Shepherd’s pie is the ultimate comfort food! It’s creamy, hearty, flavorful, and a well-balanced meal in one dish. Bonus: this version is gluten-free, but no one will ever know!
Looking for a satisfying gluten-free shepherd’s pie recipe the whole family will love? You’ve found it! Everyone always asks for this recipe!
Gluten-free shepherd’s pie is one of those dishes that’s perfect for a cold, wintry day or when taking a meal to a friend or loved one. Like this gluten-free lasagna, It’s a complete meal layered into one convenient package!
Between the creamy, custardy layer of mashed potatoes, the savory ground meat, and the buttery vegetables, all of the textures and flavors make it so satisfying and filling.
This recipe is easy to customize with what you have on hand. Use ground beef, turkey, sausage, or a combination of any of these ground meats. You can also add substitute carrots or green beans for the frozen corn and peas.
Either way, the end result is a tasty and hearty meal for a crowd!
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Why You’ll Love this Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie
- One-dish meal
- Easy to transport
- Feeds a crowd
- Hearty and comforting
- Easy to make substitutions
For more gluten-free comfort food, try these recipes for gluten-free meatloaf, gluten-free beef stroganoff, sirloin tip roast, gluten-free beef stew, gluten-free mac and cheese and gluten-free chicken pot pie.
This tater tot casserole is also amazing!
Ingredients for the Meat Layer
Here are the essentials to make a delicious meat layer of gluten-free shepherd’s pie!
- Ground meat: You can use any combination of ground beef, turkey, or sausage. I like to use 1 lb turkey and 1 lb beef.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: Use high-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour to thicken the consistency of the layer of meat and chicken broth.
- Tomato paste: The concentrated tomato flavor is essential to making a flavorful shepherd’s pie!
- Worcestershire sauce: A dash of Worcestershire sauce adds that savory complexity that makes this dish so satisfying!
Check out this article on is Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free!
Ingredients for the Potato Layer
Here’s how to make a the potato layer of gluten-free shepherds pie:
- Russet potatoes: You can certain substitute other types of potatoes, but I love the way Russet potatoes become light and fluffy when mashed.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar is added to the potato layer and the top of the dish for creaminess and extra flavor.
- Egg yolk: Egg yolk acts as a binder for the mashed potato layer and adds rich, creamy flavor.
How to Make Gluten-Free Shepherds Pie
Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the potatoes until they are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the butter, milk, parmesan cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes, and mix together until totally smooth. Stir in the egg yolk until evenly combined.
Make the Meat Filling
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, (or ground turkey and beef mixture), diced onion, and carrots. Cook for 10-15 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces until the meat has fully cooked through. Drain off an excess grease from the meat mixture.
- Add the meat back to the skillet and sprinkle the gluten-free flour over the meat. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for a minute or so, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the tomato paste, stock, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the corn and pea and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until heated through.
- Pour the ground beef filling into the casserole dish.
- Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the meat filling all the way to the edges of the pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Add the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese on top of the mashed potatoes and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the potato topping and cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Storage/Make-Ahead Instructions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days in the fridge. This dish can also be made in advance. Assemble the pie as directed and then refrigerate until ready to bake. The shepherd’s pie can be assembled up to 2 day before baking.
FAQs
A traditional shepherd’s pie recipe is thickened with flour, meaning it is not gluten-free. This recipe uses gluten-free flour to thicken the meat and sauce layer, making it gluten-free!
In the U.S., most worcestershire sauce is made without malt vinegar and is considered to be gluten-free. Check the label to be sure!
Shepherd’s pie meat can be thickened with gluten-free flour, regular flour, cornstarch, arrowroot, or potato or rice starch.
Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie Expert Tips & Tricks
- Be sure to cook the meat until it is browning to get the most flavor after adding it to the other layers.
- If you want to make sure the layers stay separated while baking, let each layer cool before assembling the pie.
- Feel free to substitute chicken stock for vegetable broth or beef stock in this shepherd’s pie recipe. You could also substitute sweet potatoes for Russet potatoes!
- If you want to make cottage pie instead of shepherd’s pie, simply swap out the meat and use ground lamb instead.
- This meal is really an all-in-one dish, but if you want to add a side, try a green salad or loaf of gluten-free bread.
More Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you try this gluten-free shepherd’s pie recipe, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
BEST Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
For the Potato Layer:
- 2 pounds russet potatoes about 3 medium-size potatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup milk plus more if needed
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 egg yolk
Meat Filling:
- 2 pounds ground beef turkey, or sausage (Or any combination! I usually do 1lb turkey and 1lb beef)
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 large carrots chopped small about 1 cup
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low sodium beef stock
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ cup frozen corn kernels
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
Make the Mashed Potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the potatoes until they are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the butter, milk, parmesan cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mash the potatoes and mix together until totally smooth. Stir in the egg yolk until evenly combined.
Make the Meat Filling:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onion and carrots. Cook for 10-15 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces until the meat has fully cooked through. Drain off an excess grease from the meat mixture.
- Add the meat back to the skillet and sprinkle the gluten-free flour over the meat. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for a minute or so, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomato paste, stock, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the corn and pea and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until heated through.
- Pour the meat filling into the prepared pan. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the meat filling all the way to the edges of the pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Top with the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Best Shepard’s Pie recipe ever – GF or otherwise
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This recipe is fantastic. Huge hit, a lot of flavor, satisfying texture, and I will definitely be making this again.
I’m so glad it turned out for you! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Excellent! I made it on a cooler day in GA and it was a warm and cozy feeling while eating.
I took a short cut and used Bob Evans, Gluten Free, mashed potaotes. Since standing on feet for cooking can be painful this saved me time on my feet and tasted delicous. Although not as nutritious as this recipe it did not effect the favor at all.
Great combinations of favors!
That’s a great shortcut idea! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comment!
Excellent comfort food meal! I did not add the egg yolk to the potato mixture, and it still turned out great. Also, it is a very economical meal to make with LOTS of leftovers.