Christmas dinner is all about comfort, warmth, and sharing something special with the people you love. This Rendang Shepherd’s Pie brings all of that to the table, with a festive twist. It combines the deep, aromatic flavours of Indonesian beef rendang with the cozy, familiar comfort of a classic Shepherd’s pie, making it a wonderful center-piece for the holiday season.

I love serving dishes at Christmas that feel comforting yet a little unexpected. Rendang, with its rich coconut milk, warm spices, and slow-cooked tenderness, transforms beautifully into a holiday-worthy filling. Rendang is traditionally cooked low and slow, allowing the flavours to deepen and intensify. This version, however, doesn’t take nearly as long since I’m using ground beef and pre-made bumbu (rendang paste), making it much more practical for busy Christmas cooking. It’s still rich, warming, and deeply satisfying, ideal for chilly December evenings and festive gatherings.

As a bonus, this dish can easily be made ahead of time, which is always a win during the hectic holiday season. Simply assemble it, refrigerate, and bake when you’re ready to serve.

A Standout on the Christmas Table

This Rendang Shepherd’s Pie is rich enough to stand on its own but also pairs well with classic Christmas sides like roasted vegetables, green beans, or a fresh salad. It’s hearty, comforting, and full of flavour! Exactly what you want in a holiday main dish.

Whether you’re hosting a Christmas dinner, bringing a dish to a holiday potluck, or simply looking to add something new to your festive menu, this fusion Shepherd’s pie is sure to impress. It’s familiar, flavourful, and just different enough to feel extra special for the season.

Ingredients

For the Rendang Filling

This filling is inspired by traditional beef rendang but adapted for a quicker, Shepherd’s pie–friendly version using ground beef. It’s rich, savoury, and deeply flavourful without requiring hours of cooking.

• Ground beef: The main protein of the dish. Traditionally, Shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, but since I make rendang filling, beef works perfect for it! If you have left over rendang, you can shred the meat, place it in the baking dish and you only need to add the mashed potato over it.
• Rendang paste (bumbu rendang): This is where most of the flavour comes from. Store-bought paste works well if you don’t have so much time making your own. Just be sure it’s made in Indonesia for an authentic spice blend. If you would like to make your own blended rendang paste, check out my Rendang recipe.
• Carrots: Carrots add sweetness, color, and a bit of texture to balance the richness of the meat.
• Frozen peas:
  Stirred in at the end, peas bring freshness and a pop of green to the filling.
• Coconut milk: Rendang is originally made with coconut milk, which is also adding extra creaminess and gives its signature rendang creaminess and helps mellow the spices.
• Beef bouillon powder
  Enhances the savoury depth of the filling and ties all the flavours together.
• White pepper
  Adds gentle warmth without overpowering the spices.
• MSG (optional but recommended)
  Boosts umami and rounds out the overall flavour.
• Indonesian palm sugar or dark brown sugar
  A touch of sweetness to balance the spice and richness of the coconut milk.
• All-purpose flour
  Helps thicken the filling so it holds together beautifully under the mashed potatoes.
• Neutral oil
  Used for sautéing the beef and spices. Choose an oil with a mild flavour, like vegetable or sunflower oil.

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For the Mashed Potato Topping

For the topping, I like to switch things up. Sometimes I spread the mashed potatoes over the filling and create simple fork patterns. For special dinners, though, I enjoy piping the potatoes with a star tip to create elegant swirls. Once baked, the edges turn beautifully golden and crisp, adding both texture and a festive look to the dish. The creamy potato layer brings comfort and contrast to the richly spiced filling.

• Potatoes, slightly floury or higher in starch (iets kruimig)
  These mash easily and create a smooth, fluffy topping that crisps nicely when baked.
• Egg yolk
  Adds richness and helps the mashed potatoes develop a golden color in the oven.
• Unsalted butter
  Provides creaminess and a buttery flavour.
• Warm milk or heavy cream
  Warming the liquid helps it blend smoothly into the potatoes without cooling them down.
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  Season to bring out the flavour of the potatoes.

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How to Make Rendang Shepherd’s Pie

Rendang Shepherd’s Pie begins with a well-made bumbu (Rendang Paste). gently sauté the paste over low heat until fragranced.

Once the flavour base is established, the ground meat is added. Then cook until changed color. Add in carrots and season the meat, and then add tablespoon of flour follows to help thicken the sauce, along with rich coconut milk, bouillon, brown sugar, MSG, and salt and pepper

The mixture is simmered until thick and spoonable, then spread into a baking dish and topped with creamy mashed potatoes (the smoother the mash, the easier it is to spread). The result is a beautifully browned top that looks just as good as it tastes when it comes out of the oven.

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Tips for Making Rendang Shepherd’s Pie

• Meat: Traditional rendang uses large cuts of beef cooked for hours. For this Shepherd’s pie, ground beef is a practical choice. It absorbs the rendang paste quickly and delivers bold flavour in a fraction of the time. Even with ground beef, allow the rendang mixture to simmer until it thickens and you see oil rising to the surface. This step is key to achieving that signature rendang richness. Avoid extra-lean ground beef. A fat content of around 15–20% gives better flavour and prevents the filling from becoming dry once baked.
• Vegetables: I chose carrots and peas for this recipe because it blended well in rendang. However, I left out celery from the traditional Shepherd’s pie recipe because its flavour could create a confusion in rendang’s already strong spices and it slows down the reduction process, due to its high water production. Rendang is built on a very specific aromatic base, therefore, adding celery can introduce a flavour that feels out of place, slightly grassy and herbal in a Western way rather than warm and aromatic.
• Flavour: Rendang flavours deepen as they cook, but always taste before topping with mashed potatoes. Adjust salt, sugar, or spice at this stage. Once baked, it’s much harder to fix.
• Sauce consistency: The thickness of the sauce before baking is exactly how it will be after baking. Since steam can’t escape to reduce it further in the oven, be sure to cook the filling until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, the pie can end up more like a stew than a proper filling.
• Cooling the filling: Letting the filling cool before topping it with mashed potatoes helps prevent moisture from seeping into the sauce and makes the potatoes much easier to spread. If you’re short on time, place the filling in the freezer while you prepare the mashed potatoes. It works surprisingly well.
• Avoid watery potatoes: Potatoes that hold excess moisture can release liquid into the filling, thinning the sauce and causing the mash to “weep.” Don’t skip the step of drying the potatoes after cooking, and make sure the mash is still hot when spreading it on top. Cold mashed potatoes are stiff and difficult to work with.
• Variations: For extra indulgence or when cooking for guests, you can mix a generous handful of cheese into the mashed potatoes: Parmesan, cheddar, gruyère, Monterey Jack, or similar cheeses all work beautifully.
• You can also lighten the filling by reducing the amount of meat and adding vegetables like zucchini or spinach (fresh or thawed frozen).
• Make-ahead: This dish is perfect for prepping in advance. Assemble the pie but don’t bake it. Once cooled, refrigerate or freeze. If frozen, thaw completely before baking, as it takes too long to cook properly from frozen.