For More Flavorful Shepherd's Pie, Grab This Japanese Condiment

Shepherd's pie is a classic Anglo-Irish dish traditionally made with leftover meat and vegetables and a toasted mashed potato topping. Its rich savoriness has provided filling meals to countless working-class families over many generations, but a meat-and-potatoes pie may be a little too savory for some. To make a shepherd's pie feel less heavy to eat, reach for a Japanese condiment: ponzu sauce.

Ponzu is distinguished by its unique citrusy-umami flavor. The condiment emerged in 1600s Japan as a local take on a citrus-forward vinegar cocktail introduced by the Dutch around the same time. Recipes vary slightly, but in addition to yuzu, soy sauce, and vinegar, ponzu typically includes mirin (Japanese cooking wine), konbu (dried kelp, also spelled kombu), and katsuibushi — smoked and fermented tuna, also known as bonito flakes.

When added to shepherd's pie, ponzu's citrusy yuzu notes cut through the deep savoriness of all that meat and potatoes to make each bite feel lighter. But the complex umami flavors of ponzu also improve the pie filling, adding layers of taste far more sophisticated than the standard dish. When following a shepherd's pie recipe, a dash of ponzu can be added to the filling just before baking. But if you really love the stuff, you can also add it to a slice on your plate.

Ponzu sauce might be unfamiliar to some Western palates, but in addition to citrus from the yuzu fruit, it's two of the most unfamiliar components that really make it shine in shepherd's pie: Konbu and katsuibushi are two of the expert-recommended ingredients Japanese cuisine beginners need on their grocery list. Both are essential components to dashi, a common Japanese broth, but their unique flavors succeed at altering our perception of a meaty pie filling, too.

Konbu is extraordinarily rich in umami, long considered one of the basic tastes in Japanese cuisine and recently considered the same in Western food. It's akin to how a sprinkle of MSG — first isolated as a food additive to create an umami table seasoning — provides a complex boost to many foods, especially savory ones. Katsuibushi fills a similar role, with intense umami noted by a slight fishiness. Their strong flavors are why only a bit of ponzu sauce is needed.

If it still feels a little too strange for a shepherd's pie, consider that one of the best ingredient swaps to improve shepherd's pie is replacing Worcestershire with soy sauce, a Japanese essential broadly embraced by Western diners. If it helps, think of a dash or two of ponzu as a flavor enhancer for soy sauce.