes out evenly over the vegetables.

Remember that there are always several methods of assembling most casseroles.

Next, I usually cover the casserole with foil and bake it for about 20-25 minutes to get everything hot.

However, if you like your potatoes browned on top, leave the cover off.

Finally, I remove the foil cover, add the cheese, and return it to the oven for 5-10 minutes. Once the cheese has melted and started to bubble, remove it from the oven.

What to Serve with Shepherd’s Pie

Although you don’t need to have anything else with shepherd’s pie, we’ve found that we like to have a salad and some sort of bread.

Here are some options of what you can serve with shepherd’s pie:

Watermelon Cucumber Salad – This refreshing salad balances out the flavors of the shepherd’s pie. You can enjoy it before or during the main part of the meal.

Broccoli Slaw – You’ll love the flavors that come together in this crunchy, delicious, and colorful salad.

Creamy Coleslaw – This is something that goes with everything, and it’s super easy to make.

Greek Olive and Feta Salad – Make this an international meal with the addition of this yummy olive salad. It will quickly become one of your favorites!

Apple Spinach Salad – This salad has just the right amount of sweetness from the apples without taking on dessert status. It’s delicious!

Cloud Bread – When you want bread without the extra carbs, this is a yummy option.

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More Recipes

Since life can get pretty crazy for most of us, I thought I’d offer some links to more comfort food. When you want something spicy, try making chicken creole with rice.

You can also try these sesame ginger ribs or this steak hash.

For even more wonderful recipes, check out Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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Another dish we enjoy when it’s just the two of us is this Crockpot sausage and black beans dinner for two. If you have more people to feed, simply double or triple the recipe.

Serve any of these dishes with this delicious cornbread from Back to My Southern Roots.

For a fun dessert, try this caramel apple pizza. You can top it with ice cream or whipped cream. Or you can leave it as is.

Please feel free to share!