Just thinking of mashed potato and lamb is making me drool already (Shepherd’s Pie is a classic). It wasn’t until I went to college that I tasted my first Shepherd’s pie.

While sifting through some of my old recipes, I came across one for Shepherd’s pie. I decided to take it up a notch a little bit by creating a gluten-free recipe card.

The original was a dinner recipe but I revamped it in a way that’ll be perfect for any occasion.

And while I can’t wait to tell you guys all about this recipe, I don’t want to miss the chance to take you into a much deeper look at gluten free and dairy free Shepherd pie.

Things You Need To Know About Shepherd Pie

This is a comfort food staple but it also has a history that makes this meal extra special. We will be talking a bit about it below.

It Goes Way Back to Scotland

Shepherd Pie didn’t use to be what we know it to be this day. As a matter of fact, original shepherd pies were derived from Scotland and were baked in pastry crusts. On top of that, it makes use of leftover roast meat combined with savory gravy.

But when this reached Ireland, the recipe changed a bit (for the better, of course). People began skipping the pastry and replaced it with mashed potatoes instead.

It’s Not the Same As “Cottage Pie” or Casserole

Shepherd’s pie is the ultimate comfort food but there can be some misconceptions. Some people will tell you that Shepherd’s pie is just another term for cottage pie. Even though there is a multitude of sources siting this, the latter is actually a misconception.

Shepherd’s Pie is made with ground lamb or mutton. If your pie is made with ground beef then it is cottage pie. Now, what if you want to top your pie with breadcrumbs? Then, we start to call it Cumberland pie.

The Brits Used to Question It

It sounds a little funny because who would want to debate whether something is a pie or not? But you have to understand that the brits were really serious when it comes to pies.

The brits said that calling a casserole with a pastry lid a pie should be a criminal offense. The petitioners also argue that in order for this to qualify as a pie, it should have a top and base of pastry. Since this dish only has mashed potatoes at the bottom, it should not be regarded as a pie. However, the petitioners were not able to gather enough signatures to win their petition.

Shepherd’s Pie Dinner Recipe Can Be For Vegetarians As Well

Well, you know what happens when a recipe becomes way too popular? Other variations just sprout out of thin air. We have gardener’s pie as well as Shepherdless pie.

How to Make Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie?

This is exciting. We are just about to make this recipe. Let us begin by preparing the ingredients that we are going to need for all of this.

We’re Ready To Make Our Dairy Free or Gluten Free Shepherd’s Pie

Now that we have all the ingredients out, we can start.

You can go ahead and wash the potatoes and then cut them into large chunks. Take note that if you are not using red potatoes, you will have to peel out those potatoes.

Now go ahead and take a pot filled with water. Bring it to a simmer and then cook the potatoes until it is tender.

Once the potatoes have been cooked, it is time to drain the water but make sure to leave 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Mash potatoes along with the liquid. You can also mash with a potato masher. Once the potatoes have turned fluffy, you can set them aside for now.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Saute your ground beef along with some chopped onions and then set them aside.

After that, you can take a small bowl and then mix 3 tablespoons of beef mixture and then 3 tablespoons of rice starch.

Skillet Time

And then, it would be a good idea to bring out your skillet and set it to medium heat. Add garlic, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, and vegetables.

Bring it to a simmer. Right after that, you can add the beef broth and rice starch mixture that you created just a while ago. Stir until the broth thickens.

When you are all done with that, it is time to add the browned ground meat and onion mixture into your skillet. Mix it thoroughly while making sure that it is kept at a simmer.

If you have any beef broth left, make sure to add it to your cooking. Once it has thickened, you can remove the skillet from the heat.

We can take it a bit easy now because we are already halfway done.

This Dinner Recipe Is Almost Done

All you need to do is to take one of your baking dishes and then add a vegetable and meat mixture. Carefully spoon the mashed potato into the mixture.

Here’s a suggestion. You can also use the tine of the fork to score the mashed potatoes (only if you want to, of course).

You can then place small chunks of butter (or buttery spread) into the byproduct that you created. Vegan butter can also be an alternative if you want your dish to be extra healthy. It is also important that you take a cookie sheet and then place your baking dish on top of it.

This is because there is a strong possibility that the gravy will bubble over and we don’t really want to create a mess. Nor do we want to waste some of your precious ingredients.

Gluten and Dairy Free Shepards Pie: Bake Time

Right then, you should be able to bake your gluten free shepherds pie at 350 degrees. Don’t worry. This shouldn’t take too long. My estimation is around 25 – 30 minutes.

You should know when the pie is all done because the mashed potato topping will turn golden.

As you may have guessed, once your dish is all done, you can take it out of the oven. Let it cool a bit for a maximum of 10 minutes. Go ahead and serve it afterward.

Easy Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie Recipe Q&A Section

Shepherds Pie has always been a classic. The original recipe is somewhat unknown because there are so many variations you can find out there.

So, we specifically made this section to answer some of the hard questions you may be asking yourself at this point.

How Do I Achieve A Perfect Golden Effect On This Pie Recipe?

If you love this recipe and have started to play with it a bit, I do have an additional tip.

If you are not getting that perfect golden effect on your pie, what you can do is add two or three eggs into your mixture and this will definitely do the trick.

Why Is My Shepherds Pie Runny?

You know that Shepherds Pie should be a family favorite. And yet, you are finding that yours isn’t as good.

If your pie is a bit runny, it means that you may have not allowed it to simmer long enough or you were not able to bring to a boil.

Reader Interactions Are Important To Us

We care about what you think about the dinner recipe. After all, the reason we decided to put this out there is for the sake of precious readers like you.

So, whatever your experience has been with our free recipe, we would love to hear all about it in the comment section.

EASY Gluten-Free Shepherd Pie Recipe

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This gluten-free Shepherd's Pie is a delicious British recipe that our whole family loves! It's the perfect comfort food for any time of year!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground lamb or ground beef, 450g
• 1 tbsp oil
• 3 large carrots, medium dice
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Gluten Free Worcestershire sauce, omit for paleo/W30
• 2 cups gluten free beef stock, 500ml
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 tbsp butter, or vegan margarine for dairy-free, it’s not paleo)
• 2 tbsp arrowroot powder, or cornstarch if not paleo
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese –, optional
• salt and pepper
• Ground Turkey
• Pea
• Thyme

Instructions

1. Wash the potatoes and then cut them into large chunks. Take note that if you are not using red potatoes, you will have to peel out those potatoes.
2. Boil the potatoes until tender.
3. Leave half a cup of the cooking water and mash the potato with it.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Saute your ground beef along with chopped onions and set them aside.
6. Mix 3 tablespoons of beef mixture and then 3 tablespoons of rice starch.
7. Add garlic, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, and vegetables, and bring it to a simmer. 
8. Add a vegetable and meat mixture to the baking dish and carefully spoon the mashed potato into the mixture.
9. Bake your gluten free shepherds pie at 350 degrees for about 25 - 30 minutes.

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