The Best Classic Shepherd’s Pie – AKA Shepards Pie or Cottage Pie. Ground Beef (or lamb) with vegetables in a rich gravy, topped with cheesy mashed potatoes, and baked.
Shepherd’s Pie
So, this is how you spell it: Shepherd’s Pie. But, from doing a quick google search, it came to my attention that TONS of people think it’s Shepards Pie.
Irish Shepherd’s Pie
Traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie would actually call for ground lamb. The difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie is the meat. Cottage Pie uses ground beef, while Shepherd’s Pie uses ground lamb.
I called this recipe Shepherd’s Pie. But, I wrote the recipe so that you could use ground beef or ground lamb.
I typically use ground beef because it is widely available. But, for a special occasion, like St. Patricks day, I would use ground lamb.
How To Make Shepherd’s Pie
(Note – The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post)
- Sauté some chopped onions in olive oil.
- Add ground beef or ground lamb.
- Add dried parsley, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Stir and cook the meat mixture until the meat is browned.
- Add minced garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
- Cook the garlic for a minute.
- Add flour and tomato paste.
- Add beef broth, frozen mixed peas and carrots, and frozen corn kernels.
- Simmer the meat gravy until it is thick.
- Boil some peeled and chopped potatoes until they are soft.
- Drain the potatoes
- Add butter, half & half, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mash the potatoes until smooth.
- Pour the meat mixture into a casserole dish.
- Top it with the cheesy mashed potatoes.
- Bake until the meat is bubbling and the potatoes are golden.
Easy Shepherd’s Pie
Making the best Shepherd’s Pie is not difficult. But, there are a few steps to it. You have to make the meat mixture, the mashed potatoes, assemble the casserole, and bake it.
I find that the easiest way to make this dish is to work ahead. You could make the beef or lamb mixture ahead of time. Or, you could make the mashed potatoes ahead of time.
You could also make the whole recipe ahead of time. Just assemble the casserole, cover the dish, and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it. I find it is best to bake it within 3 days of preparing it.
When you are ready to bake it, take it out of the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before you need to bake it to let it start coming to room temperature. Uncover it, and bake.
What to serve with The Best Shepherd’s Pie
- Deviled Eggs
- Roasted Broccoli from Skinnytaste
- The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Watch the Video for the Best Classic Shepherd’s Pie Below.
Find more of my recipes on TikTok
Best Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Meat Filling:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 lb. 90% lean ground beef -or ground lamb
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 garlic cloves -minced
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup frozen mixed peas & carrots*
- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
Potato Topping:
- 1 ½ - 2 lb. russet potatoes -about 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter -1 stick
- 1/3 cup half & half
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
Make the Meat Filling.
- Add the oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the ground beef (or ground lamb) to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and and pepper. Stir well. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is browned, stirring occasionally.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and tomato paste. Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of tomato paste remain.
- Add the broth, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Set the meat mixture aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Make the potato topping.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10-15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander. Return the potatoes to the hot pot. Let the potatoes rest in the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate any remaining liquid.
- Add butter, half & half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes and stir until all the ingredients are mixed together.
- Add the parmesan cheese to the potatoes. Stir until well combined.
Assemble the casserole.
- Pour the meat mixture into a 9x9 (or 7x11) inch baking dish. Spread it out into an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat. Carefully spread into an even layer.
- If the baking dish looks very full, place it on a rimmed baking sheet so that the filling doesn’t bubble over into your oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.** Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Check out all of my great ground beef recipes.
100%%%% delicious!!! Made this is it was a hit. My son said it was the best sheperd’s pie he has ever tasted loll my man loved it so much he had to share with his coworkers☺️recommend big time
This is so good! I have made it many times and it’s one of my favorites. As another commenter suggested, I have started straining the meat after it’s cooked. It’s a little greasy, otherwise.
I found it the most straightforward recipe.
Delicious! Very comforting and it hit the spot. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely delicious! One of my absolute favorite recipes of all time. And, if I think it tasted good the first day, it was 100 times more delicious the second day.
Amazing, simply delicious 😋 game changer the garlic and parmesan cheese in the mashed potatoes 🤤
Great recipe! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Added an egg yoke to the potatoes making them a little bit richer & used fresh vegetables but besides that, followed the recipe as instructed. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks!
My wife and I love this recipe. We make it a few times every month.
This came out excellent, didn’t have any thyme or garlic powder on hand but I subbed that for garlic salt for the potatoes without adding regular salt, I’ll just need to remember the thyme next time but the meat filling was still delicious, also put a bit of shredded cheese on top before tossing it in the oven.
Didn’t bother measuring the salt/pepper/olive oil, just need enough oil to get a coating on the pan and salt/pepper I used to my preference, at the end of the day I’ll be making this one again easily and can probably come up with some good variations with this as the base.
Fabulous recipe! I make it a lot with no changes. Especially like the specific measurements– as in 1 cup of onions instead of 1 medium.
From New Orleans, where we enjoy our food well seasoned this recipe is Absolutely Delicious. ⚜️
Also, it’s a very convenient dish for Mardi Gras guest. 💜💚💛
Absolutely wonderful recipe!
👍🏻
Hi. I have made this sooo many times! Yum!! But now I need to make it dairy and gluten free. Help please!
This one’s easy to make gluten and dairy free. First of all, just thicken with corn starch (there are other thickeners that are gluten free). For the potatoes, I use 2/3 potatoes and 1/3 steamed cauliflower (in steamer, potatoes on the bottom and cauliflower in the steamer). I then mix the cauliflower with an immersion hand-held blender and mash the potatoes separately, then join together. Season. There is no need for milk or cream because the cauliflower has more water content and keeps the potatoes lighter and fluffier. This is the only way that I prepare mashed potatoes. Added bonus–no one knows there is cauliflower and you’re adding vitamins!
Cornstarch can be used in place of the flour using the same measurement. The difference is cornstarch HAS to be dissolved in COLD water first,then added to the mixture.
I have had okay results using coconut milk instead of the half n half and ghee in place of the butter (but that might not work with some diets.) I don’t have an answer for a cheese substitute as I haven’t found one I like
Good luck
I’ve made this recipe multiple times and it’s delicious! It’s easy to make and uses ingredients I almost always have on hand, so no special trip to the store. It’s a family favorite and a staple in my dinner meals!
Tried this dish last night. It was great! Loved it
I’ve made this recipe but I put my own twist to it and my family loves it.
This was SO good! The whole family loved it!
Best shepherds pie ever.
The first time experience this recipe. Added my own twist enjoyed very very much.
The best ever shepherd’s pie I have ever made. Thank you for this wonderful recipes I have made it numerous times and it’s always a hit 💕