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.
It’s so delicious the whole family loves it including my picky toddler!
This is the first time making this dish in general. THANK YOU! This recipe is perfection.
Made a double recipe exactly as written except for no Parmesan in the potatoes because I didn’t have any. It was so good. This will go into the rotation for sure. Also a great dish for taking to other people.
Delicious!!! So easy to prepare 🙂 My grandaughter almost finished all of it!! 😆
Awesome shepherd’s pie!
Can this be frozen?
Yes… I have made 3 casserole dishes, and usually freeze 2. Still tastes great.
YES! Have done so many times! Both prior to baking, to give away. And after baking, leftovers for future busy day! Both reheat great! Great recipe!
Made this tonight and it was sooo good. I thought an entire stick of butter seemed too much so I used 6 T. And the potatoes needed more liquid so I added some milk. All in all worthy of repeat!
Yes. I find it’s best to freeze before you cook it in the oven and when you bake it later, cover for 20 minutes and then bake uncovered another 30 minutes.
I cooked this for my parents and sister as an early Christmas gathering. The direction in which the world is going, we must make every moment a moment of celebration and gratitude while we can. And so, this meal offered much comfort at a time when the world has gone absolutely mad.
Back to the recipe: I made this the night before as part of my ‘Old School Lunches’ themed menu, which my parents adored (for afters, we had Bread and Butter pudding). Just make sure to take it out the fridge an hour in advance so it gets to room temperature. I served it piping hot! People said it was aromatic, full bodied, and the mash to meat ratio made it a hearty meal all on its own with no sides necessary. It is the perfect meal on a cold winter’s day. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Wow! This recipe is flavor packed and hearty. Perfect for a cold winter night. I’m currently making this recipe like every other week and it goes fast! Thank you!!
So yummy! It made it in to my recipe card box.
This is my absolute favorite Shepherd’s Pie recipe. Also, my family’s favorite to eat! 😋
Tried it tonight and it is the best
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit with both adults and grandkids. We loved it and it will be a regular item on our menu! Thank you!
I never comment on recipes but feel that I owe it to this one because it basically keeps me alive… We make this for dinner at least once or twice a week and it’s so easy, gets you good nutrition, and tastes absolutely amazing! I use white wine instead of bone broth sometimes for extra flavor. I usually make more mashed potatoes than it calls for and add its ingredients to taste (usually end up using half a stick of butter, not full.) Excellent, classic recipe.
I’ve made this recipe twice and it is a big hit, especially when re-heated the next day. I substituted a few ingredients with what I had on hand (celery and bell pepper instead of chopped onions, pizza sauce instead of tomato paste and basil instead of the dried herbs). I also omitted the cheese and garlic powder from the mashed potatoes.
I was wondering what the recommended oven temperature and heating time is? Thank you for this wonderful “comfort food” recipe.
Best Shepherd’s Pie recipe hands down. Only thing I add is a pinch of sage and a bay leaf while simmering (which I remove before putting it all together for the oven).
This is such a great recipe. My whole family loves it , even the kids. We use grass fed only beef that we purchase from a local farmer and it has the best flavor which really adds another level of depth to the recipe. This one’s a keeper!!!
Absolutely great. Just like I had in England but without the corn. That is an American thing!
i was CRAVING shepherd’s pie for some reason and I found this recipe!
1) I love LOVE the pictures showing step by step instructions, amazing.
2) I added a lil sprinkle sprinkle of curry and nutmeg and it was chef’s kiss and broiled it at the very end for 5 minutes
3) This was DELICIOUSSSS, love this recipe, sent this to my friend.
I have been making this recipe for years now! It is a family favorite even for the kiddos!
Absolutely delicious! I add crispy bacon pieces for extra flavor.
I made this with ground elk and it was amazing. I call it Hunter’s Pie