Go Back
–+ servings
healthy shepherd's pie with colcannon in cast iron pan with wooden spatula taking a bite out

Healthy Shepherd's Pie with Colcannon

Looking for a comforting yet nourishing dish for St. Patrick's Day? Enter this Healthy Shepherd’s Pie with Colcannon! This cozy meal features a savory, protein-packed filling loaded with ground lamb and veggies, then it's topped with a layer of colcannon—a creamy mash of potatoes and kale — that adds an extra punch of flavor and nutrients. Every bite is warm, satisfying, and nourishing, making it a dish you’ll come back to again and again.
Servings 4 people
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Shepherd's Pie Base:

  • 1 lb ground lamb (or 85% lean ground beef)
  • olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • kosher salt & black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp AP flour (or gluten free 1-to-1 flour)
  • 1 ½ cups beef broth or stock
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ½ cups frozen peas & carrots

For the Colcannon Topping:

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 3.5 oz chopped lacinato/dino kale (about 4 packed cups)
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 packet Idahoan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (4oz)
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • ¼ cup sour cream (or full-fat plain greek yogurt/skyr)
  • kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • First, preheat your oven to 400F. Then bring a 10-12" cast iron pan to medium-high heat. If you don't have one, you can use any oven-safe pan, or transfer the shepherd's pie to a 9x9" square baking dish once it's ready to go in the oven.
  • Add ground lamb to the hot pan and break apart with a spatula. Season with kosher salt. Continue cooking until browned through, about 4 minutes. Drain off excess liquid and fat, then set lamb aside in a medium bowl.
    1 lb ground lamb
  • Return pan to the stove and reduce heat to medium. Add a bit of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, then add diced onion and season with kosher salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until starting to turn translucent and tender. Add in garlic and spices and continue cooking for 1 more minute.
    1 small yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • Add in tomato paste and flour and stir to coat the onion evenly in it. Allow the flour to cook off for 1 minute. Then, slowly pour in the broth and Worcestershire sauce and stir.
    2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp AP flour, 1 ½ cups beef broth or stock, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Add back in the cooked ground lamb and the frozen peas & carrots. Stir to coat in the sauce. Taste and adjust the amount of salt & pepper. Reduce heat to low and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.
    kosher salt & black pepper, 1 ½ cups frozen peas & carrots
  • Meanwhile, add boiling water and mashed potato packet to a large bowl and use a fork to stir until potatoes are moistened. Let stand for at least 1 minute.
    1 packet Idahoan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, 2 cups boiling water
  • Bring a large pan to medium-high heat and add butter. Once melted, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the chopped kale and sauté for 2 more minutes, until wilted.
    1 tbsp butter, 3.5 oz chopped lacinato/dino kale, 3 garlic cloves
  • Add kale and garlic mixture to the mashed potatoes, along with the green onion, sour cream and salt & pepper to taste. Stir with a spatula until combined.
    4 green onions, ¼ cup sour cream, kosher salt & black pepper
  • Spread mashed potato mixture evenly over the top of the shepherd's pie skillet. Use a fork to create lines on top. Place skillet on a baking sheet to catch any overflow, and transfer to the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Optionally, switch to broil for a few more minutes at the end. Garnish with chopped chives, parsley or green onion and enjoy!

Video

Notes

NUTRITION INFO: The nutrition information listed below is an estimate per serving, assuming that you use ground lamb.
Calories: 577kcal
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Irish
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: Colcannon, Gluten Free, Ground Lamb, Healthy Dinner, Irish Recipes, Kale, Mashed Potatoes, Shepherds Pie, St. Patrick's Day Recipes

Nutrition

Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 1039mg | Potassium: 839mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 7898IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 4mg