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.
Very easy to make! Flavors blended perfect! Best we had yet!
One of the best shepherds pie I’ve ever made. This recipe is definitely a keeper and will make again.
Everyone loved it. My 18 yr old grandson could not stop saying how good it was.
This was delicious! Only a few changes to the recipe: 1. I don’t like peas so I used an Italian style mixed frozen veggies (lima beans, carrots, zukes, Italian green beans). 2. Used Fage yogurt w/milk since I didn’t have 1/2 & 1/2. 3. Made some extra mashed potatoes, so we could decorate the top like an iced cake. Will definitely make this again.
The only thing I would change is the parmesan cheese (not very English or Irish) to white cheese and add a bit more than the recipe suggests. Other than that it is pretty good. As for authentic, well, its as I just said, it’s pretty good, but I’ve had it at an English pub and it was much better and a bit different. You must know that this was, in England originally a meal made from leftover meat, vegetables and potatoes so there are different variations which have become over time a more common or similar recipe intentionally made from scratch and not leftovers.
I made it tonight and it was amazing no leftovers. I used ground Turkey and added cheese and cornbread so I layers it potatoes, meat, cheese and topped it off with cornbread.
Thank you for these instructions on preparing delicious meal
This is such an awesome recipe!! My husband likes this better than the shepherd’s pie at McGuires restaurant!! I put mine in a 9×11 dish to be able to add extra mashed potatoes to it. I also add shredded cheddar which adds a nice touch.
Simple n very delicious
Rave reviews from my whole family. I had to make a substitution due to a family member’s allergy (subbed baby limas for the peas). The parmesan I had was a bit mild for our taste, so I added a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to up the cheesiness.
Great recipe! Didn’t have carrots, peas or corn so I used green beans and it was delicious!
Just yum!!! Happened upon the recipe by chance n so glad that I did. We ate every bit of it! Even the picky eaters enjoyed🤤
OMG! I found this recipe before Christmas and I’ve been craving it ever since. Well, I finally made it! It’s amazing! I added a little bit of red wine to enhance the richness. I will definitely hold on to this recipe! It’s a winner.
Very good – tasty. Everyone loved it. Served with salad as a starter. Yummy !!
I made this tonight and it turned great and tasted even better !
Should you drain the fat from the ground beef after cooking?
First time making Shepherds Pie.
Loved it!
Now it’s a staple for our go to meals!
This was so delicious on a winter evening. I used lamb and fresh thyme I had in the fridge, along with a pinch of red pepper flakes. I found that canned corn worked well, too. Definitely one of the best shepherd’s pies I’ve ever made. Thank you!
This is very good, my husband and myself really enjoyed it and wouldn’t change a thing. This will be in the rotation and I am sharing it with my daughter and sister.
Delicious! I added grated zucchini in lieu of corn and used whole milk and cheddar in the potatoes. Gotta use what’s in the fridge 🙂 This was so easy definitely a keeper!!