Veggie Heavy Sweet Potato Lamb Shepherd’s Pie

We got this really great pot for Christmas – not last Christmas, but the one before that – and ever since then, I've been wanting to make a Shepherd’s Pie. Trust me when I say that this pot is just begging to cook a Shepherd's Pie. 

I’m embarrassed to say that it’s taken me this long.

Since we decided not to do anything too elaborate for Valentine’s Day this year, I decided I wanted to (yes, finally) make a Shepherd’s Pie. 

Since this dinner was over a year in the making, I knew I had to make it good.

I decided to use lamb, a protein that feels special enough for celebratory dinners like this one, but also holds up so well in comforting, hearty dishes. And because a 3 ounce serving of lamb provides nearly five times the amount of the omega-3 fatty acid, ALA compared to the same serving of beef, incorporating lamb in our Valentine’s Day dinner, or such a heart-focused meal, felt appropriate. 

I added a carrots, celery, and peas, and then topped the lamb stew with one of my favorite vegetables, sweet potatoes. The result made me wonder why I didn’t make this sooner.

Veggie Heavy Sweet Potato Lamb Shepherd’s Pie

Packed with tons of veggies and made with lamb, this easy stew is special enough to make for a celebratory dinner, yet is comforting enough to make any night of the week.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 pound ground lamb

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon thyme

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

½ cup low sodium vegetable broth

1 cup frozen peas

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.     Fill a large pot with water and add the sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

3.     Meanwhile, in a oven-safe pot, such as a Dutch oven, saute onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in olive oil until softened.

4.     Add lamb, breaking apart until cooked through, about 7-8 minutes.

5.     Add tomato paste, oregano, thyme, and flour. Stir until mixture thickens, about 1 minute.

6.     Add broth and peas. Allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

7.     Drain the water from the sweet potatoes, and mashed the potatoes until smooth and fluffy. Stir in two tablespoons of butter.

8.     Top the lamb, vegetable mixture with sweet potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes, and then broil at the end of baking time for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: While Lisa and I are consulting dietitians with the Tri-Lamb Group, we are sharing this recipe simply because we want to!

Irish Lamb Stew

{Disclaimer: We received free samples of lamb mentioned in this post from Mountain States Rosen and were compensated for our time. Opinions expressed are our own.}

This past August, Lisa married the man of her dreams, Elie, and their wedding guests experienced a meal that, until then, we had only dreamed about. The menu — with lamb porchetta in the starring role — was nothing short of spectacular — even Seattle Magazine here, considered it feature worthy.

lamb porchetta took the starring role in Lisa's wedding menu

Ever since that lamb-sharing moment on August 24th, lamb will forever be symbolic of celebration and joy in the world of Nourish RDs.  It confirmed that lamb is incomparable and appreciated by food-lovers everywhere.  When we learned of the pure, delicious virtues of Shepherd’s Pride American Lamb, we were inspired to create our own “every day is a celebration” lamb dish.

As with most things, Lisa and I are proponents of quality over quantity. We often tell our clients, friends, and family that when it comes to choosing animal protein, quality is so important. That’s why we love working with brands and farmers that support sustainable agriculture, such as Mountain States Rosen.

MSR is the only lamb company in the U.S. to receive the top-rated food safety and quality certification administered by international 3rd-party auditors, the Safe Quality Food Institute. Their ranchers are committed to delivering a supply of the highest quality breeds that adhere to exceptional standards. Shepherd’s Pride Lamb never has any antibiotics, added hormones or artificial additives in this product. Mountain States Rosen is also committed to having a genuine focus on animal care – something that is particularly important to us. It is the only “Where Food Comes From” source-verified lamb in the U.S.   “Where Food Comes From” is a trusted, third-party that verifies the source of origin of all Shepherd’s Pride lambs, bringing traceability and transparency to the consumer.

Nutritionally speaking, lamb is a smart choice as it is naturally lean. Compared to other meats, it has very little fat marbling throughout the meat, so any excess fat can be easily trimmed without sacrificing the juicy, one-of-a-kind delicious taste. A 3-ounce serving of lamb, on average, has 175 calories and six grams of fat, and has more than five times the amount of omega 3s than the same portion of beef.

The recipe for this lamb stew is the right combination of celebration and comfort. Lamb is the perfect candidate for slow cooking as it helps to remove any trepidation that may come from lack of experience with cooking lamb. It makes a hearty portion so be sure to freeze the leftovers. That way, you can have a special, nourishing meal at your fingertips….even on nights when you’re not in the mood to cook! 

Click here to find out where you can get Mountain States Rosen lamb near you.

Irish Lamb Stew

This recipe imparts an irresistible warming aroma and melt-in-your-mouth product. It’s not just any stew. Its stew made with Shepherd’s Pride Lamb – and American lamb is very special.

Makes 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 ½ pounds Shepherd’s Pride boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, coarsely diced

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups carrots, thickly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 - 15 ounce can of stout beer

1 cup dried cherries

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Water

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Place flour, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes in a large bowl.  Add the lamb pieces and toss in the flour, lightly coating all of the pieces. 
3. Heat a large Dutch oven (or oven-proof pot) over medium heat.  Add the olive oil.  When the olive oil is hot, add as much lamb as will fit along the bottom of the pot in a single layer.  Brown the lamb pieces on all sides. Repeat with remaining lamb. Once all of the lamb is cooked, remove from the pot and place in bowl. Set aside.
4. If the bottom of the pot is dry, add a little more olive oil.  Then add the onion and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add carrots and garlic, cooking for another few minutes.
6. Add the tomato paste to the pot, letting it brown and stick to the bottom of the pot a bit. 
7. Pour the beer into the pot, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
8. Add the dried cherries, bay leaf, thyme and reserved lamb (and any juices from the lamb) to the pot. Pour water into pot until the lamb and vegetables are just barely covered. 
9. Place the pot in the oven, covered, for one hour. 
10. After one hour, add the sweet potatoes to the pot, stirring to cover the sweet potatoes.  Continue to cook the stew for another 2 hours, uncovered, or until the lamb is very tender and the broth has thickened into a deep, rich color.

Enjoy, preferably with those you love!

Enter to win your own Dutch oven for fall-off-the bone tenderness from Mountain States Rosen by clicking the image below.