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You are here Home » Around the World » Canadian Recipes » Pâté Chinois (Quebec Style Shepherd’s Pie )

Pâté Chinois (Quebec Style Shepherd’s Pie )

Published: September 13, 2015 | Last Modified: March 17, 2017 by Sarah Ozimek

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In Quebec, the classic Irish Shepherd’s Pie takes on a new name: Pâté Chinois. But, don’t let the name or simple ingredients fool you. It is still an incredibly easy and tasty comfort-food casserole.

Potatoes, ground beef, and corn combine in this Canadian version of Shepherd's Pie. | www.curiouscuisiniere.comGrowing up, I loved when my mom would make Pâté Chinois. It had been a staple in her household growing up, and it became a staple in ours. I loved hearing her pronounce the French Canadian name too. It reminded me of when we would stay at her parent’s house, and I would listen to my grandparents speaking French to each other in the early morning before we all got out of bed.

Pâté Chinois: A Unique Name

Growing up, the meaning of Pâté Chinois was a bit lost in translation for us. No one in our family really knew why the French Canadians called their version of Shepherd’s Pie Chinese Pie.

It was simply what it was called.

To me, that three-layered casserole was synonymous with Shepherd’s Pie. And, I had never heard of using any other vegetable in Shepherd’s Pie besides corn. Needless to say, when my college roommates introduced me to strange vegetables like carrots and peas in Shepherd’s Pie, I was one confused cookie.

But, after doing a bit of digging into my grandparent’s French Canadian heritage and into traditional Quebecois food, I finally found the answer to my questions.

Cooks for the Chinese railway workers in the 19th century came up with this dish as a variation on Shephard’s Pie because it was an economical way to feed all the workers. Apparently, Canadians liked it so much, it stuck around and became the national dish of Quebec.

Our Pâté Chinois Recipe

Traditionally, Pâté Chinois is made using canned creamed corn, however, my Grandmother was not a fan of creamed corn, so she would use fresh corn instead.

That version is what has been passed down in our family, and it’s the one we’re sharing with you today. But, if you’d like to try it using creamed corn, I’d suggest making your own creamed corn, rather than using the canned version. (It’s actually quite easy.)

Potatoes, ground beef, and corn combine in this Canadian version of Shepherd's Pie. | www.curiouscuisiniere.com

Potatoes, ground beef, and corn combine in this Canadian version of Shepherd's Pie. | www.curiouscuisiniere.com
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4.75 from 4 votes

Pâté Chinois (Quebec Style Shepherd's Pie)

In Quebec, the classic Irish Shepherd's Pie takes on a new name: Pâté Chinois.
Yield: 1 (8x8) pan. (Double the recipe to fill a 9x13 baking dish.)
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Canadian
Servings: 6 people
Author: Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere

Ingredients

For the Mashed Potatoes (Alternately, use 4 c of leftover, seasoned mashed potatoes, warmed and beaten until smooth.)

  • 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 1/3 c milk
  • ½ Tbsp salted butter
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

For the Dish

  • ½ Tbsp salted butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 lb ground beef (90% lean)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 c sweet corn,* thawed if frozen

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Put peeled and quartered potatoes into a medium soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. Drain and add the milk, ½ Tbsp butter, ¾ tsp salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Beat using an electric hand mixer to achieve very smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes. (If using leftover mashed potatoes, beat them to create a smooth texture, adding a splash of milk if necessary.) Set the potatoes aside.
  • In a large skillet, heat ½ Tbsp butter. Add the diced onion and sauté over medium-high heat until the onions are golden, 3-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown the beef until it is cooked through.
  • Pour the onion and beef mixture into the bottom of a greased 8x8 baking dish. Evenly distribute the corn over the meat. Finally, dollop the potatoes over the corn, spreading them even to create a top crust.
  • Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Notes

*To make the dish more authentic, use 2 c of creamed corn. You can make your own using THIS RECIPE.

 


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Potatoes, ground beef, and corn combine in this Canadian version of Shepherd's Pie. | www.curiouscuisiniere.com

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Related Categories: Around the World, Canadian Recipes, Leftover Meals You May Also Be Interested In: Beef, Corn, Potatoes, SundaySupper

About Sarah Ozimek

Sarah is the co-owner of Curious Cuisiniere and the chief researcher and recipe developer for the site. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from years working in professional kitchens. Find out more about her and our mission on our About Page.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tracy

    June 14, 2019 at 4:26 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for posting this recipe! I grew up in Nebraska and it was a school lunchroom staple back in the ’60’s. It is good, plain food, absolutely delicious, and wonderfully easy to prepare!

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      June 17, 2019 at 12:13 pm

      Perfect comfort food! We hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  2. Josee

    May 27, 2019 at 8:35 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely perfect on the first try (love it when that happens!). Exactly what I was looking for! Fond memories of when my mom used to make this for me. I created a pin on Pinterest and make this at least once a month for my girls 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      May 29, 2019 at 9:55 am

      So glad you enjoy it! It is definitely comfort food in our house!

      Reply
  3. Michael

    February 12, 2019 at 3:35 pm

    4 stars
    My mother always added beef gravy to the beef and used canned sweet corn rather than creamed corn. It was simply delicious. We’re from Vermont and the Quebec version made it across the border.

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      February 13, 2019 at 1:19 pm

      Thanks for sharing Michael. Sounds delicious!

      Reply
  4. Robert Gendron

    February 11, 2019 at 2:57 pm

    Thanks so much for the backgrounder on Pâté Chinois.
    I had no idea where the term Pâté Chinois originated.
    I’m down on the idea of using creamed corn (homemade could be just fine).

    All my french canadian ancestors (and yes, they were ALL from canada), were well aware of this dish that essentially was the recipe that you defined. It’s still a favorite of mine.

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      February 12, 2019 at 1:59 pm

      Thanks Robert! We hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  5. Shaena

    May 8, 2018 at 10:17 pm

    The poor Irish indentured servants, one of the oppressed but founding groups of Quebec, were cooking for for Chinese rail workers, who were essentially also slaves at the time. The ruling french did not notice or understand other cultures, and so when they saw Chinese slaves eating Irish made food they decided it must be an asian dish, and the inaccurate colonial slaver name persists to today, but only in Quebec.

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      May 9, 2018 at 8:29 am

      Isn’t it so interesting to learn the history of how dishes get named and how those names stick?

      Reply
    • Ann

      November 2, 2019 at 9:49 am

      Correction: the French were not the ruling class, at the time they were an oppressed minority in Canada too, although numerically the majority in Quebec.

      There was an expression widely accepted until recently, “on est nés pour un p’tit pain”, “we are born for a small loaf of bread”…

      Reply
  6. lk529

    September 17, 2015 at 4:10 pm

    That layer of potatoes looks incredible! And corn is the best “vegetable” out there anyway. But I would be intrigued to trying it with creamed corn.

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      September 17, 2015 at 4:20 pm

      Sweet corn is the best! One of these day’s we’ll try it with creamed corn. Since learning that you can actually make homemade creamed corn, I like it so much more!

      Reply
    • Sara

      July 1, 2016 at 4:49 pm

      I use one can cream corn and one can while kernel corn

      Reply
  7. mommasmeals

    September 14, 2015 at 10:26 am

    This brings me back big time Sarah! We too are french and it’s been a staple in our home all of our years, still is, I’ve even made it with ground chicken too! Thanks for bringing me back to my childhood!

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      September 15, 2015 at 2:52 pm

      I’m so excited to hear that Tammi! Now I want to try it with ground chicken!

      Reply
  8. Food Done Light (@FoodDoneLight)

    September 14, 2015 at 8:25 am

    I love reading every one story and seeing similarities with mine even from different parts of the world. Shepherd’s Pie reminds me of my childhood in England. I loved learning about the French influences too. It is a small world after all.

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      September 15, 2015 at 2:53 pm

      It is such a small world. Food really does connect us all! 🙂

      Reply
  9. cathy6c

    September 14, 2015 at 7:26 am

    Will save this recipe for a snowy, cold day — looks great! Cathy from Delaware Girl Eats

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      September 15, 2015 at 2:53 pm

      This is definitely the perfect snowy day dish! Enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers

    September 13, 2015 at 10:18 pm

    I love your recipe. I have never made Shepards Pie.

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      September 15, 2015 at 2:44 pm

      You should Jennifer! It’s such a great, comforting dish!

      Reply
  11. Serena | Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

    September 13, 2015 at 7:21 pm

    That’s really interesting to find out the background to the name! I love fresh corn and can see why your family uses it! Yum!

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      September 15, 2015 at 2:43 pm

      The sweet corn adds a really nice dimension to the dish!

      Reply
  12. quiltbabe

    September 13, 2015 at 6:40 pm

    I’ve seen this with all sorts of stuff – most commonly green beans, in the American version. I use it as a “use whatever vegigies are handy” dish – always onions and mushroom, sometimes corn or beans. Always wonderful.

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      September 15, 2015 at 2:42 pm

      I bet it would be great with green beans and mushrooms!

      Reply
  13. Liz Berg

    September 13, 2015 at 3:10 pm

    What wonderful comfort food! Bill would love this version—I’ve always used mixed vegetables, but corn would work wonderfully all by itself 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek

      September 13, 2015 at 4:32 pm

      It really does, especially if you use sweet corn!

      Reply

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