Description
This classic Irish Shepherd’s Pie features a hearty ground beef filling layered under creamy Colcannon mashed potatoes made with leeks and Savoy cabbage. Baked to golden perfection, it’s a comforting, wholesome meal perfect for family dinners or cozy nights in.
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, to taste
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, to taste
- 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
- Make the Colcannon Potatoes: Prepare the colcannon by boiling Yukon gold potatoes until tender, mashing them with Irish butter and whole milk or cream. Sauté sliced leeks, minced garlic, and shredded Savoy cabbage, then fold these vegetables into the mashed potatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the assembled pie.
- Cook Ground Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Remove the beef from the skillet and drain excess grease.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter and cook the diced onions until they begin to brown. Add chopped celery and diced carrots, season with salt, dried thyme, and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for several minutes 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, stirring constantly, and cook for another 2 minutes to coat 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 before adding the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Return the browned beef to the skillet and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the peas.
- Assemble the Pie: Transfer the beef mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Spoon the colcannon mashed potatoes over the beef, spreading evenly and ensuring the potatoes touch the edges of the dish to prevent shrinking during baking. Create swirls with a spoon or score a diagonal pattern on top, then lightly sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake: Bake the assembled shepherd’s pie in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the potato topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling.
- Rest and Serve: Allow the pie to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld and the filling set.
Notes
- What’s better than Shepherd’s Pie? Shepherd’s Pie with a Colcannon top, combining creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage and leeks for an authentic Irish twist.
- Ensure the mashed potatoes fully cover the beef mixture and touch the casserole dish edges to prevent the topping from shrinking while baking.
- Use lean ground beef to reduce excess grease and keep the filling hearty yet balanced.
- Dry sherry is preferred for deglazing, but dry red wine is a good substitute if unavailable.
- Letting the pie rest after baking helps the filling thicken and makes serving easier.
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
