What about shepherd’s pie keeps it going through the generations the way it does? If your granny made it, you’ll probably make it too at some point in your life. It’s a no-nonsense supper; I can eat it right out of its baking dish. This hearty and wholesome dish is often served on its own, but I like the idea of making up a batch and some sides for Shepherd’s pie to make it a bigger meal.
That way, there will be leftovers, and I can go back the next day for another helping. So, I’ve put together a loooong list of ideas of sides you can serve with your shepherd’s pie. 15 sides, to be exact!
What is shepherd’s pie?
Shepherd’s pie is a wholesome and hearty Irish dish that is the very definition of comfort food. Deliciously seasoned lambs mince with vegetables and topped with creamy mashed potato
It’s a filling and wintery kind of meal, although you can absolutely serve it all year round. It’s a crowd favorite, and kids love it, so it’s a no-brainer, really. Also, it’s a rich dish, to be honest, so I personally think that serving it with sides is a great idea, to give the meal some balance.
The sides also give you the opportunity to jazz the whole meal up and make it a bit more of a current dish, depending on what you choose to serve this classic with.
What to serve with Shepherd’s pie
Here are 15 delicious sides to serve with your homey shepherd’s pie:
1. Green beans with toasted macadamia nuts and garlic
Steam a few trimmed green beans in boiling water for 6-8 minutes. Drain them and plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking further. Toast the macadamia nuts in another pan and season them with salt and pepper. Before serving, melt a little butter in a frying pan with half a clove of garlic. Toss the beans and nuts through and serve.
2. Roasted red wine vinegar Brussel sprouts
The acidic vinegar in this dish will cut through the richness of the shepherd’s pie. You can literally toss a few Brussels sprouts you have halved in red wine vinegar, a touch of oil, and some salt and pepper. Roast them until nice and crisp, and you have a fantastic side.
3. Chilli and lemon broccoli
Steam a couple of broccoli florets for a few minutes. You’re going to want to keep them bright green and not overcook them. Before serving, heat a little olive oil in a pan with half a sliced red chili or some chili powder. Toss the broccoli in the oil until hot. Right at the end, season with salt and pepper and grate over some lemon zest.
4. Baked sweet potatoes
Split a sweet potato lengthways and keep the skin on. Place each side on a square of aluminum foil, skin-side down, and drizzle a little olive oil onto the sweet potato—season with salt and pepper. Add a teaspoon of chopped garlic and a teaspoon of chopped ginger to the sweet potatoes. Wrap them up in the foil and bake them for an hour or until they are soft when you pierce them with a knife.
5. Creamed spinach and kale
Make a cheese sauce by cooking equal quantities of butter and flour in a pot and then whisking in enough milk to make a sauce. Allow this to thicken on the stove, and then add in some melted cheese. Steam some fresh kale and spinach, squeeze out the water, season well and chop it all up. You can then mix in the cheese sauce and serve!
6. Warm crunchy bread
This is super simple, but pick up a loaf of your favorite bread and warm it in the oven before serving. You can make this side unique by flavoring your butter with some garlic and herbs.
7. Baked beans
This one is if you’re really in a hurry. Whip a can of baked beans, heat them on the stove, and have a budget-friendly side.
8. Large green salad
A large green salad can cut through the richness of your shepherd’s pie and give you a healthy side.
9. Steamed asparagus
If you spot some asparagus in the store, steam them and serve them with a splash of lemon juice.
10. Grated carrot salad
Fill a bowl with grated salad, chopped parsley, and half a chopped green chili. Pour over a bit of oil and white vinegar.
11. Biscuits
Biscuits are a side for all dishes; shepherd’s pie is no exception.
Related post: Insanely Easy Biscuit Recipe No Milk Version
12. Savory waffles
Make a batch of savory waffles as an excellent side for this dish.
13. Greek salad
There is nothing better than a large Greek salad of cucumber, olives, tomato, and feta cheese as a side to a hearty dish.
14. Caprese salad
This salad is a side that goes with anything, and you can make variations of it. Layer sliced tomato, mozzarella, and basil on a plate. Drizzle over some olive oil and Balsamic vinegar.
15. Honeyed carrots
Steam a few peeled carrots. Toss them in a bit of honey and melted butter before serving. This makes a lovely side to a rich shepherd’s pie.
FAQ
What Alcohol goes well with Shepherd’s Pie?
Try a total-bodied red wine as the perfect pairing to a Shepherd’s pie. Pinot noir is my go-to. If I’m serving this in the summertime, a cold Chardonnay will cut through the dish’s richness and complement it well.
Can you put warm shepherd’s pie in the fridge?
The short answer is no. Any dishes made with meat, poultry, or fish should be allowed to cool completely before storing them in the fridge. This is purely for health and safety reasons to prevent food poisoning.
What’s the difference between cottage pie and shepherds?
Shepherd’s pie is made with lamb mince and cottage pie with beef mince. Other than that, they are pretty similar. All sides listed here will be just as delicious, served with a cottage pie as a shepherd’s pie.
Sides For Shepherd’s Pie – What To Serve With Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- Green beans with toasted macadamia nuts and garlic
- Roasted red wine vinegar Brussel sprouts
- Chilli and lemon broccoli
- Baked sweet potatoes
- Creamed spinach and kale
- Warm crunchy bread
- Baked beans
- Large green salad
- Steamed asparagus
- Grated carrot salad
- Biscuits
- Savory waffles
- Greek salad
- Caprese salad
- Honeyed carrots
Instructions
- Select your favorite sides for Shepherd's pie on this list
- Prep all the necessary ingredients and cook!
- Enjoy your yummy Shepherd's pie with its side dish(es)
Wrapping it up!
I hope these ideas inspire you when you’re looking for ways to spruce up your shepherd’s pie dinner. I love adding a few sides to a relatively classic dish. Let me know in the comments which your favorite few are!