Make it healthier: shepherd's pie (2024)

Make it healthier: shepherd's pie (1)

Shepherd’s pie and cottage pie are dishes of minced meat topped with mashed potato. Cottage pie came first, once made with any meat but now using beef. Shepherd’s pie – using lamb or mutton – appeared in the 1870s. Both cottage and shepherd’s pie traditionally used Sunday-roast leftovers; today we buy mince. A survey of the nation’s favourite meals voted shepherd’s pie number 2. Try these easy ways to make your version a bit healthier – and three delicious dinners you can try instead.

See Also
Cottage pie

How to make healthier shepherd’s pie

This ultimate comfort food can be quite unhealthy, with lots of butter in the mash and pushing up your saturated fat intake. Here are a few ideas to make this classic a little healthier and just as tasty.

The topping

Mashed potato, particularly instant mash, has a high GI so try different kinds of mash as listed. Rather than butter, use semi-skimmed milk and beat the mash with a wooden spoon. Sweet potatoes, cauliflower and swede are moist and may not need milk added.

  • Swap ordinary potatoes for sweet potatoes.
  • Try a mash of half sweet potato and half ordinary potato.
  • Use a mix of potato, cauliflower and swede.
  • Use half polenta with half sweet potato.

The filling

Try minced turkey, which is leaner than lamb or beef. Look for lean mince and read the label to check the fat percentage. Fat content varies but is typically:

  • Minced Lamb 20% fat
  • Minced Beef 5%-15% fat
  • Minced Pork 5%-20% fat
  • Minced Turkey 2%-7% fat
  • Minced Venison 2% fat

Add a can of lentils to the meat. Green or Puy lentils are best as they don’t dissolve. Cook dried lentils first before adding to the filling. They’re cheap and nutritious with great flavour.

Add plenty of vegetables such as finely chopped onion, carrot, mushrooms and leeks to the meat. Aim to make your filling at least 50% vegetables.

To make a healthier shepherd’s pie:

Serves 5–6 – prep: 25 minutes – cook: 1 hour – 3.5 portions of fruit and veg per serving

  • 300g potatoes
  • 200g swede
  • 300g cauliflower
  • 2 tsp sunflower oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 250g lean minced lamb
  • 130g carrot, finely chopped
  • 150g mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 150g leeks, finely chopped
  • 2 heaped tsp wholemeal flour
  • 400g tin green lentils (with no added salt)
  • 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree
  • pinch of dried thyme
  • a few grinds of black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • salt and pepper, for seasoning
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Boil the potatoes and swede for 10 minutes, then add the cauliflower and cook until tender.
  2. Drain, saving the water, and mash adding a good pinch of salt and pepper.Beat with a wooden spoon, to break up any lumps and to add air to make the mash lighter.
  3. Meanwhile, add the sunflower oil to a pan, add the onion and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly until well browned.
  4. Stir in the lean minced lamb. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the carrot, mushrooms and leeks and cook for another 5 minutes stirring regularly.
  5. Sprinkle over the wholemeal flour and mix. Add the tin of green lentils, including the water they come in. Stir in the tomato purée, a good pinch of dried thyme, a few grinds of black pepper, the Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt and 250ml water from the boiled vegetables.
  6. Stir well, bring up to a gentle boil, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the mince to an ovenproof dish, top with the mash and bake for 25–35 minutes.Stir well, bring up to a gentle boil, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the mince to an ovenproof dish, top with the mash and bake for 25–35 minutes.

Per serving

274Kcals – 19.7g protein – 34.6g carbs (Make it healthier: shepherd's pie (2)8.1g sugars) – Make it healthier: shepherd's pie (3)7.3g fat (Make it healthier: shepherd's pie (4)2.9g saturates) – Make it healthier: shepherd's pie (5)0.7g salt

Make it healthier: shepherd's pie (2024)

FAQs

Is shepherd's pie good for you? ›

This ultimate comfort food can be quite unhealthy, with lots of butter in the mash and pushing up your saturated fat intake. Here are a few ideas to make this classic a little healthier and just as tasty.

What is a good substitute for mashed potatoes for diabetics? ›

Cauliflower. This vegetable is an excellent alternative to potato either boiled, steamed, or roasted. It's very low in carbs, making it a terrific option for people on a very low carb diet.

How many calories are in a piece of shepherd's pie? ›

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

922 calories. 34g protein. 72g fat.

What was the shepherd's pie created by the housewives trying to do? ›

There are two running theories of how this type of savory meat-based pie came to be. Some say it was invented by shepherds in the 18th century. Others say it was housewives who created the pie as a way of repackaging leftovers from Sunday Roast to ensure the meat does not spoil without refrigeration.

What is the healthiest pie in the world? ›

But the apple pie takes the cake when it comes to fiber and potassium, and it has less added sugar. So what's a pie aficionado to do? Well, if you want to consume fewer calories, go for the pumpkin—it almost always has fewer because of the single crust. You could also take a sliver of both pies.

How unhealthy are meat pies? ›

Sadly, they're not great as a regular part of your diet. An average individual meat pie provides around 450kcal, but the biggest problem is the 12g of saturated fat inside it – that's more than half the daily guideline. If you have buttery mashed potato or chips on the side, the fat content of your meal is even higher.

Is shepherd's pie high in carbs? ›

Traditional shepherd's pie is high in all of the macronutrients—protein, fat, and carbs. Meat supplies protein and fat, butter and heavy cream supply more fat, and potatoes, flour (used in the gravy), and vegetables (typically peas and carrots) supply carbs.

How many calories are in 2 cups of shepherd's pie? ›

shepherds pie
Nutrition Facts
For a Serving Size of 2 Cup (321.61g)
How many calories are in shepherds pie? Amount of calories in shepherds pie: Calories 376.2Calories from Fat 204.6 (54.4%)
% Daily Value *
How much fat is in shepherds pie? Amount of fat in shepherds pie: Total Fat 22.7g-
72 more rows

How many calories are in one serving of Costco Shepherd's pie? ›

The Costco Kirkland Shepherd's Pie contains about 460 calories in 1/8 of the tray. Many people would eat more than 1/8th of the tray in one serving.

What ethnicity is Shepherd's Pie? ›

shepherd's pie, dish of British Isles origin that makes use of vegetables and chopped meat cooked in a casserole topped with or surrounded by mashed potatoes.

Where is shepherd's pie popular? ›

While Shepherd's Pie came out as one of the best ways to deal with the leftovers, the results were also delicious. After that, it became one of the most sought-after dishes in the two countries. Since Ireland and the United Kingdom had such a long union, both of them claim the origin of the Shepherd's Pie.

Why is a shepherd's pie called a pie? ›

Why is it called cottage pie or shepherd's pie? The term cottage pie originated in England in the 18th Century to refer to a peasant food dish. It was a meal usually eaten by poorer people living in small cottages because the ingredients were affordable. Over time, it became more popular and was crowned cottage pie.

Is shepherds pie soft diet? ›

Some ideas for soft savoury foods are: Meat or vegetarian: casseroles, stews or curries. shepherd's pie or cottage pie.

How many days can you eat shepherds pie? ›

Make It Ahead. The beef mixture can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Or make the whole casserole ahead, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge for up to a day.

Is meat pie a healthy snack? ›

Meat pie is a very healthy snack and it contains a lot of dietary fibres that prevents constipation and reduces cholesterol.

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