Curry Lentil Shepherd's Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my shepherd's pie soggy? ›

A good shepherd's – or indeed cottage – pie, needs a solid, but fluffy top: too much milk or butter, and you'll end up with a sloppy puree instead. Make sure you steam the potatoes dry before mashing, and season generously; I like Bareham and Hopkinson's nutmeg as well as the usual salt and pepper.

The easiest way to thicken shepherd's pie filling is by sprinkling a few tablespoons of flour into the ground beef mixture as it cooks before adding it to the baking dish. The starch in the flour will absorb the extra liquid and create a thick gravy.

How do you keep shepherds pie from falling apart? The eggs in the mashed potatoes help keep the pie together. You should also make sure to spread the potatoes and press down a bit.

This Easy Shepherd's Pie recipe is made with ground beef, brown gravy, and frozen vegetables in less than 30 minutes on the stove top. Broil in the oven for just 5 minutes and dinner is served! Make it with my homemade mashed potato recipe, or use up leftover mashed potatoes!

To stop the mash sinking into the filling, allow the meat to cool before topping with the mashed potato. Freeze in individual ovenproof dishes for an easy meal for one.

shepard's pie

Flour: A little flour is used to thicken up the sauce so it's thick and creamy. Red Wine: Is used to deglaze the pan to remove the brown bits “fond” off of the bottom of the pan. That is where all the flavor is! Tomato Paste: Gives the sauce a deepened tomato flavor.

Flour: I used flour to thicken the sauce, but see below for gluten-free substitution options. Beef stock: Or chicken or veggie stock, whatever you have on hand. Dry red wine: I also love the extra depth of flavor this adds. But if you prefer not to cook with wine, just add in an extra 1/2 cup of beef stock instead.

Flour: Used to thicken the filling, creating a sauce to coat the ingredients. Stock: Beef stock or broth enhances the meaty taste of the filling.

A large oven proof Le Creuset, metal handled frying pan or enamel coated cast iron pan works well. Or you can cook your meat in a frying pan and then transfer it to a ceramic or glass lasagna dish to bake. Alternatively you can make individual pies in ramekins or small ovenproof dishes.

Residual moisture from the potatoes will drip into the beef below as it cooks, and too much of it will cause the potatoes to eventually sink. Aside from ridding your potatoes of excess moisture before you mash them, it also helps to cool the beef down, BBC Good Food shares.

Should I put shepherds pie in the fridge? ›

Leftovers or Make Ahead

A Shepherd's Pie is the perfect make-ahead food. In the fridge Cook up to point 11 in the recipe below and you can keep this recipe in the fridge for 2 days. Then bake as normal.

Tomato paste: Can also use ketchup instead if you don't have tomato paste. Gluten free: For a gluten-free friendly version, use cornstarch in place of the flour. Be sure to check all of your ingredients to make sure they're gluten free (especially the beef broth!

Red Wine Vinegar and Tamarind Paste:

This substitute is a good combination for Worcestershire Sauce. Just use about half of this mixture as a substitute. These two ingredients combined are a little more sweeter and tarter so add slowly to your dish.

The two English terms have been used interchangeably since they came into use in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, although some writers insist that a shepherd's pie should contain lamb or mutton, and a cottage pie, beef.

If the fat melts before a strong gluten structure has formed, the pastry will end up soggy. Overly moist fillings can also contribute to a soggy bottom as the liquid will drop to the bottom of the pie and ooze into the pastry. To ensure crisp pastry, the base can be blind baked before adding the filling.

Allow your pie to bake for the entire recommended period.

People often pull their pie too soon out of fear that it will burn. This leads to runny pie because it prevents the filling from thickening. Check the recommended cooking time, and set a timer. Don't use the brownness of your pie crust to judge if it is done.

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners.