Shepherd’s pie is a great alternative to corned beef and cabbage for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. It does indeed originate in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Traditional shepherd’s pie recipes often include ground lamb, lending to the name of the dish. This rich and hearty dish can be high in sodium, saturated fat and calories. This is a lightened-up version that uses mushrooms and sweet potatoes to improve its nutritional quality. Serve it with steamed green vegetables or a nice, crisp salad to create an impressive meal fit for an Irish celebration with family and friends.
PREP TIME
20 Min
COOK TIME
45 Min
SERVINGS
6
DIFFICULTY
Easy
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 12 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup unsalted beef broth
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
Sweet Potato Topping
- 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
- 4 tablespoons skim milk
- 1 tablespoon spreadable butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- To make the filling, heat the oil in a cast iron/oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, mushrooms and garlic. Cook until slightly softened.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until it’s browned. Add the dried herbs, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Stir to combine well.
- Sprinkle the flour over the beef/vegetable mixture and gently stir until moist. Pour the beef stock into the skillet. Cook a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the frozen peas and carrots and cook a few more minutes.
- Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Place them in the microwave and cook for 8 minutes or until soft. Let the potatoes cool slightly.
- Cut the potatoes and scoop out the flesh. Place in a food processor or bowl with spreadable butter and milk, and puree or mash until smooth.
- Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly over the filling, covering the entire surface to the edges.
- Bake the shepherd’s pie in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until filling is warm and topping is lightly browned.
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 | Calories: 296 | Total fat: 7g | Saturated fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 508mg | Total carbohydrate: 36g | Fiber 6g | Protein: 22g
