This Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe is gravy-soaked beefy goodness, with peas and carrots, covered with 5 pounds of potatoes. Because there are NEVER ENOUGH MASHED POTATOES. The best Shepherd’s Pie, done right my friends. Originally published February 23, 2016.
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Have you ever taught a kid to roller skate before? Turns out I am literally the worst person in the world for this job. (Where is my parenting manual?? I know I’m going to need it come 6th grade math, too. Don’t judge me.) This about sums it up:
Here’s Charlotte and I at her cousin’s birthday party at the skating rink. You will note that I am most certainly not wearing roller skates. If I had, we would BOTH be sprawled out under the disco lights.
“Stand straight. Lean into it. Glide your skates OUTward. Hold tight. Don’t slip! Find your balance.”
Seriously, “find your balance?” “glide outward”? SHE’S FIVE. It’s like I’m giving yoga instructions to a puppy. No wonder she’s holding on for dear life in that photo. I may as well be telling her to do the crow pose.
I was laughing, but that’s because I only had one kid at the party. You should have seen the moms trying to drag 2 or even 3 kids along. Note: a 5-year-old wielding a roller-skate-clad foot is a danger to innocent feet everywhere.
Now Charlotte is asking for her own pair of roller skates. I am now preemptively collecting donations for her body cast. And for my pair of steel-toed shoes.
Best Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Do you love shepherd’s pie as much as I do? We didn’t have the traditional version growing up. My mom made “Meat and Potato Stuff.” No, I’m not kidding. (We also had “Chicken and Broccoli Stuff.” Bless your heart Mom.) Meat and Potato Stuff had tomato sauce and was basically Sloppy Joe Casserole. (Which explains why I was not into it. Sloppy Joes are gross. Slop sloppy joes…slop, sloppy joes.)
THIS easy shepherd’s pie recipe, however, is anything but sloppy. You make a flavorful gravy with beef broth and ground beef, add some peas and carrots, and cover it up with All The Potatoes. In my opinion, the greatest fault of most Shepherd’s Pies is a serious lack of creamy potato-y goodness. It’s all meat, tiny potatoes. Not gonna cut it for this mashed potato freak. 5 pounds definitely does the trick though!
Top it off with some cheddar cheese that you broil for a few minutes to make it extra crispy. Mm-mm. Invite the neighbors because this casserole feeds a small army!
What is Shepherd’s Pie?
Shepherd’s pie is a baked British casserole traditionally made of ground lamb and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes. In this version (and many American versions), we’re making it with ground beef instead of ground lamb since it’s cheaper and easier to find at the store. Technically when this dish is made with beef, it’s called “cottage pie.”
Shepherd’s Pie Origin
Shepherd’s pie had its humble beginnings in the British Isles. It was called “cottage pie” as well as “shepherd’s pie” and was a way to use up leftovers. It’s always satisfying to see that the problems home cooks have today (“You can’t just keep expecting me to make dinner when we have all these leftovers in the fridge!”) also troubled our ancestors.
Shepherd’s Pie vs Cottage Pie
Technically, shepherd’s pie contains lamb or mutton, and cottage pie contains ground beef. You can definitely see why this makes sense, shepherds aren’t taking care of cows. However, I call this recipe Shepherd’s Pie because we don’t really make the distinction as much in the US, where I live, and calling it Cottage Pie would actually be more confusing.
Shepherd’s Pie Ingredients
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
For the mashed potatoes:
- Potatoes (5 lbs) (Yukon gold potatoes and russet potatoes are both good!)
- Salted butter
- Sour cream
- Milk
- Seasoning salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Cheddar cheese
For the beef mixture:
- Onion
- Carrots
- Frozen peas
- Ground beef (1.5 lbs)
- Beef broth
- Cornstarch
- Worcestershire sauce
- Better than Bouillon beef base (you could use beef broth instead, but this adds great depth of flavor!)
How to make Shepherd’s Pie
Here’s how to make shepherd’s pie. Scroll down to the recipe card below for complete instructions!
- Cut and boil your potatoes until fork tender, then drain. Add butter and mash the potatoes, then stir in sour cream, milk, salt, pepper, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cover and set aside.
- Saute onions and carrots until tender in butter.
- Add ground beef and cook. Drain the fat and add the peas, cornstarch, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the meat mixture to a baking dish, then add mashed potatoes, followed by cheese.
- Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly and amazing. I like browned cheese. Don’t be afraid to turn your broiler on for a minute!
What is the point of baking Shepherd’s Pie?
If the meat mixture and mashed potatoes are already fully cooked and ready to eat, why are we baking this thing?? Casserole comfort food, baby. The mashed potatoes start soaking up the beef gravy, the cheese on top melts and browns, and the whole dish is heated through to the same temperature.
You could take this question a step further. What’s the point of putting the mashed potatoes on top of the meat? What’s the point of making dinner at all? What’s the POINT OF EXISTENCE??
Just bake your shepherd’s pie–I promise it’s better that way ;-)
What to serve with this recipe for Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is pretty much a whole meal in one pan all by itself. Layer up the protein, carbs, veggies, you’re done! But if you’re making this for something other than a busy weeknight dinner, feel free to add on.
I love serving Shepherd’s Pie with dinner rolls or with a salad. Here are some of my favorites!
Rolls:
Soft and Fluffy Parker House Rolls << so soft. So fluffy.
Big Fat Crescent Rolls, yeah << not just for holiday meals!
Easy Fluffy One Hour Dinner Rolls << sometimes you’ve only got an hour.
Aunt Shirley’s Famous Homemade Dinner Rolls << these are legendary in my family.
Salad:
Avocado and Grapefruit Salad << beautiful colors, flavors, and textures!
Green Salad with Feta and Beets << NO chopping. If you hate chopping, this is your salad!
Pistachio-Pear Cucumber Salad << simple and refreshing, a perfect contrast with all those cheesy potatoes.
Pineapple Spinach Salad << a fun twist on the traditional strawberry spinach salad!
How to store Shepherds Pie
Can you freeze Shepherds Pie?
Yes! Shepherd’s pie is a great one to make ahead, freeze, and defrost and reheat when you need an easy meal. You can freeze individual portions or the whole pie. Either way, you’ll want to let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in tinfoil. Don’t forget to tape a label on so you remember what it is. It will still be perfectly delicious in 2-3 months (or even longer).
How to reheat Shepherd’s Pie with Beef
If your shepherd’s pie has been refrigerated, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave (covered, so they don’t splatter) or a whole shepherd’s pie in the oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through.
If you’ve frozen your shepherd’s pie, let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight (or a few hours for individual pieces) before heating in the microwave or oven as you prefer.
Traditional Shepherd’s Pie Recipe FAQs
No, a classic shepherd’s pie recipe should not be soupy. It should contain a gravy that comes from the juice of the cooked vegetables and juices of the cooked ground beef. This gravy should mostly absorb into the part of the mashed potatoes that is touching the beef mixture; it shouldn’t create a pool of liquid on your plate. The important thing is getting the proportion of beef broth right; I think the amount in this recipe creates just the right amount of gravy.
Yes, but you won’t see “gravy” on the ingredient list. A gravy is naturally created from the juice of the cooked vegetables and juices of the cooked ground beef. It’s super delicious, especially in combination with the creamy mountain of mashed potatoes.
This recipe calls for a cornstarch slurry (just a simple mixture of cornstarch and broth or water), which will thicken the gravy perfectly. Any extra gravy that you see in the beef mixture will be absorbed by the huge pile of mashed potatoes on top.
More casseroles to love!
One Skillet Shepherd’s Pie << subtract the mashed potatoes, add a flaky pie crust. Yes please
Leftover Roast Beef, Carrot, and Creamy Potato Pie << if you thought you loved pot roast, get ready to have your mind blown.
Easy Cheesy Chile Relleno Casserole << it doesn’t get easier or cheesier than this!
Easy Pizza Casserole << for the kids, or the kids at heart. So stupid easy.
Easy Cheesy Ravioli Lasagna << family classic right here! Huge crowd pleaser.
Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Topping << comfort food at its finest.
John Wayne Casserole from Casserole Crissy
Mexicali Chili Tater Tot Casserole from Not Entirely Average
BBQ Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole from The Forked Spoon
If you make this Shepherd’s Pie, snap a photo and tag #TheFoodCharlatan on Instagram! I love seeing what you’re making! Here’s a link to a pin where over 150 people have tried this recipe and shared their review. Check it out!
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Shepherds Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the mashed potatoes:
- 5 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 or 2 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup salted butter, 1 stick
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup milk, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
For the beef mixture:
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, 1/2 stick
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4-5 medium carrots, (about 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups)
- 1 & 1/2 cups frozen peas
- 1 & 1/2 pounds ground ground beef
- 1 & 1/2 cups beef broth, *
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon paste*, see note
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Fill a large stock pot with plenty of water. Add the chopped potatoes and make sure the water covers them.
- Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue boiling for about 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes and return to the pot.
- Add 1/2 cup butter. Mash with a potato masher or mixer until they are as smooth as you like them.
- Stir in sour cream, milk, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. All seasonings are to taste. Cover and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
- Add the onions and carrots. Saute for about 8 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
- Add the ground beef and cook and crumble until no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
- Drain the fat.
- Add the frozen peas.
- In a small bowl, stir together beef broth* and cornstarch.
- Add this mixture to the meat, as well as the Worcestershire sauce.
- Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture boils and the sauce has thickened. Cook and reduce until it has reached a consistency you like.
- Season with salt and pepper. Taste it and see how you like it! Add other seasonings if you want.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Pour the meat mixture into a deep 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Top with the mashed potatoes and spread evenly.
- Top with cheddar cheese.
- Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly. (You could do 375 if you are in a hurry. Check it at 20 minutes.)
- Broil on the top rack for about 2 minutes if you are obsessed with crunchy brown cheese like my family is. Don’t walk away!!
- Now invite over the neighbors. Because this pie feeds a crowd!
Really good flavors in the meat mixture and the potatoes. A few too many potatoes for my taste but that’s a simple fix. I froze half of it for a friend that had surgery and she said it was still really good after freezing.
Oh good, thanks for the info on freezing Nina! You’re the best! Thanks for the tip!
Absolutely excellent! A winner to all I gift this as a freezer meals. Many very happy new moms–thank you!
Oh that’s such a great idea Audra! Your new mom friends are so lucky to have you! This is the perfect postpartum food, too. FEED ME I’M NURSING. haha. Thanks for the review and comment!
I did this tonight, and just waiting for it to finish in the oven and it was Yum already!! The only difference I made was to make a roux and added 1 cup beef broth eyeballed about 1 1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce. The rest of the can of beef broth went into the hamburger after I added the sauteed carrots, onion and celery. Topped with garlic mashed potatoes.
For the freezer question–could you freeze just the meat and veggie mixture and then when reheating it make the yummy potatoes fresh. Then pile them on the 15 to 20 minutes of reheating?
Genius Naomi! I think that would be the best way to do it! Let me know how it goes!
So yummy!! I made this last night because I am close to my due date and wanted yummy food to freeze. I have frozen shepherds pie before and it comes out pretty well. Not like freshly made but still yummy! It was possibly a little bit too much mashed potatoes for me (hard to imagine actually but still!) so I think next time I will use a pound less to have the right ratio of meat to potatoes. But the taste was DIVINE! I used buttermilk instead of milk because I still had some leftover and can recommend because it gives it a lighter taste.
Good idea with the freezing Andrea! You are so on top of things. I’m halfway done being pregnant so I’ve still got time, but historically I’ve been terrible about freezing meals in preparation. Thanks for coming back to comment! I’m so glad you liked it!
I am having surgery and would like to fill my freezer beforehand . Can I freeze this?
Hey Marcie! You could, but it won’t be as delicious. Something weird happens to mashed potatoes when you freeze them, and they usually need the help of stirring and more liquid to get them closer to a normal texture, but since you couldn’t stir them (since they are a layer in a casserole) I’m not sure how it would work out. This would be a great freezer meal instead: https://thefoodcharlatan.com/2015/08/13/easy-ravioli-lasagna-recipe/ Good luck with your surgery!
I use Bob Evans ready-made mashed potatoes for just about any meal; they are delicious. These would be a good last-minute choice to really cut time. And you can freeze the meat mixture and add the potatoes just before popping in the oven!
That’s a great idea Jeane! Saves a ton of time! Thanks for sharing your tip!
I just got my pie ready for tonight but I have to keep it in the refrigerator all day. What do you suggest for baking time and temp in this case? By the way, it already smells delicious! Thank you!
Hey Alyssa! If it’s going into the oven stone cold I would give it at least a solid 45-60 minutes at 350. You will know it’s hot all the way through when it’s bubbling. Enjoy!!
I’m dying of laughter over here of that photo of Char. That’s a look of terror. And NOW she wants her own pair of roller skates??
Gimme some of this shepherd’s pie stuff.
Karen this looks so delicious and that cheese on top though – yum!!
I was just thinking of making Shepherd’s pie the other day. This one looks amazing! All of those potatoes! Yes! You’re right-there are never enough potatoes. And the cheese on top looks great.
Never have i thought to myself, “there are too many potatoes.” haha! Thanks Amanda!
If you say “five pounds of mashed potatoes” ANYWHERE near the vicinity of my house, my dad will come running out drooling :) This Shepherd’s pie looks seriously next-level, especially with that cheesy topping. Such comfort food!
Haha! That’s basically how I react when people talk about cheesy potatoes too :)
I was the worst roller skater as a kid and still am today! I refuse to attach anything extra to my feet besides shoes and sometimes that is too much, lol!! Love shepherds pie and love lots of mashed potatoes!
That is a pretty good life rule I think Malinda, haha! Shoes or nothing!
Look at those mashed potatoes… :) Yummy!
i cannot rollerskate, ice skate, ski, or basically do anything where i don’t have complete control over my own limbs. but, growing up, rollerskating parties were totally A Thing, so i even had one or two despite the fact that i would only “skate” on the rug outside the ring (i.e. cling to the rail and try to walk in skates) while all my friends whizzed around like they were born with wheels. inexplicably, i did ask for and receive my own “skates” – those fisher price things that you could expand as your feet grew and they just velcro’d over your sneakers.
i also love shepard’s pie despite having something growing up that was not shepard’s pie even though my mom totally called it shepard’s pie. at the table there would be a dish of mashed potatoes, a dish of cooked ground beef, and a dish of frozen microwaved corn. you put the potatoes on your plate, then the beef on top, and then the corn on top of that. and then you were supposed to eat it, but much to my parents’ dismay, i first had to stir it all together thoroughly. voila, shepard’s pie! lol, NOT. but i did love it all the same. (we also had a similar “beef stroganoff” recipe that i still love, although i distinctly do not like “real” beef stroganoff now!)
Haha! Your mom is doing it right. That’s what I call lazy Shepherd’s pie. lol!! ps. I’m totally the one walking on the carpet too.
The recipe sounds great and I’ll try it soon, though I think I’d like a bit of celery and garlic in mine. We call it cottage pie if it includes beef, shepherds pie with lamb, which I think is better than the beef and almost worth cooking a leg of lamb just to be able to put the leftover meat in the shepherds pie.
Love your site, though I often can’t get the ingredients required (Better then Bouillion for example). Thanks a bunch!
Are you in the UK Alison? I’ve heard of Cottage Pie but I’ve never had it! Er wait I guess what I posted is Cottage Pie and so I’ve never had Shepherd’s Pie. Haha. I think a lamb version would be amazing! Maybe I will try it out! PS you can buy Better Than Bouillon online! I know Amazon has it :)
You can look for beef base.if your grocer dosent have it,check one that provides for restoraunts. Hope this helps! God bless !