Description
This traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie features a rich ground beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy Colcannon mashed potatoes made with leeks and cabbage. Baked until golden and bubbling, it’s a comforting, hearty dish perfect for family meals and cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Colcannon Potatoes
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- 6 ounces Irish butter
- ¾ cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 2 leeks, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ head Savoy cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Beef Filling
- 2 pounds 90 to 95% lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup dry sherry or red wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ cup fresh or frozen peas
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Prepare Colcannon Potatoes: Boil and mash the Yukon gold potatoes, then mix with Irish butter, milk or cream, leeks, garlic, and shredded Savoy cabbage. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) for baking the assembled shepherd’s pie later.
- Cook Ground Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned and no longer pink. Remove the beef from the skillet and drain excess grease.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add unsalted butter and the diced onion. Cook until onions start to brown. Then add chopped celery and diced carrots. Season with salt, dried thyme, and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add Tomato Paste and Flour: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes to toast it. Then sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir, cooking for another 2 minutes to combine and thicken.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the dry sherry or red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, then add beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Return the browned beef to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the fresh or frozen peas.
- Assemble Shepherd’s Pie: Transfer the beef and vegetable mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Spoon the Colcannon mashed potatoes evenly over the top, spreading to cover and making sure the potatoes touch the edges of the dish.
- Decorate Potato Topping: Use a spoon, spatula, or knife to create swirls or a diagonal scoring pattern on top of the mashed potatoes. Lightly sprinkle paprika over the surface for color.
- Bake: Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the potato topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and make serving easier.
Notes
- Using Colcannon potatoes with leeks and cabbage gives this variation of Shepherd’s Pie a uniquely Irish twist with more texture and flavor.
- Drain excess fat from the beef after browning to avoid greasy filling and ensure a rich but balanced dish.
- Creating patterns on the potato topping not only looks pretty but helps create a crisp, golden crust during baking.
- This dish can be prepared ahead: assemble then refrigerate, and bake when ready to serve.
- Substitute vegetables in the beef filling as desired to customize your Shepherd’s Pie.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 685 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 735 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 21 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 168 mg
