This Simple Shepherd’s Pie recipe is a great version of a favorite Scottish dish that uses lean ground beef but creates the same full, hearty flavor you love.
Yes, I realize that today is April 1st, and no, this post is not a joke.
Maybe some of you are enjoying a beautiful spring day with chirping birds, blooming cherry blossoms, and iced tea on your porch.
Where I live today is filled with gloomy gray skies, howling wind, and intermittent thunderstorms.
On days like today, I require comfort food.
Unfortunately, I have an uncanny inability to plan for meals ahead of time, so when I’m craving Shepherd’s Pie I never seem to have any leftover mashed potatoes to use.
I loooove this shepherd’s pie recipe because it’s super easy and requires about zero forethought to make it. Rather than using mashed potatoes for topping, I use thinly sliced potatoes and sprinkle tasty white cheddar cheese on top.
My good friends over at Simply Organic challenged me to reclaim the casserole by putting together a dish without any of the “yuck” ingredients that are so frequently called for in a recipe.
I have a rule when I make casseroles: NO “cream-of-questionable-life-choices” soup.
Instead, I like to use REAL cheese, yogurt, and flavorful herbs to satisfy my cravings.
Done and DONE.
Here’s the Recipe!
Simple Shepherd's Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Simply Organic Thyme Leaf
- 1 teaspoon Simply Organic Parsley Flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon Simply Organic Fennel Seed
- 1/2 teaspoon Frontier Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Simply Organic Black Pepper Medium Grind
- 12 ounces white or yellow potatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups diced yellow onion - about 1 large onion
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot - tapioca starch or tapioca flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 ounce shredded white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cut the potatoes into 1/8” thick slices. Boil in water for 4-6 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook for another 5 minutes, breaking up the large pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Season the beef with thyme, parsley, fennel seed, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and sauté, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Dissolve arrowroot into broth, pour into the pan and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the diced tomatoes and Greek yogurt.
- Transfer the meat mixture to a 2 ½ quart casserole dish. Arrange the sliced potatoes on top in an overlapping pattern. Top with shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and cook for another 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
Relax, Lauren lol
This looks very good and I will make it soon. Just one point of order though, Shepherds Pies is called that because it has lamb in it. They call the rest Cottage Pie.
You’re amazing just wanted you to know. The blog is crisp and clean and it makes me jealous because I just know you’re kitchen is so organized unlike mine. Your dishes are amazing and so are you. The dish can’t be anykind of pie for me unless the taters are mashed LOL.. that’s what I love about Cottage Pie, Sherpherds Pie lol Pie etc… the mashed potatoes yummmm…. Dish looks great.. my British friends make this sooo good.. I cook really well and when I make this Its yum but that British mojo I must be missing same ingredients same skills Mojo missing… anyhoo wanted to say THank you little lady
Thank you, Jo! It’s so nice reading a comment like this 🙂
THIS IS NOT SHEPHERD’S PIE!!!!!
SHEPHERD’S PIE IS MADE FROM LAMB. THIS RECIPE CALLS FOR BEEF. WHAT YOU HAVE MADE IS COTTAGE PIE! IF YOU WERE TO PUT CHEESE ON WHAT YOU HAVE MADE, IT WOULD BE A CUMBERLAND PIE! THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BWTWEEN THE THREE OF THEM.
SHEPHERDS HERD SHEEP NOT COWS!
PLEASE DO NO CALL THIS COTTAGE PIE BECAUSE IT IS NOT!
You make some good points, Lauren!
Yum!! Love the idea of using scalloped potatoes instead of mashed potatoes for the topping. Looks so comforting..
Thanks, Sarah!