HFG shepherd's pie - Healthy Food Guide

HFG shepherd’s pie

You can't beat a classic shepherd's pie. This healthier version includes vegetables and lentils and uses feta in the potato topping. Delicious! If you use beef mince, this shepherd's pie becomes a cottage pie.

Serves: 4

Time to make: 1 hr 40 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
olive spray oil
400g lean lamb or beef mince
½ cup green lentils
1 cup salt-reduced beef stock
1 cup water
400g can salt-reduced whole tomatoes
2 ½ cups chopped field mushrooms
1 teaspoon salt-reduced soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcester sauce
¼ cup wine (optional)
Topping
3 large floury potatoes
50g feta cheese

Instructions

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1 Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan over moderate heat. Add onion, garlic, celery and carrot and cook gently until onions are soft but not brown.

2 Add beef to pan and brown for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock, water, lentils mushrooms and sauces. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for around 1 hour, adding more liquid if you need to.

3 Add wine about 40 minutes into cooking time. You should end up with a richly coloured, deeply flavoured mixture without too much liquid.

4 Preheat oven to 180°C. While the meat is simmering, cook the potatoes. Peel and chop potatoes into even-sized pieces, cover with cold water and bring to the boil in a large pot. Cook until tender, then drain and mash.

5 Chop cheese into small chunks and beat into the mash with a fork, blending well.

6 Spread meat mixture in the bottom of a large oval casserole dish, and spread mash over the top. Place in oven and cook until top has crisped and browned a little. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving with a side of green vegetables.

HFG tip

Lower-fat dairy products, such as ricotta, add creaminess to mashed potato without the high saturated fat of cream.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 429cal

Kilojoules 1800kJ

Protein 36g

Total fat 13g

–Saturated fat 5g

Carbohydrates 40g

–Sugars 9g

Dietary fibre 9g

Sodium 500mg

Calcium 100mg

Iron 6mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.

First published: Jul 2005

2 comments on HFG shepherd’s pie

25323714 April 20, 2021 at 11:33 am #

HI Good People, Can you use orange/purple kumara instead of potatoes?

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- Jen deMontalk May 6, 2021 at 2:00 pm #
  
  Hi there
  That would work well and probably be delicous! Let us know how it goes.
  
  Warm regards
  Jenny, HFG editor
  
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