Veal and Beef Shepherd's Pie (Cottage Pie)

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• One of the best comfort foods!
• Packs a bunch of flavor in every bite
• Leftovers are just as good the next day!
• Quite easy to make and it can be made beautifully as well.
• These freeze well.

Traditional Shepherd’s Pie vs Cottage Pie

Shepherd’s pie and Cottage pie have been used interchangeably for many years all over the world. However, if you want to be a stickler, cottage pie is made with beef and shepherd's pie is made with lamb. Since we are not in the 18th or 19th century any longer, different types of meat have become much more widely available so experimenting with the filling has brought variety to this excellent dish.

Ingredients

Here is what you need to make this recipe:

For the Potatoes:

• Yellow or gold potatoes: These potatoes have the right amount of flavor and starch for the mashed potato topping. 
• Half and half: Along with the butter, half and half helps create a richness and creaminess with the potatoes.
• Unsalted butter: Butter is always one of the most important ingredients in mashed potatoes.
• Kosher salt & black pepper
• Egg yolk: This makes the potato topping even richer and silkier.

For the Filling:

• Neutral oil: We love to use avocado or grape seed oil, but any vegetable oil will work. 
• Onion: Onion is one of the foundational ingredients in the filling. We use yellow onion.
• Carrots: Also a staple in shepherd’s pie, carrots provide a subtle sweetness to the dish.
• Garlic cloves: We don’t use much and it certainly isn’t garlicky, but the flavor added by fresh minced cloves of garlic is nice. 
• Ground beef: Use somewhat lean ground beef (80/20 or leaner) for best results.
• Ground veal: Veal complements the beef with a lighter flavor in the ground meat mixture.
• Kosher salt & ground pepper
• All purpose flour: A little is used to help thicken the filling
• Tomato paste: The deep rich flavor of tomato paste really brings the filling together.
• Chicken stock: Try to use reduced sodium or no salt added stock so you can control the salt content.
• Worcestershire sauce: The complex flavor of Worcestershire sauce is perfect in the filling.
• Fresh Rosemary: This powerhouse herb is a subtle but star contributor. 
• Fresh Thyme: Chopped fresh thyme is a wonderful complimentary herb for shepherd’s pie.
• Corn: You can use fresh corn, frozen corn, or canned corn here.
• Edamame: We use shelled edamame beans to replace the traditional peas that are often found in shepherd’s pie.
• Sweet Paprika: Just a sprinkle on top of the potatoes before they go in the oven adds nice color and a hint of flavor.

See recipe card below for quantities.

Substitutions

Here are a couple of common substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:

• Meat Mixture: You can use all beef, all veal, or even replace these with a different ground meat such as ground lamb, bison, pork or even ground chicken or ground turkey.
• Chicken Stock: ​Vegetable stock is a good substitution but you could use beef stock if you want this to be a bit richer in flavor.
• Fresh herbs: ​Dried rosemary and dried thyme can replace the fresh herbs in this recipe.
• Edamame beans: Peas can be used for a more traditional take instead of edamame beans.

How to Make Veal and Beef Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd's pie couldn't be easier to make, and our version is no different. It takes a bit of prep to get all the ingredients ready and in the baking dish. Besides prep time, no special techniques are required.

Equipment

Here is what you need to make this dish

• A large pot to boil the potatoes
• A potato ricer or potato masher to 
• A small saucepan to warm the half and half and butter
• A large frying pan to cook the filling
• A casserole dish to assemble and bake the pie, 9x9inch ovenproof dish or similar

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the Potato Mash

• Peel and dice the potatoes (½ inch pieces). Add diced potatoes to a pot of cold water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer on low heat and cook uncovered until tender (10-15 minutes). While potatoes cook, prep filling below.
• Once potatoes are done, drain water from the potatoes and return them to the large pot. Combine butter and half and half in a small saucepan and heat on low on the stove until warmed throughout.
• Mash potatoes with a potato masher or potato ricer and add warmed half and half and butter. Add salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in egg yolk. Set aside.

Cook the Vegetables and Meat for the Filling

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• In a large pan, add a neutral oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and carrots and sauté just until they begin to take color (3-4 min). Add garlic and stir to combine.
• Next add beef and veal to brown and cook through, then sprinkle flour over meat mixture and toss to coat. Cook for another 3-4 min. 

Finish the Filling

• Add tomato paste, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and thyme, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for 10-12 minutes until sauce thickens. Once thickened, add the corn and edamame beans and mix.

Assemble the Shepherd’s Pie and Bake

• Remove from heat and spread beef and veal mixture in a 9 X 9 inch baking dish. Layer with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle paprika on top and bake for 25 minutes uncovered. Once done, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations

Here are a couple ways to change up this recipe:

• You can use sweet potatoes for the mash for a completely different flavor.
• If you want to add some spiciness, cayenne pepper can be used in the mash as well as the filling.
• Add some parmesan cheese to the top of the potatoes for a nice cheesy crust.

Storage

How to store leftover Shepherd’s Pie:

• Once cooled to room temperature, store covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to reheat leftover Shepherd’s Pie:

• You can reheat in the oven at 325°F or even use a microwave.

Can you freeze leftover Shepherd’s Pie?

• Yes, it freezes very well and it will last 5-6 months in the freezer. Thaw before reheating.

Troubleshooting

If your potatoes cook too long, they could become a bit saturated with excess water. If that happens, spread them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 300°F for 10 minutes or so to evaporate the unwanted water.

What to serve with Shepherd’s Pie

Everything is in the dish so no additional sides are needed.

What Wines To Drink with Shepherd’s Pie

We love a bold red wine with shepherd’s pie. Petit Syrah, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec are great choices.