Beef Shephards Pie

For a hearty family meal that’s jam-packed with nourishing veggies, this warming dish fits the bill. Lean beef mince is full of iron and protein, whilst low in saturated fat. Colourful veggies provide essential vitamins and fibre, helping to keep you full and satisfied whilst keeping your gut microbes well-fed. This dish is perfect for those looking to boost their iron intake, and its soft texture is perfect for young kids or those with texture-modified diets post-surgery.

Mouth Watering Beef Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

For a hearty family meal that’s jam-packed with nourishing veggies, this warming dish fits the bill. Lean beef mince is full of iron and protein, whilst low in saturated fat. Colourful veggies provide essential vitamins and fibre, helping to keep you full and satisfied whilst keeping your gut microbes well-fed. This dish is perfect for those looking to boost their iron intake, and its soft texture is perfect for young kids or those with texture-modified diets post-surgery.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, + 1 tsp extra
  • 1 brown onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed + 1 clove extra, crushed
  • 2 carrots, finely diced
  • 2 sticks of celery, finely diced
  • 500g lean beef mince
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 500ml vegetable stock + ¼ cup extra
  • 1 tbsp gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (substitute tamari)
  • 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 200g each)
  • 1 tbsp butter

Method:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes or until the veggies have softened.
  3. Add the beef mince to the pan, stirring to break it up. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, until browned.
  4. Add the tomato paste, vegetable stock and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Bring to the bowl then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened.
  5. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  6. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, for 15 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork.
  7. Drain the potatoes, then return to the pan with the butter, extra olive oil and extra garlic.
  8. Mash with a potato masher until smooth, then add the extra vegetable stock and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
  10. Spoon the beef mixture into a large (2L), ovenproof dish, smoothing to create a flat surface. Top with the mashed potato mixture, spreading to cover the meat.
  11. Bake the pie for 20 minutes, or until the potato is lightly golden.

This recipe was created by Michelle Theodosi (Accredited Practising Dietitian and Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician) and the team at The Lifestyle Dietitian

Nutrition Information (per serve)

Per serve (if serving 4)

Energy (kJ): 2788 (667 Cals) Protein (g): 43.13
Carbohydrates (g): 30.27 Dietary fibre (g): 7.21
 – Sugars (g): 11.22 Iron (mg): 4.52
Total fat (g): 30.51 Sodium (mg): 619.2
 – Saturated fat (g): 13 Calcium (mg): 67.49
Vitamin C (mg): 33.67

Per serve (if serving 6)

Energy (kJ): 1627 (389 Cals) Protein (g): 28.75
Carbohydrates (g): 20.18 Dietary fibre (g): 4.81
Sugars (g): 7.48 Iron (mg): 3.01
Total fat (g): 20.34 Sodium (mg): 412.8
 – Saturated fat (g): 8.67 Calcium (mg): 44.99
Vitamin C (mg): 22.44

Tip: If you’re looking for a plant-based option, simply swap out the beef for 2 cans of lentils for a hit of fibre whilst not compromising on iron content. 2x tins of chickpeas.