Italian Shepherd's Pie

Shepherds Pie is one of those comfort foods that you love or hate. This is one of my son's favorite recipes, and of course, I Italianized it!

If that's even a word, I just love the way this Italian American Shepherds Pie taste, it's bursting with a delicious brown wine gravy and smothered in many kinds of cheeses.

I guess my spin is quite different than most, but it sure is delicious and the best in comfort foods.

When my son Curt was a little boy ( now a grown man with his own family) he made his own shepherds pie on his plate? How you ask?

Well on Italian meatloaf night he took a slice of meatloaf, topped it with mashed potatoes and mashed corn on top of it.

Psst, don't tell anyone, but almost 40 years later he still does this and I love the flood memories it gives me when I watch him.

Time marches on but foods stay pretty much the same no matter what you change.

Scroll down to see this delicious style of Shepherds Pie and give it a try, it's an easy all in one pan meal!

A Popular Meal

Originally from modern British English food that didn't appear until around 1854, their English version of this dish is referred to as cottage pie and made with a beef layer on the bottom.


If it has a meat layer made with lamb then it was called shepherd's pie because hence the lamb used and looked like a sheep!


There is even a pork shepherds pie with a ground pork layer used along with cooked rice, a layer of carrots and chopped cabbage, then mashed potatoes, pork gravy and cheddar cheese on top, all of these versions are delicious.


My point on all of the ways to build a shepherds pie can be adapted to whatever your family enjoys!


My version is pretty much the same toppings and the big difference are the additions to the meat layer are more like a meatball mix.


Any way you slice it, the pie is pure comfort food, easy to make all in one pan and always a big hit with my kids growing up.

Easy One Pan Meal

One of the best things about this pie is how fast and easy it is.


When I am working all day, this is great to come home too.


I prepare and layer it the night before and then just pop it in the oven to reheat.


Usually, there is leftover gravy I can heat up and just pour over the top.


The perfect solution to the busy hurried cooks out there and everyone enjoys no clean upright? Use disposable pans!


Thank me later, your welcome.

Leftovers

We usually use leftovers which will make the fastest mock shepherd's pie on the planet.


I have used leftover meatballs crushed and sausage as a layer in a pinch!


Leftover mashed potatoes, open up a can of corn, top with mozzarella and tomato sauce with peppers and it's even another version!


As I mentioned before this pie can be whatever you want to make it, adapt and make it an original of your own.

Also, psst, it's a great way to hide those vegetables the husband and kids don't like!

Cheeses

Depending on what your family likes anything goes.


We like a mozzarella and provolone shredded blend.


However, if you're using lamb or turkey, cheddars work best.

Ingredients You Will Need For Italian Shepherd's Pie

• ground hamburger, lamb or turkey or use leftover cooked chicken ground in the food processor
• tomato sauce
• red wine or Marsala
• chopped green bell peppers
• minced fresh garlic
• granulated garlic powder
• black pepper and salt to taste
• grated cheese
• egg
• Italian flavored bread crumbs
• Topping:
• Prepared Mashed Potatoes ( leftovers work great or store-bought)
• corn
• bottle of brown jar gravy or homemade with 2 tablespoons marsala wine
• granulated garlic
• shredded mixed blended cheeses or just use mozzarella with provolone shredded
• Optional Additions:
• minced hot cherry peppers or bell pepper
• sliced mushrooms
• peas
• zucchini
• spinach leaves
• any vegetables you like can be used

Additional Vegetable and Meat Suggestions:

• Chopped onions
• Shredded zucchini
• Shredded carrots
• Shredded cabbage
• Meats to use ground beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey
• Chicken gravy, beef gravy, pork gravy
• Chopped peppers hot or sweet any kinds
• Sliced mushrooms
• Peas
• Corn

More Recipes to Try:

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Butter Spreads
Broccoli Rabe
Artichokes
Eggplant Parmigiana

Pin this for later

Strolling Down Memory Lane

This recipe always brings me down memory lane with my son, I make this often now with he visits and time sure flys.


This Shepherd's Pie is one comfort food that stayed a favorite through the last 4 decades and I will always smile when thinking back to all the fun times watching the kids eat those hidden vegetables.


The one great thing about food and recipes, they remain alive even long after we're gone.


I hope everyone reading enjoys my version of Italian Shepherd's Pie, it sure has satisfied my family through the years.

Italian Style Shepherd's Pie

Yield: 6

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

prep time: 15 Mcook time: 25 Mtotal time: 40 M

This is a shepherds pie with an Italian spin on it like everything I make, somewhere in there it's Italian! It's loaded with meat, potatoes and the perfect all in one pan meal and comfort food.

ingredients:

• MEAT MIXTURE
• 1/2 pound ground hamburger, lamb or turkey or use leftover cooked chicken ground in the food processor
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons chopped green bell peppers
• 3 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
• black pepper and salt to taste
• 1/4 cup grated cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 Italian flavored bread crumbs
• Topping:
• 2 cups Prepared Mashed Potatoes ( leftovers work great or store-bought)
• 1 can corn
• 1 cup of a bottle of brown jar gravy or homemade with 2 tablespoons marsala wine
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 2 cups shredded mixed blended cheeses or just use mozzarella with provolone shredded
• Optional Additions:
• 2 tablespoons minced hot cherry peppers or bell pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• peas instead of corn
• chopped zucchini
• spinach leaves
• any vegetables you like can be used

instructions:

How to cook Italian Style Shepherd's Pie

1. Mix the meat mixture together,  then line a greased deep dish casserole or pie plate ( must be around 3 inches high), also add the peppers on top of the meat if using.
2. I  bake the meat for 10 to 15 minutes on 350 degrees preheated oven. until the pink of the meat is gone.  Drain the fat off.
3. Fill first with prepared mashed potatoes, top with the brown gravy mixed with wine and garlic, sprinkle with grated cheese around 2 tablespoons.
4. Top with corn then more cheese and bake at 350 until the cheese melts and the heated through around 25 minutes..
5. Note: if using other vegetables add on top of the potato layer.
6. Also, we use peppers on top of the layer of meat while it's cooking for flavor and remove them after the meat is cooked and drain. The kids never like peppers!

Calories
370

Fat (grams)
22

Sat. Fat (grams)
12

Carbs (grams)
11

Net carbs
9

Sugar (grams)
6

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2011/01/italian-style-shepherds-pie-recipe.html

Italian shepherds pie, shepherds pie, doctored shepherds pie, English pie, Italian pie, cottage pie, easy potato casseroles,

meat pie, one pan meals, easy meals, quick meals, casserole, meat casseroles, potato casserole

Italian American

Created using The Recipes Generator

Pin this for later

Don't Forget to Try Some Other of Our Favorite Recipes:

Meatballs
Sauce Steak
Italian Stuffed Meatloaf
Provolone alfredo burger

Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2011. It was edited and re-published in 2019.