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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.
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
Cooks in 40 minutesFresh 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 Tomato Salad
Cooks in 15 minutesFrom the colors alone, you can tell this cucumber tomato salad will be bursting with fresh flavors. The feta cheese adds a layer of tang and creaminess. Chilling time aside, this recipe is ready in a matter of minutes.
Lettuce Salad With Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe
Cooks in 5 minutesAbout 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. The apple cider vinegar dressing adds a zesty kick to the salad, while the lettuce provides a crunchy texture. This salad is perfect as a side dish or a light lunch option.
Fresh Corn Salad
Cooks in 25 minutesCapture 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 with Basil and Goat Cheese
Cooks in 10 minutesJuicy sweet peaches, tangy goat cheese, savory onions, crunchy walnuts, and fragrant arugula come together for a simple summer salad recipe that's layered with so much delicious flavor and texture.
Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad Recipe
Cooks in 10 minutesThis Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad has simple ingredients that are a winning combination. Refreshing and flavorful!
Sweet & Crunchy Carrot Salad
Cooks in 20 minutesThis Carrot Salad is quick and easy to prepare, and makes the perfect recipe to bring to a potluck. I love the addition of raisins and crunchy pecans!
Crunchy Bell Pepper Salad
Cooks in 15 minutesThis delightfully crunchy bell pepper 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
Cooks in 10 minutesChopped Caprese salad. An easy way to toss together this delicious vegetarian appetizer and perfect for sharing - or for keeping the whole bowl to yourself. Basil gives this a fresh taste and the flavors meld together for a delicious, crowd pleasing dish.
Crunchy Lemon Parmesan Salad
Cooks in 15 minutesCrunchy lemon salad with parmesan that is light, flavorful, and perfect with chicken, fish, or vegetables!
Greek Kale Salad with lemon Olive Oil Dressing
Cooks in 10 minutesHealthy 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!
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 fit the bill.
Black Bean Salsa
Cooks in 15 minutesTransform canned beans into Black Bean Salsa, an easy recipe guaranteed to please. It's fresh, colorful, and delicious, and it might just be your new favorite party recipe.
Parmesan Cauliflower Bites - Just 5 Ingredients
Cooks in 30 minutesCrispy Parmesan Cauliflower Bites will be the hit of your party or dinner table! They're low-carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free and melt in your mouth delicious!
Chickpea and Olive Appetizer
Cooks in 30 minutesMake and share this Chickpea and Olive Appetizer recipe from Food.com.
Marinated Mozzarella Melon Skewers
Cooks in 20 minutesThe fun, colorful, and delicious summer appetizer that we're all looking for right now!
Oven Baked Zucchini Chips Recipe
Cooks in 140 minutesCrispy Baked Zucchini Chips are a healthy paleo-friendly snack recipe that is loaded with flavor and crunch, yet light in calories!
Stuffed Cucumber Bites Appetizers
Cooks in 30 minutesThis is an easy appetizer which tastes great! Make some Cucumber Bites for your next gettogether.
Mini Falafel Bites
Cooks in 40 minutesThese mini falafel bites can be used as snacks, party appetizers or accompany a delicious mashed potato with salad meal. Check out the recipe below!
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 (With Yeast and Potatoes)
Cooks in 190 minutesSoft mini bread rolls are enriched with potatoes for a hearty flavor, creamy texture, and subtle sweetness. The most adorable mini dinner rolls!!
Pesto Rolls
Cooks in 140 minutesThe zip of fresh herbs, saltiness of Parmesan, and the richness of oil permeate the perfectly soft dough for a rich and flavorful roll.
30-Minute Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls
Cooks in 30 minutes30-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
Cooks in 55 minutesIrish Soda Bread is a quick bread that does not require any yeast. Instead, all of its leavening comes from baking soda and buttermilk. This Irish Soda Bread recipe is my grandmother's and has been cherished in my family for years. It's dense, yet soft and has the most incredible crusty exterior.
The Best Garlic Bread You'll Ever Eat
Cooks in 20 minutesThis is the BEST homemade garlic bread you'll ever make. It has fresh herbs, tons of flavorful roasted garlic, and is perfectly toasted. This easy garlic bread recipe is delicious served with your fav pasta dishes & comfort foods, and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Easy Crusty French Bread
Cooks in 2 hours 30 minutesEasy dutch oven bread ready in just a few hours - no overnight rise needed.
Steakhouse-Style Pumpernickel Bread Recipe
Cooks in 185 minutesMy Outback Steakhouse-inspired, lightly-sweet and perfect with butter, Steakhouse-Style Pumpernickel Bread recipe is one you'll make all the time.
Garlic Cheddar Beer Bread
Cooks in 55 minutesWhip up a loaf of this Garlic Cheddar Beer Bread in practically no time - and with NO yeast!
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.
Fresh Green Bean Recipe
Cooks in 15 minutesThis delicious green bean recipe is a perfect healthy side dish. They are cooked in one pot with garlic, olive oil and a little spice. It is one of the best green bean recipes because it is both quick and delicious!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Cooks in 35 minutesLearn how to cook Brussels sprouts with this easy recipe! Bright, fresh, and delicious, it's the perfect holiday side dish.
Oven Roasted Root Vegetables
Cooks in 70 minutesThese roasted root vegetables are totally addicting! Easy, healthy and colorful side dish with root vegetables, garlic, herbs and olive oil.
Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash
Cooks in 40 minutesEasy Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash. Cubes of butternut squash tossed with maple syrup, cinnamon, and rosemary, roasted to caramelized perfection.
How to Cook Frozen Corn (the RIGHT way)
Cooks in 15 minutesWant 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 Homemade Apple Strudel Recipe with Puff Pastry
Cooks in 60 minutesFlaky 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
Cooks in 210 minutesThis 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)
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 Rich Chocolate and Biscuit Cake
Cooks in 285 minutesThis layered, no-bake cake delivers chocolate as its meant to be: completely and utterly decadent, rich, creamy, and solid but soft.
3-Ingredient Easy Chocolate Mousse
Cooks in 5 minutesThis 3-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse is light, chocolate-y, smooth and whips up in less than 5 minutes. It's a perfect dessert for any night of the week!
Easy Cherry Cobbler
Cooks in 1 hour 10 minutesMade from just 9 ingredients, this cherry cobbler is one of the easiest desserts you could make with fresh cherries. See Notes if using frozen cherries or if you want to try other fruits. Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Apple Coffee Cake
Cooks in 65 minutesEasy Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake with brown sugar streusel and bites of apple in every bite - the perfect breakfast or brunch all fall long.
Strawberry Dream Dessert
Cooks in 25 minutesA delicious strawberry cream cheese dessert, perfect for potlucks and BBQ's! It's one of those dessert recipes you'll want to make again and again.
The Best Quick Southern Banana Pudding Recipe
The Best Quick southern banana pudding comes together in a snap and uses cool whip to make the pudding airy and light--a perfect complement to fresh bananas and crunchy vanilla wafers.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Cooks in 45 minutesHow to Make Chocolate-Covered Strawberries that are delicious, stunning, and ultra impressive. These gourmet-looking treats are surprisingly easy and make the perfect edible gift for Valentine's Day.
Wines/Beverages
- Shepherd's Pie Wine Pairing Options
- Making Shepherd's Pie with Lamb? Read this: What Cocktails Go With Lamb
- Making Cottage Pie with Beef? Read this article.
Would love to hear from you!