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This Easy Shepherd’s Pie is the ultimate comfort food with savory ground beef and vegetables in rich gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden. It’s a complete dinner in one dish that your whole family will love, and it comes together in just 45 minutes.
Try this next: Slow Cooker Shepherd’s Pie, Easy Chicken Pot Pie, or my Hamburger Casserole are all classic comfort foods that are perfect for fall and winter!
5 Keys To A Great Shepherd’s Pie
- Use lean ground beef — I like using at least an 85/15 ground beef mixture. 80/20 will be too greasy. If you do use a fattier ground beef, make sure to drain it thoroughly.
- Brown the beef thoroughly — Browning meat gives it a lot of flavor, so don’t rush it! Your meat should be brown, not gray. You want those crispy brown bits for deep flavor.
- Season at every layer — Salt your meat mixture, taste it before assembling, and season your mashed potatoes. Underseasoned filling is the #1 complaint with shepherd’s pie.
- Let your filling simmer until thick — Runny shepherd’s pie happens when the filling is too loose. Simmer uncovered for a few minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Cool your filling slightly before adding potatoes — Hot filling creates steam that makes potatoes slide off. Let it rest 5 minutes while you prep the potatoes.
What is Shepherd’s Pie?
While traditionally made with lamb, in the US, we use ground beef and still call it Shepherd’s Pie. Technically, that would be Cottage Pie, but the term isn’t widely used here. Either way, it’s classic comfort food your whole family will love!
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make Shepherd’s Pie
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Step 1: Brown the beef.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break it apart, but then LET IT SIT for 2-3 minutes without stirring. This creates those flavorful brown bits. Finish browning the beef and season with salt and pepper.
Once browned, use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a bowl, leaving about one tablespoon of the grease in the skillet.
- We love our meat masher for cooking and browning ground beef! It is one of my favorite kitchen tools.
Step 2: Build the filling.
Add diced onion to the reserved fat in the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes until softened, then stir in minced garlic during the last 30 seconds. Add in frozen peas and carrots, the cooked ground beef, beef gravy, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme. Simmer for a minute until the gravy coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning — it should be well-seasoned, as the potatoes are mild.
- Use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor.
Step 3: Assemble in your baking dish.
Transfer the meat mixture to a 2-quart baking or casserole dish. Spread 1 cup of frozen corn evenly over the top of the beef layer. Spoon or pipe about three heaping cups of mashed potatoes over the top.
Piping the potatoes gives a beautiful finish with extra crispiness. If you don’t have a piping bag, spoon them on and use a fork to drag across the surface. This creates texture and helps the ridges brown and crisp nicely.
- Pro Tip: For extra golden tops, brush with melted butter or sprinkle with cheese before baking.
Step 4: Bake until bubbly.
Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until the filling bubbles around the edges and the top is golden. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
If desired, broil on high for 2 minutes to brown the potato topping.
- Watch closely when broiling! It can go from perfect to burnt pretty quickly.
Step 5: Rest before serving.
This is crucial! Let it rest for 5 minutes so the filling sets up. Otherwise, it’ll be too loose when you scoop.
Serve with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley if you like.
Variations and Customizations
- Different Proteins: Swap in ground lamb for a traditional version or use ground turkey and chicken gravy for a lighter version.
- Add Cheese: Stir shredded cheddar cheese into the mashed potatoes before topping.
- Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie: Use cooked lentils and mushroom gravy to make this meatless.
- Vegetable Swaps: Green beans, celery, leeks, or mushrooms are good options if you enjoy them.
- Sweet Potato Topping: Replace regular mashed potatoes with mashed sweet potatoes for a twist.
- Mini Shepherd’s Pies: Make in ramekins for individual servings — kids love these!
Storage Tips
Storage, Freezing, Make Ahead
- Storage – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezing Unbaked – Assemble completely, wrap tightly, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge, then bake as directed adding 10-15 minutes.
- Freezing Baked – Cool completely, wrap well, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat covered at 350°F until hot all the way through.
- Reheat – Reheat individual portions in the microwave at 50 to 60 percent power for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
- Make Ahead – Assemble up to 24 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate. Add 10 minutes to bake time if going straight from fridge to oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between cottage pie and shepherd’s pie?
Traditionally, shepherd’s pie uses lamb, and cottage pie uses beef. You can use whichever meat you prefer in this recipe.
How do I fix runny shepherd’s pie?
Simmer the filling briefly until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Can I use instant mashed potatoes?
Yes, you can.
What vegetables can I add?
Green beans, celery, mushrooms, and leeks would be good options if you like them.
Should I cover shepherd’s pie when baking?
No, this is not necessary. You want the top uncovered so it gets a golden-brown color. However, you can cover it with foil if the top is getting too brown.
Can I prep this ahead?
Absolutely. Assemble the dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
More Comforting Beef Recipes
- Simple Beef Stew
- Dad’s Classic Meatloaf
- One Pot Beef Stroganoff
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Easy Tamale Pie Recipe with Seasoned Ground Beef
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 pound Lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 cup Yellow onion diced small
- 3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- 1 cup Frozen peas and carrots mixture
- 1 cup Beef gravy jarred or homemade
- ½ Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Dried thyme leaves
- 1 cup Corn frozen
- 3 heaping cups Mashed Potatoes
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a 10-12 inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, followed by the ground beef; season with salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, break up the beef into small pieces, and continue cooking until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, strain the cooked ground beef to a separate bowl and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of the fat in the saute pan.
- Add the onions (with the reserved grease) and cook for about 2 minutes until they start to soften, add garlic during last 30 seconds. Add the peas and carrots, drained ground beef, gravy, worcestershire sauce and dried thyme to the skillet and mix well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Pour the meat mixture into a 2 quart baking or casserole dish. Top the meat mixture with the corn then pipe or spread the mashed potatoes over the top with a spoon.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes. Then broil on high for about 2 minutes until the mashed potatoes are golden brown if desired.
- Serve immediately with optional chopped fresh parsley for garnish.
Notes
- Let filling simmer until thick (coats spoon) to prevent runny pie
- Season each layer — meat, gravy, and potatoes separately
- Cool filling for 5 minutes before adding potatoes to prevent sliding
- Ground beef or lamb both work — your choice!
- Freezes beautifully — assemble and freeze up to 3 months
- Fork-create peaks in potatoes for crispy golden edges
- Rest 5 minutes after baking for best texture
- Add cheese on top for last 5 minutes if desired
- 9×13 dish serves 6-8; use 8×8 for half recipe
- Storage – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezing Unbaked – Assemble completely, wrap tightly, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge, then bake as directed adding 10-15 minutes.
- Freezing Baked – Cool completely, wrap well, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat covered at 350°F until hot all the way through.
- Reheat – Reheat individual portions in the microwave at 50 to 60 percent power for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
- Make Ahead – Assemble up to 24 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate. Add 10 minutes to bake time if going straight from fridge to oven.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
