Let me tell you, this is not the shepherd’s pie you grew up with. Technically it’s actually a cottage pie since it’s made with ground beef rather than lamb (I also added pork sausage but we’ll get to that). All I’m saying is that if you’re looking for a cottage pie, reinvented with elevated flavors, this is for you. My kids even asked for seconds, and Julia excitedly ate leftovers for days.

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What sets this recipe aside from traditional cottage pies is the addition of the ground pork sausage, along with plenty of flavorful vegetables! Rutabaga, cauliflower, fennel, and sweet potato that bring out the best in each other. So delicious, but also feel free to grab whatever root vegetables you might have on hand! I’ll definitely be making more of this now that I know it was such a hit with the fam.

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5 from 2 votes

Cottage (Shepherd's) Pie - Grain, Gluten, and Dairy-free

Shepherd's pie is classically made with lamb, but this version is pork and beef, with lots and lots of vegetables. Amazing flavor and texture from the root vegetables. I list what I used, but you can use similar amounts of just about any root vegetable you have.

Ingredients

For the filling

• 1 lb ground pork sausage
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup sweet onion diced
• 1/2 cup celery diced
• 1/2 cup carrot diced
• 1/2 cup rutabaga diced
• 1/2 cup cauliflower diced
• 1/2 cup fennel bulb diced
• 1 cup sweet potato diced
• 2 medium tomatoes diced
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 pint beef stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg fresh ground if you can
• 1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika
• 1/2 cup mashed potato flakes just the flakes that don't include any other ingredients

For the dairy-free mashed potatoes

• 2 large russet potatoes peeled, large diced
• 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled, large diced
• 3 medium red potatoes diced, unpeeled
• 1/3 cup vegan butter
• 1/2 cup veganaisse
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• salted cooking water to desired consistency
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the filling:

• In a large castiron pot or pan (something with higher sides), brown the pork sausage and ground beef. Using a spoon or paper towel, remove some of the fat so you are only left with a couple tablespoons. Add all the vegetables and the oregano, and sauté gently. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the remaining ingredients (minus the potato flakes and parsley), bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the temperature. Let cook, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, for about 20 minutes. Add the mashed potato flakes and stir, cook for another 3-5 minutes. By this time it should not be runny. If it is, continue simmering. Once most of the liquid has cooked out, turn of the heat, stir in the parsley, and cover until ready to bake.

For the potatoes:

• Preheat your oven to 375. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and season with a good amount of salt - 2-3 tbsp, depending on how much water is in the pot. Add the potatoes and cook at a gentle boil for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving some of the water.
• In a bowl, add the butter, and put the hot potatoes in as well. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes and butter together. Add the veganaisse, some salt and pepper and the garlic powder and mash together again. Begin adding some of the cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, mashing together completely each time, until your desired consistency is reached. Should not be runny, but creamy and a little stiff.

To finish:

• Remove the lid from the vegetables and meat, stir one last time, then top with the mashed potatoes so the entire top is covered. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes, until the top begins to brown.