Healthy Shepherd’s Pie
One of my favorite things about being a recipe developer at EatingWell magazine was taking classic comfort food and giving it a healthy twist. Shepherd’s pie, or Cottage Pie as it’s known in Great Britain, has always been a go-to dish, and finding ways to lighten it up without sacrificing flavor was an exciting challenge.
Over the years, I’ve created many veggie-packed, lower-calorie versions of familiar favorites here on my blog. Recipes like Healthy Beef Stroganoff, Healthy Beef Lasagna, Healthy Sloppy Joes and today’s recipe for lightened-up Shepherd’s Pie share a common goal: delicious, comforting flavors made lighter and more nutritious. Keep reading to learn how I transformed this classic into a healthier weeknight option!
Table of Contents
Why We Love Healthy Shepherd’s Pie
I think we can all agree (assuming since you’re here) that we all love a good shepherd’s pie. However, when we think of shepherd’s pie we often think of super buttery and creamy mashed potatoes layered over top equally buttery and fatty ground beef in gravy (or ground lamb- the traditional meat in British versions of this dish.)
Although delicious, it’s maybe not the most heart-healthy meal. So, cue this healthy shepherd’s pie recipe that’s equally as creamy without the excess fat and calories. It’s full of healthy veggies, 93% lean ground beef, and silky mashed potatoes.
This recipe is the perfect chilly evenings when you want to have something hearty tasting. It’s warm, cozy and filling, while also healthy, gluten-free and lower calorie. The whole meal only requires 35 minutes of prep time, and is finished within an hour, which means it’s totally cookable on a weeknight!
More Of Our Healthy Shepherd’s Pie Recipes
- If you add ground turkey to your shopping cart every week, try our Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie next!
- This new recipe for Vegetarian Lentil Shepherd’s Pie is a great meatless alternative to classic shepherd’s pie or cottage pie.
- Our Individual Lentil Shepherd’s Pies with Butternut Squash instead of mashed potatoes is another healthy Meatless Monday idea.
- This Chicken and Leek Shepherd’s Pie rounds out our collection of Shepherd’s Pie variations.
- Try our Shepherd’s Pie Baked Potatoes for a weeknight dinner.
Shepherd’s Pie Ingredients
- Potatoes: When making mashed potatoes, look for potatoes that have higher starch content, such as Russet or Yukon Gold. These potatoes will help make your mashed potatoes super fluffy, buttery and creamy. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can always swap out half of the potatoes for sweet potatoes.
- Beef: Aim to find 93% or 90% ground beef because it has less fat. You can also use ground lamb which is the traditional meat used in Shepherd’s pie (hence the name!)
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds an extra tang to the mashed potatoes. If you don’t have buttermilk you can easily make it at home! Simply mix together 1/3 cup of milk with 1/3 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes and use as directed. The ratio in reference is 1 cup to 1 teaspoon.
- Vegetables: We bulked up the serving size by adding in onion, carrot and celery. While celery is not traditional, we liked the low-calorie volume and traditional Mire Poix flavor it adds to the meat and gravy. We opted for frozen corn for our pie today. Some versions of Shepherd’s Pie include green beans, but we love the simple ease of just opening a bag of frozen corn.
- Swiss Cheese: While not traditional, we loved the addition of cheese on top of the mashed potatoes. You’ll only need 4 ounces to do the trick. And Swiss cheese is lower in fat and sodium than many cheeses, so it is not as indulgent as you may think on first glance.
- Seasonings: You will also need the following from your pantry to season the shepherd’s pie recipe: fresh garlic, paprika, thyme, red wine, Worcestershire sauce or Tamari, salt and ground pepper.
- Kitchen Staples: tomato paste, unsalted butter, neutral cooking oil, beef broth, and cornstarch to thicken the gravy.
How to Make Cottage Pie Healthy
Step 1: Make mashed potatoes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly and return them to the saucepan. Add buttermilk, butter, pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt and mash until smooth. Cover and keep warm until step 4.
Step 2: Start beef filling
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, celery and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are just starting to soften and brown slightly, about 7 minutes.
Step 3: Finish beef filling
Add paprika and thyme and stir to coat. Add red wine and tomato paste and bring to a simmer, stirring until the tomato paste is incorporated into the mixture and the wine is almost evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup broth and bring to a boil, stirring often. Stir the remaining ½ cup broth with Worcestershire sauce or tamari and cornstarch and then stir into the simmering beef mixture. Cook, stirring until the sauce is thickened and reduced slightly, about 3 to 6 minutes. Stir in corn and remove from the heat.
Step 4: Assemble & bake
Spread the mashed potatoes over the beef mixture, top with Swiss cheese and sprinkle with additional paprika, if desired. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the beef and sauce are bubbling along the edges, 15 minutes.
Make Ahead, Leftovers, Reheating and Freezing Instructions
Make Ahead: Shepherd’s pie is great to make ahead of time. Fully assemble the pie but don’t cook. Cover it with plastic wrap and tin foil, then freeze for 1 to 2 months. If only making the dish one day ahead, you can wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
Freezing: This is a great freezer friendly dish! There’s no need to let the dish thaw before baking. You can easily bake the pie from frozen by baking at 350 degrees F for 60 to 90 minutes. If the pie is thawed, bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
Leftovers and Reheating: If you end up with leftovers, store the Shepherd’s pie in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the oven in an ovenproof dish at 350 degrees F for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on amount) or in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
- My Green Beans recipe is quick, healthy, and super fresh and would be a great side to pair with this dish.
- Sauteed Brussels Sprouts or Cooked Peas are some other side dishes to pair with this healthy cottage pie recipe.
- Try our classic Garden Salad recipe or this Caesar Salad Dressing tossed with Romaine or Kale.
Variations To Try
- Use leftover Simple Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes to top off the beef mixture.
- Substitute ground lamb for the beef for a traditional version of this recipe.
- Use cut green beans in place of the corn.
- Use low carb mashed cauliflower instead of the potatoes.
- Use mashed sweet potatoes, mashed root veggies or our mashed parsnips and carrots instead of the mashed potatoes.
More Comfort Food Make-Overs
We love making healthy versions of classic comfort foods. Here are some more fan favorites
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Healthy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Healthy Skillet Shepherd’s Pie is a comfort food make over with only 390 calories per serving. It’s loaded with flavor, rich gravy, lean beef and a bit of melted gooey cheese on top to make it unbelievably irresistible dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds thin-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 3 medium)
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, preferably white pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or organic canola oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef, preferably 93% lean
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth, divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or Tamari
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese, about 1 cup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender and a knife or fork can easily slip in and out when they are probed, 13 to 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly and return to the saucepan. Add buttermilk, butter, pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt and mash until smooth. Cover and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned, and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, onion, carrot, celery and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are just starting to soften and brown slightly, about 7 minutes.
- Add paprika and thyme and stir to coat. Add red wine and tomato paste and bring to a simmer stirring until the tomato paste is incorporated into the mixture and the wine is almost evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup broth and bring to a boil, stirring often.
- Stir the remaining ½ cup broth with Worcestershire sauce or tamari and cornstarch and then stir into the simmering beef mixture. Cook, stirring until the sauce is thickened and reduced slightly, about 3 to 6 minutes. Stir in corn and remove from the heat.
- Spread the mashed potatoes over the beef mixture, top with Swiss cheese and sprinkle with additional paprika if desired. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the beef and sauce are bubbling along the edges, 15 minutes.
Notes
Make Ahead:
Shepherd’s pie is great to make ahead of time. Fully assemble the pie but don’t cook. Cover it with plastic wrap and tin foil, then freeze for 1 to 2 months. If only making the dish one day ahead, you can wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove Top/Oven
- Cuisine: English
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th casserole
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 610 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 23 g
My family and I found this to be lacking flavor, which is shocking given how much goes into it! It’s certainly got enough salt…it just needs depth or umami. I think next time I would go with Tamari instead of Worcestershire, and a different cheese, since Swiss has very little flavor. The recipe could also benefit from more herbs, such as rosemary and marjoram.
Hi Chelsea. If you felt it was on the salty side I would not switch the Worcestershire to Tamari because you’ll be making the recipe less acidic and that will make it seem even more salty. Salty and sour balance eachother and taking away sour will make it saltier. Plus tamari is salty so it will be a double whammy. Did you use the wine and tomato paste? These are also acidic which helps to build the flavor. I love the idea of adding in the herbs and switching to a sharper cheese. Let me know how your changes go and your answer about the tomato paste and wine.
I think traditionally Shepards Pie is made with lamb. If it’s made with beef it’s called Cottage Pie.
Hey there Joanne, Thanks so much for coming by. Feel free to use ground lamb although it is fattier and will be higher in calories. As I said above traditional British Shepherd’s Pie is indeed made with lamb. But in the US it is more customary to use beef because it is more widely available and much less expensive than lamb. Either will work though!
Great recipe, had lots of flavor. Good March recipe with St. Patty day coming up. Best I have made, and going to repeat this. Recipes I have tried before have been bland, and usually call for peas or mixed veggies to be added which I think just come out over cooked and don’t have a distinct flavor anymore. I had 96 percent fat free beef, I added 8 ounces chopped mushrooms, rosemary and used a smoked salt for the salt, skipped corn and cheese to decrease calories a bit, and used mashed cauliflower with potato for the topping. That is my way of saving a few calories. I like veggies like green beans on the side. Husband loves peas, or corn-so they make an appearance that way. Thank you!
I don’t usually leave a review if I followed the spirit of the recipe, but there aren’t many reviews and this was hands down the best shepherd’s pie I’ve ever had. The base gravy and the cheese was divine and did well with all the other additions I made. Thank you!
The flavor in this was awesome! I tried doubling the recipe and baking in a casserole (9×13) dish but the meat was way more liquid than expected. What would you recommend to help counter that next time?
Thanks so much Jennifer for coming back to review! I appreciate that. The meat is quite saucy, so my guess is, when it was doubled the liquid could have been reduced for longer. Meaning, if the skillet was crowded, it would take a longer time for the liquid to be evaporated. You could also add less broth in step 4 (try 1 1/2 cup for a double batch.)
I have never even thought of making shepherd’s pie in a skillet! And I love that you made it healthier.. last time I bought shepherd’s pie at a restaurant it was DRIPPING in oil.. turned me off shepherd’s pie for a while.
This pie looks gorgeous. I love that it’s made in a skillet. Bookmarking to make it next week. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Thank you so much. Please let us know how it goes if you do try it Jovita. Have a great weekend.
Oh I just loved reading that, hearing your tell of Vi. The lady two doors down from my childhood home was called Vi (“Aunty Vi” we called her, though she was no relation) and she would look after us too. I remember her biscuit tin and being given 10p to buy a bar of chocolate with! Oh those were the days 😀 Being English too, these recipes have a dear place in my heart so I am delighted to see how authentic your recipe is. Although technically, we’d call it Cottage Pie as it’s made with beef and use lamb mince for Shepherd’s pie 😉 I do love how it is made in a skillet on the stove top to make it easier!
So glad to hear your story too. And lol about 10p for the chocolate. When I started writing this post I actually started writing about the fact that Americans call the beef version shepherd’s pie, even though it’s technically lamb. But then I got so excited thinking about Vi’s story I forgot all about that. Thank you for mentioning it.
Now I am wondering if the same method would work with lamb. I may add in a step to drain the fat off the meat before adding the onions etc. since lamb is so much fattier than this beef was. Hmmm. I’ll have to try it out. 😉
This is beautiful, and I love that you just make it in a skillet. I’ve been thinking its about that time of year to make one of these!
Thanks for bringing that up. i didn’t even mention that because I got so swept away talking about Vi. Lol. The skillet really does simplify the whole process because the beef is already in there, and it’s already hot from the stove top, so it speeds the baking step along quite a bit.
I literally made a shepherd’s pie this week! Too funny! Yours looks amazing. You used corn in yours and it looks fantastic. I’ll have to try that next time!
Great minds think alike! That is too funny. I usually put corn in mine, though sometimes I use chopped up fresh green beans instead when they are in season. I like the way the corn adds sweetness to the beef mixture. Thank you for stopping by to say hello Lisa. Have a great weekend.
What a lovely story about Vi! Did she live in town? I certainly don’t recall anyone with a British accent…
I am interested that both of you make it with beef! I have always made it with lamb and I think they did too at GS, where I propably first had it. It sounds delish and I know Peter will want me to make it. He always ate most of my potion at lunctime…
Speaking of GS, they just sent us sticky buns for giving money recently! A box came yesterday and we opened it this morning at breakfast, and there they were. We’d been talking about that recently and I am so pleased that despite everyones’ health concerns, that the kitchen still makes them. They were a lot smaller than I remembered, so I guess that’s how they make them healthier. ;-D
Hi Debbie! So good to hear from you. Oh, you’d remember her if she lived in town, no lol, she lived in Doylestown. I don’t remember the shepherd’s pie at GS, but I do remember the chicken pot pie! That was always my favorite. And I know about the lamb/beef thing. I assume Vi used beef because it was more affordable. Please say hello to Peter for me. Thank you for coming by.