Greek-Inspired Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie
Perfectly suited for those nights when you need real comfort food, this naturally gluten-free shepherd's pie has all the flavors of Greek Moussaka with creamy mashed potatoes. While it takes some time to prepare, this is fusion at its best!
Ingredients
Eggplant Bites
- 1 large Eggplant cubed
- 1-2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon Dried Mint
- 2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
Tomato Lamb Sauce
- 2 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 lb Ground Lamb
- 1 large Yellow Onion small dice
- 2-3 Carrots small dice
- 2 stalks Celery
- 5-6 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 C White Wine or red
- 1 14 oz can Diced Tomatoes
- ⅓ C Heavy Cream
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1-2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon Dried Mint
- 2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 ½ lb Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 stick Butter
- 2-3 tablespoon Heavy Cream
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Place cubed eggplant in a colander over the sink. Sprinkle with several 5 finger pinches of salt and toss to mix. Weight down with plates and rest for at least 30 minutes. *If you can't fit plates in your colander, occasionally stop by and press the eggplant with the palm of your hand to press out excess water.1 large Eggplant
- Heat oil in dutch oven or large saucepan until shimmering. Add lamb and a generous pinch of salt. Cook lamb, breaking it up with a metal spoon or spatula, until cooked through. There will be a decent amount of fat at the bottom. Remove all but about a tablespoon using a spoon.2 teaspoon Olive Oil, 1 lb Ground Lamb
- Add mirepoix (carrots, celery and onion) and stir to coat. Add another pinch of salt to encourage sweating. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are beginning to soften. Add garlic, stirring often. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.1 large Yellow Onion, 2-3 Carrots, 2 stalks Celery, 5-6 cloves Garlic
- Add wine and scrape up any fond left on the bottom of the pan. Allow to simmer until wine is reduced by about half.Add tomatoes (with juice), cream, and spices. Stir to incorporate, then allow to simmer on low-medium until juices are mostly evaporated.1 C White Wine, 1 14 oz can Diced Tomatoes, ⅓ C Heavy Cream, 2 Bay Leaves, 2 Cinnamon Sticks, 1-2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, 1 ½ teaspoon Dried Mint, 2 teaspoon Dried Oregano, Kosher Salt and Pepper
- Preheat oven to 425F.Do a final press on eggplant to remove any last liquid. Rinse thoroughly with cold water (this will remove any bitterness from the eggplant), then press one more time.Place eggplant on a parchment lined sheet pan, then toss with oil, mint, oregano, and salt & pepper. Spread into a single layer, leaving as much space as possible between pieces to allow for roasting rather than steaming. *If you do not have a full half sheet pan sized cookie sheet, you may need to use two sheet pans.Roast for about 15 minutes, then flip the pieces and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 350F.1-2 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 ½ teaspoon Dried Mint, 2 teaspoon Dried Oregano, Kosher Salt and Pepper
- While the eggplant is roasting, place diced and peeled potatoes in a stock pot with salted water. Put the potatoes to boil, cooking until fork tender. Drain.Add butter to pot and allow to melt. Mash potatoes with butter, then add cream if necessary. Season with salt & pepper to taste.2 ½ lb Yukon Gold Potatoes, 1 stick Butter, 2-3 tablespoon Heavy Cream, Kosher Salt and Pepper to Taste
- In an ungreased 9 x 13, layer roasted eggplant followed by tomato lamb sauce and finally mashed potatoes. Cover with foil, then bake for 30 minutes, until sauce is bubbling through the edges of the potatoes.Remove foil, turn oven to broil and return casserole dish to top shelf. Broil for 3-8 minutes, until tips of potatoes are beginning to catch color. Remove from the oven and rest for about 5 minutes.
- Serve generous scoops of Shepherd's Pie aside a simple green salad. Enjoy!
Notes
Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
- Vegetarian - use 2 pounds of a mix of oyster, cremini and/or shiitake mushrooms pulsed into small bits in the food processor. The mushrooms replicate some of the umami gaminess of the lamb really well. For added heft, cut back to 1 pound of mushrooms but add 4-6 cups of cooked green or black lentils (which hold their shape well).
- Dairy-Free - Swap in your favorite plant-based butter and plant-based heavy cream alternatives.
- Vegan - Follow both sets of instructions for “vegetarian” and “dairy-free.”
- Extras - Have some bits and bobs in the crisper drawer to get rid of? Add extra veggies like frozen peas, green beans, or mushrooms to the vegetable mixture. You can also try adding some sour cream or cream cheese to the mashies for a fun bit of tang, some mascarpone for extra richness, or grate some fresh parmesan atop the mashies before baking for savory yumminess.
- If you prefer a fancier plating option, you can easily make individual shepherd’s pies in small (preferably cast iron) casserole dishes. This is great for parties (Thanksgiving, anyone?), weekly meal-prep, or when you want to save half the batch in the freezer.
- For a thicker sauce with a consistency closer to the classic British recipe, add a few tablespoons of tomato paste right after the garlic is finished cooking in step 5, then stir to coat the veggies before adding the wine. In a separate bowl, mix a bit of the wine or the juice from the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to make a slurry. Slowly add it to the pot when you add the canned tomatoes and their juice, stirring to combine. Cook for a few minutes, or until the sauce has the consistency of gravy.
- To cut back on prep time, use frozen veggies which are already washed, peeled, and cut. Oftentimes you can find “mirepoix” without having to buy 3 different bags. Note that I’ve never been able to find frozen eggplant cubes, so you may still end up needing to keep some of the fresh vegetables—but at least you’ll cut out the majority!
- Don't crowd the eggplant while it roasts, or you may end up with soggy eggplant. If there isn't enough room for airflow, it'll end up steaming instead. If your cubes don’t have a bit of space between them after spreading out on the pan, work in batches or use two separate sheet pans.
- Deconstructed Vs. Assembled - You can either assemble the whole thing and pop it in the fridge or freezer to bake later, ~or~ you can make the individual components one day at a time and save the assembly until you’re ready. I like the latter option for meal prep—that way I can assemble individual cast iron shepherd’s pies for Joe and I as needed, baking them in the toaster oven to save energy.
- How To Store - Transfer each element into its own airtight container, or wrap the assembled pie well with several layers of plastic wrap before freezing. Note that you want to make sure to let the assembled pie cool to room temperature before wrapping to prevent condensation from forming, which can cause freezer burn.
- Roasted eggplant chunks can be made and stored in the fridge for up to a week before assembly, or frozen for up to 2 months. To freeze, spread out in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze until solid (about 1 hour), then transfer to a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible.
- Mashed potatoes can be made up to 5 days before assembly, or frozen for up to 2 months. Note that the potatoes may separate a bit after defrosting; stir them vigorously to recombine if needed.
- Tomato lamb sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days before assembly, or can last for up to 6 months in the freezer. I recommend funneling the hot sauce into clean mason jars and sealing the lids to help create a vacuum seal for added freshness. If you are going the freezing route, make sure to leave at least ½ inch of headroom for expansion.
- Assembled Greek shepherd's pie should last up to 5 days in the refrigerator before baking, or up to two months in the freezer.
- To reheat, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge (as needed). Assemble the cottage pie and bake as instructed in the recipe card below (if needed), letting the assembled pie sit at room temperature as your oven preheats to ensure even cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 505kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 14gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 175mgPotassium: 997mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3254IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 3mg
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