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After my podcast guest, Anita Parris Soule shared her father's recipe for Guinness Shepherds Pie (Cottage Pie if you use beef instead of lamb), I started thinking about what to pair with this rich, layered dish. Here are 47 of the best sides for Shepherd's Pie featuring fresh, nutritious, simple ingredients. I invite you to listen to Anita's episode, A Complicated Father's Day as you make her casserole into a full meal.

girl holds tray of carrots, celery, onion, and bay leaves for guinness shepherds pie

Shepherd's Pie, a beloved main dish renowned for its comforting flavors and wholesome character, has long held a special place at the heart of family dinners and gatherings. The amalgamation of seasoned ground meat, often graced with the distinct taste of ground lamb, and the inviting layer of creamy mashed potatoes makes for a satisfying and traditional meal. However, the question of what to serve with Shepherd's Pie to enhance its culinary charm often arises. Fear not, as we embark on a gastronomic exploration to uncover the 47 best side dishes thoughtfully curated to accompany and enrich the Shepherd's Pie experience. From crisp salads that provide a refreshing contrast to hearty vegetable medleys that harmonize with the savory goodness, this collection of side dishes promises to elevate your Shepherd's Pie serving into a memorable and complete dining affair. Join us as we delve into a world of palate-pleasing choices, each designed to perfectly complement this time-honored classic.

Side Dishes for Shepherds Pie

If you want to go beyond simply serving a Shepherd's Pie, I'm sharing great sides from 6 categories: Salads, Appetizers, Breads, Hot Vegetables, Desserts, and Beverages.

Salads

If you can make just ONE side dish to go with Shepherd's Pie, it should be a SALAD! Salads are a great way to add more vegetables and nutrients to a rich meal. The fresh and crispy nature of salad will also be a perfect complement and nice contrast to the rich and creamy texture of traditional Shepherd's Pie.

Any of these dozen salads will be a perfect side dish!

Kilt Lettuce Appalachian Salad | The Storied Recipe

Fresh varieties of lettuce are topped with a delicious dressing of bacon fat and vinegar - watch out for the popping when the grease kills the lettuce!

Cucumber and Tomato Salad | Jessica In The Kitchen

You’re going to love this vegan cucumber and tomato salad for all those times you need a summery side dish that comes together in a snap!

Lettuce Salad With Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe

Lettuce salad with apple cider vinegar is a refreshing and healthy salad that combines crisp lettuce leaves with a tangy dressing. The salad is light, yet packed with flavor and nutrients[...]

Fresh Corn Salad | Once Upon a Chef

Capture the essence of summer with this easy, make-ahead fresh corn salad——simply toss it together, and it's ready to serve whenever you are!

Peach Salad | The Mediterranean Dish

Peach salad with goat cheese, arugula, and basil is the sweet and savory summer salad recipe that will have your taste buds singing.

Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad | Natasha's Kitchen

This Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad has simple ingredients that are a winning combination. Refreshing and flavorful! A new favorite cucumber tomato feta salad!

Sweet and Crunchy Carrot Salad | Detoxinista

My favorite Carrot Salad! This easy recipe takes less than 20 minutes to assemble and is the perfect make-ahead dish for a potluck or party.

Beet Salad with Carrot, Quinoa and Spinach | Cookie and Katie

Reset with this healthy superfood salad featuring raw beets, carrot, quinoa, spinach, edamame and avocado. It's as colorful as it is nutritious!

Bell Pepper Salad | A Spicy Perspective

Best Bell Pepper Salad - This delightfully crunchy salad (or slaw!) is brimming with fresh veggies and herbs, all tossed in a bright lemon honey dressing. It's the perfect side dish for summer!

Chopped Caprese Salad | Trial and Eater

A delicious recipe for chopped Caprese salad! Only 5 ingredients for his crowd-pleasing vegetarian appetizer dish that is so easy to toss together for any occasion.

Crunchy Lemon Parmesan Salad | Sweet C's Designs

Easy, healthy, delicious crunchy lemon parmesan salad based off the viral tiktok salad that takes less than 15 minutes with tons of flavor!

Greek Kale Salad with Lemon Olive Oil Dressing | Gimme Delicious

Healthy Chopped Greek Kale Salad packed with kale, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, feta, and dressed with a lemon olive oil dressing you'll want to put on every salad! One of my favorite salad bases

Appetizers

With a rich recipe like Shepherd's Pie, you'll want simple, low-calorie appetizers that will leave plenty of room for your hearty main casserole. Each of these recipes fit the bill.

Tiropita Recipe: Easy Greek Cheese Pie Triangles | The Storied Recipe

Tiropitas, or Greek Cheese Pies, are crispy, creamy, salty, parcels of bliss. Five easy ingredients inside an easy-to-fold package of filo (phyllo) dough.

Ghanaian Kelewele: Best Spicy Fried Plantain Recipe | The Storied Recipe

Recipe for Kelewele - a delicious fried plantain recipe originating from Ghana. Toss ripe plantain cubes in a flavorful blend of spices before deep-frying them to golden brown perfection.

Black Bean Salsa | Culinary Hill

Transform canned beans into fresh, colorful, and delicious Black Bean Salsa, an easy recipe guaranteed to please.

Parmesan Cauliflower Bites | Dinner Mom

Crispy Parmesan Cauliflower Bites will be the hit of your party or dinner table! They're low-carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free and easy to make

Marinated Mozzarella Melon Skewers | Half Baked Harvest

Marinated Mozzarella Melon Skewers...the fun, colorful, delicious, and pretty summer appetizer that we're all looking for right now!

Baked Zucchini Chips | A Spicy Perspective

Crispy Baked Zucchini Chips are a healthy paleo-friendly snack recipe that is loaded with flavor and crunch, yet light in calories!

Stuffed Cucumber Bites Appetizer | Joe's Healthy Meals

Stuffed cucumber bites. Super easy, but impressive appetizer recipe. Everyone loves this! Easy to prepare and eat. Cucumber bites are yummy!

Mini Falafel Bites | Gourmandelle

These mini falafel bites can be used as snacks, party appetizers or accompany a delicious mashed potato with salad meal.

Sweet Potato Puffs | What Molly Made

These sweet potato puffs are the perfect savory appetizer! They're easy to make and feature creamy mashed sweet potatoes and fresh herbs.

Bread Recipes

Bread is *always* on the menu at our house. The first 3 options will work especially well if you're sharing a Guinness Shepherd's/Cottage Pie for St. Patrick's Day.

Mini Bread Rolls (Soft, Adorable Dinner Rolls) | The Storied Recipe

Soft mini bread rolls are enriched with potatoes for a hearty flavor, creamy texture, and subtle sweetness. The most adorable mini dinner rolls!!

Basil Pesto Spiral Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls | The Storied Recipe

The zip of fresh herbs, saltiness of Parmesan, and the richness of oil permeate the perfectly soft dough for a rich and flavorful Pesto Roll.

Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls | Klein Worth Co

30-Minute Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls, the perfect bread recipe to serve with any meal. Great for holidays, so simple to make. Cheesy, garlicky goodness!

Grandma's Irish Soda Bread | Sally's Baking Addiction

This Irish soda bread recipe is my grandmother's and has been cherished in my family for years. You only need 7 ingredients and just 10 minutes of prep!

The Best Garlic Bread You'll Ever Eat | Ambitious Kitchen

The BEST garlic bread has fresh herbs, tons of flavorful garlic, and is perfectly toasted. This garlic bread is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

Traditional Yorkshire Pudding | Daring Gourmet

One of the most beloved icons of British culture, this authentic Yorkshire Pudding recipe yields the perfect texture and flavor!

Crusty French Bread | Life As A Strawberry

A homemade artisan bread recipe for bakery-fresh bread at home! Ready in just a few hours with a crispy, crunchy dutch oven crust. Vegetarian, Vegan.

Pumpernickel Bread | Bigger Bolder Baking

My Outback Steakhouse-inspired, lightly sweet, and perfect with butter, Steakhouse-Style Pumpernickel Bread recipe is one to keep on hand.

Garlic Cheddar Beer Bread (cheddar bay flavor) | The Chunky Chef

Whip up a loaf of this Garlic Cheddar Beer Bread with NO yeast! No rising time, just mix and bake! Tastes like Cheddar Bay biscuits, in loaf form!

Cooked Vegetables

If you want a healthy side dish, go for something very simple - hot vegetables roasted, sauteed, and topped with fresh herbs. Here are a few suggestions.

Simple Skillet Green Beans | Healthy Seasonal Recipes

This popular recipe for simple skillet green beans with garlic takes only 15 minutes and is the perfect easy side dish with any meal!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts | Love and Lemons

This easy roasted Brussels sprouts recipe is a delicious side dish! The golden brown, crispy sprouts are tossed in a zingy Lemon Parmesan dressing.

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables | Tori Avey

These roasted root vegetables are totally addicting! Easy, healthy and colorful side dish with root vegetables, garlic, herbs and olive oil.

Roasted Butternut Squash | Well Plated

Easy Roasted Butternut Squash. Cubes of butternut squash tossed with maple syrup, cinnamon, and rosemary, roasted to caramelized perfection.

How to Cook Frozen Corn | Fav Family Recipes

Want to know the secret to making frozen corn taste delicious? Kick your corn side dish up a notch with How to Cook Frozen Corn (the RIGHT way)!

Desserts

I suggest choosing a simple dish with simple ingredients for your desserts. These are all great options to complement the rich flavors of the pie.

Easy Flaky Homemade Apple Strudel with Puff Pastry | The Storied Recipe

Flaky puff pastry encircles chunks of juicy apples, rum-soaked raisins, and crunchy walnuts in this old-fashioned Apple Strudel recipe - authentic, yet made more easily and quickly with puff pastry.

Old Fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie (with Condensed Milk) | The Storied Recipe

This old-fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie has a fresh, zesty lemony custard, soft meringue topping, and firm buttery cookie crust.

Nesselrode Pie Recipe (Vintage New York Dessert) | The Storied Recipe

Nesselrode Pie is a nostalgic New York dessert that's rich and indulgent. A light and smooth chestnut custard filling is spiked with dark rum and studded with sweet cherries, then topped with fluffy whipped cream and decadent chocolate shavings.

Kalter Hund: German No-Bake Layered Chocolate Biscuit Cake | The Storied Recipe

This layered, no-bake cake delivers chocolate as it's meant to be: completely and utterly decadent, rich, creamy, and solid but soft.

Chocolate Mousse in 5 Minutes | Kitchen Cents

Airy easy chocolate mousse recipe with ONLY 3 ingredients. Ready in 5 minutes or less. The perfect chocolate-lover quick fix!

Easy Cherry Cobbler | Sally's Baking Addiction

Made from just 9 ingredients, this easy cherry cobbler is one of the simplest desserts you could make with fresh cherries.

Peach Crumble Bars | Fork Knife Swoon

Easy homemade peach crumble bars with a buttery oat crumb topping and a sweet and gooey peach filling. Egg free and gluten free friendly.

Apple Coffee Cake | Crazy For Crust

Apple Coffee Cake is the best breakfast or brunch recipe for fall - an Apple Cinnamon Cake with crumb streusel on top! It's DELISH!

Strawberry Dream Dessert | Amanda's Cookin

I thought I hit the jackpot with pineapple dream, but this strawberry dream dessert runs a close second! A delicious strawberry cream cheese dessert!

Homemade Ice Cream | Barefeet In The Kitchen

This homemade ice cream recipe can also be called the easiest (and best!) ice cream you will ever make or taste! Everyone LOVES it!

Southern Banana Pudding Recipe | Southern Shelle

Need a quick banana pudding recipe? The satisfying combo of creamy layers of pudding, bananas and vanilla wafers are an instant hit.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries | Handle The Heat

How to Make Chocolate-Covered Strawberries that are delicious and beautiful. Surprisingly easy and the perfect gift for Valentine's Day.