The most delicious gluten-free shepherd's pie recipe is a comfort food classic! It's a flavorful, savory filling made with ground lamb and veggies topped with the creamiest parmesan mashed potatoes. My version is made without flour to ensure the gravy in the filling is perfectly smooth.
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My readers have been asking for more cozy winter recipes. I added a brand new gluten-free sausage gravy recipe and cozy GF-loaded potato soup.
Naturally, shepherd's pie was up next on the classic comfort food list. While great for a cozy dinner at home, it is also a great alternative to homemade corned beef on St. Patrick's Day!
This GF shepherd's pie is perfect for any night of the week when you're craving something hearty, filling, and comforting.
📖Why My Recipe Works
- Traditional Recipe. This is just like any classic shepherd's pie recipe, ground lamb and all, but with potato starch to thicken instead of flour.
- Customizable. Keep this recipe as-is or sub in your favorite meat and veggies.
- Family-Friendly. Shepherd's pie is a comforting dinner that the whole family will love!
🧾Ingredient Notes
Meat Filling
- Ground Lamb: You can also use ground beef or ground turkey if preferred. If you use ground turkey, I recommend chicken broth instead of beef broth. Fun fact, cottage pie is essentially shepherd's pie just made with ground beef instead of lamb.
- Vegetables: A mix of white onion, carrot, celery, and frozen peas. If you like, feel free to play around with other veggies too! Try frozen corn, frozen green beans, frozen mixed veggies, mushrooms, or bell peppers.
- Vegetable Oil: You can also use olive oil if that's what you have on hand.
- Garlic: You can use freshly minced or pre-minced garlic. If you don't have either, garlic powder will work in a pinch.
- Seasonings: We're creating the best flavor with a simple blend of fresh thyme leaves, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
- Tomato Paste: Tomato paste adds flavor depth and richness to the filling. Do not skip or substitute.
- Potato Starch: Keeps this recipe gluten-free and thickens the gravy. If you don't have potato starch, you can use corn starch instead. However, corn starch is quite a bit more absorbent, so start with less and add more only as needed.
- Worcestershire Sauce: A splash of Worcestershire gives the shepherd's pie a salty, umami flavor. Gluten-free soy sauce can be substituted.
- Potatoes: I like to use russet potatoes for their light and fluffy texture. Feel free to use another variety, like Yukon Gold, if preferred.
- Heavy Cream: You can substitute whole milk.
- Butter: I recommend unsalted butter so you can control the saltiness of the potatoes.
- Parmesan Cheese: Cheese is optional, but it does add a delicious, salty flavor to the potatoes.
⏲️How to Make Shepherd's Pie Gluten Free
Make the Mashed Potatoes
In a large stockpot, combine potatoes, cold water, a bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and return them to the pot, and shake over high heat until dry. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes with the cream and butter, then stir in the cheese.
Make the Filling
Sauté the veggies before adding the ground meat to brown. Before proceeding with the recipe, make sure that you drain any excess grease off of the meat. If it's too oily, you'll end up with a greasy shepherd's pie!
Sprinkle the potato starch over the top. See the photo below. You don't want to simply dump in the starch, or you will get clumps. Add the broth and simmer until thickened.
Assemble
Transfer the filling to a casserole dish or use your skillet if ovenproof. Top with the prepared mashed potatoes, then carefully spread them out to cover the whole thing.
You want to seal the edges as best as possible to prevent the sauce from bubbling out. Once the potatoes are evenly spread out you can use a fork or the back of a spoon to add the classic swirl to the top of the mashed potatoes.
Bake
If the potato mixture isn't as golden as you prefer you can broil the top for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and cool for 10 to 15 minutes to let the filling thicken up, then dig in.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Place the casserole dish onto a sheet pan in the middle rack of the oven. The sheet pan will catch drips.
- Cutting the potatoes into even cubes helps them cook more quickly.
- Start the potatoes in cold water. This helps them cook more evenly for a fluffier, creamier texture.
- Wet potatoes won't properly seal the pie. So don't skip the drying step.
- Be sure not to over-mash! Over-mixed potatoes can become sticky and gluey.
- While the potatoes are boiling, start on the lamb filling. This will save you a ton of time.
- Browning the tomato paste will give a richer flavor.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Leftover shepherd's pie can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When you're ready to serve again, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm back in the oven at 350ºF until heated through. You can also warm smaller servings in the microwave.
Make Ahead
You can prep the pie through assembly and store it in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days. Set at room temperature while you preheat the oven. Bake according to recipe instructions.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie (no flour)
Ingredients
Potato Topping
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1-2 bay leaf
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for salting the water
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper or ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
Meat Filling
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced small
- 1 celery stalk picked
- 1 pound ground lamb see note on substitutes
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons potato starch or GF all purpose flour or arrowroot starch
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup English peas fresh or frozen
Instructions
Potato Topping
- Place the potatoes in a large stockpot. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add the bay leaf, and add a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10 to 12 minutes.1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, 1-2 bay leaf
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and discard the bay leaf. Return the potatoes to the hot pot. Shake over high heat until dry.
- Add butter, cream, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes. Add the parmesan cheese to the potatoes. Stir until well combined.¼ cup heavy cream, 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, ¼ cup parmesan cheese
Meat Filling
- In a large saute pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and ground lamb. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown until the meat is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drain excess grease, if any.2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 cup white onion, 2 carrots, 1 celery stalk, 1 pound ground lamb, 2 cloves garlic, 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle with the potato starch and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, 10 minutes.2 Tablespoons tomato paste, 2 Tablespoons potato starch, 1 cup beef broth, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ cup English peas
- Stir in the peas and set aside while you mash the potatoes.
Assembling The Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add the lamb mixture and spread evenly into a casserole dish (roughly 9x13). Top with the mashed potatoes. To create a seal start at the edges and work in. Once you have a flat top you can add a decorative swirl to the potatoes, if you like.
- Place on a sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Start the potatoes first.
- While the potatoes are boiling, prep the meat filling.
- When the sauce is ticking the potatoes should be ready to drain.
- Stir the peas into the lamb mixture and set aside while the potatoes are drying.
- Mash the potatoes and assemble the pie.
- Use dairy-free milk and vegan butter and skip the cheese in the potatoes.
Nutrition
Common Recipe Questions
Does Shepherd's Pie traditionally have cheese?
No, Shepherd's pie is traditionally made without any cheese. However, this recipe does list parmesan as an add-in for the mashed potatoes. Feel free to omit if you prefer to make yours cheeseless.
Is Shepherd's Pie gluten-free?
No, traditional recipes use flour to thicken the meat filling.
What can I substitute for flour in shepherd's pie?
Potato starch is the best substitute for flour in shepherd's pie. For this recipe, I use potato starch to thicken the filling. If you don't have potato starch, you can swap it out for cornstarch instead, although you will want to start with less and add more only as needed. Cornstarch is super absorbent, so you don't need much.
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