What's more comforting on a cold day than a piping hot shepherd's pie? This mix of meat and potatoes is one of the simplest that we know, yet it has been a staple dish since the 19th century because it just tastes so good.
Shepherd's pie folds hearty flavours and textures into one delectable dish. Juicy, seasoned ground meat cook to perfection with veggies, all topped with a velvety blanket of creamy mashed potatoes that get gloriously golden and crispy in the oven. The result? A crunchy top crust that gives way to a succulent, rich inside. We love to watch the potato mix with the beef on the plate.
We've gathered together some shepherd's pie recipes that are fast, easy to put together and utterly irresistible.
Let's start with a basic version of this venerable dish. Our classic Shepherd’s Pie blends beef and peas under a creamy layer of mashed potatoes. French's Worcestershire Sauce adds an extra dimension to the beef with its umami blend of vinegar and molasses flavours.
This gorgeous mixture nestles in our Brown Gravy Mix, a thick, fat-free sauce with no artificial colours or flavours. Other than its taste, the most amazing thing about this knockout hamburger recipe is its simplicity. At just 10 minutes preparation time and 20 minutes in the oven, it's a no-brainer for a warming dinner on a cold day.
Beef or lamb? Why not both?
Beef versus lamb is a bone of contention in the world of shepherd's pies. Some swear that shepherd's pies can be ground beef recipes, while others argue that those are cottage pies. A true shepherd's pie must use lamb all the way, they argue. (It is a pie for shepherds, after all.)
Why limit yourself to one type of meat? Avert conflict at the dinner table by making this Shepherd’s Pie with Cumin & Smashed Chickpeas recipe, which has both. This dish is a non-traditional take on a classic, folding in ingredients with a middle-eastern theme.
Warm, earthy cumin adds depth and complexity to this pie, bringing smokiness and a slight bitterness to the mix. The smashed chickpeas bring another texture to this recipe, creating a more rounded, filling centre to a pie that also features whisky or apple cider.
A French-Canadian favourite
Pâté Chinois, which translates to "Chinese pie," is a traditional French-Canadian dish, known since the 1930s. Its origins remain a mystery, with some claiming that it was based on food eaten by workers building the Canadian railroad system, and others arguing that it stems from the indigenous preparation of pemmican. We may never know the truth, but one thing we do know is that this Quebecois dish is delicious.
This is a relatively simple ground beef recipe that goes heavy on the garlic. Onion and garlic cooked with beef forms the basis of this recipe, elevated by thyme, nutmeg, and ground black pepper, and all topped by a creamy cap of garlic mashed potatoes. Sometimes the simplest ingredients really are the best; a drizzle of French's Tomato Ketchup is the perfect way to top off this classic recipe.
Shake up your hamburger recipe
Herb seasonings and garlic aren't the only way to create a tasty shepherd's pie dish. There's another easy option for home cooks that want to create a fast but flavourful meal. Our Shepherd’s Pie Seasoning Mix provides all the taste you need in a simple seasoning that you can apply to your beef or lamb shepherd's pie mixture. Vinegar, molasses, tamarind, garlic and a range of spices all combine to supercharge a basic meat and potato combo. The page for this mix even provides its own recipe, comprising just four ingredients. The super shepherd's pie seasoning does the rest.
You'll be glad you sparked up the oven to try out one of these shepherd's pie recipes. They're delicious but different takes on a classic that has delighted families around the supper table for well over a century.
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