The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (2024)

The Best Shepherd's Pie. Ever. is incredibly hearty, with beef and vegetables cooked in a savory gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes. The ultimate comfort food!

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Top o’ the evenin’ to ya’!

That’s my happy St. Patrick’s Day greeting.

Ben and I were going to hit up an all-you-can-eat St. Paddy’s Day buffet at Hy-Vee tonight (unlimited Reubens & corned beef?!) but I thought nah, lets keep it homemade withThe BestShepherd’s Pie. EVER!

I was kind of annoyed with myself for choosing to make this classic meat pie, originally known as Cottage Pie back in the late 1700s, instead of going to the buffet. I figured it would take at least an hour to make.

Turns out it was actually a cinch! Just brown ground beef with onions and garlic,cook in flour, chicken broth, tomato paste and other seasonings, then simmer until thick.

Toss in some frozen veggies, and you’re nearly there!

While I was making the filling, I whipped up ~4 cups worth ofmashed potatoes on a burner next door.

Assembly time!

Pour the filling into an oven-proof casserole dishthen top with mashed pa’tators.Pop into the oven for 20 minutes, and…

BINGO!

Bubbling its little heart out as I pulled it out of the piping hot oven, which totally made me giggle. I just love it when comfort food smells, tastes and sounds like comfort food, you know?

I scooped us out a big serving and almost fell into the tunnel of mashed potato love!!!

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4.5/5 (17 REVIEWS)

Description

The Best Shepherd's Pie. Ever. is incredibly hearty, with beef and vegetables cooked in a savory gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes — the ultimate comfort food!

Ingredients

Serves 5-6

  • 4 cups prepared mashed potatoes
  • garlic salt
  • 1lb ground beef
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour OR all-purpose (dish will not be GF if using AP flour)
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon gluten-free tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce)
  • 1 can (14.5oz) chicken broth
  • 2 cups frozen vegetable medley
  • salt & pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown ground beef, onions and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When meat is completely cooked, sprinkle in flour and continue to saute for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Stir in tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, gluten-free tamari or soy sauce and chicken broth. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Turn of the heat then stir in frozen vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Pour beef mixture into a large, oven-proof casserole dish then top with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with garlic salt.
  4. Place casserole dish on a large sheet pan (in case the sauce overflows) then bake for 20-30 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Scoop onto plates then serve.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Meat & potatoes at its finest. Savory and so comforting!

Ben took his first bite…

“omg, this is life altering right now. This is the best Shepherd’s Pie you’ve ever made…”

“It’s the only Shepherd’s Pie I’ve ever made.”

“No…” (makes horrible face)

“Oh. Right. That Shepherd’s Pie. So it’s only the best when compared to the second AND worst Shepherd’s Pie I’ve ever made…”

“Um, yeah I guess so.”

ENJOY!

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131 Comments

  1. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (17) Donna Cohen 10.14.2023

    I have been using this recipe for the past five years if not longer, it’s the best recipe ever

    Reply

    • The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (18) Kristin 10.15.2023

      That is music to my ears, Donna! Thank you so much for your feedback!

      Reply

  2. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (19) Sarah B 02.25.2021

    This truly is the best shepherd’s pie. Comforting, satisfying, flavourful, filling. You will not be disappointed!!

    Reply

    • The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (20) Kristin 02.26.2021

      Thank you so much for your recipe review, Sarah! I’m so glad you love this dish!!

      Reply

  3. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (21) Rachael Lavender 02.23.2021

    My family enjoyed this meal. It came together easy on a busy workday evening. Adding it to the meal rotation. Thank you for sharing g!

    5

    Reply

    • The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (22) Kristin 02.23.2021

      So glad you loved it, Rachael! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!

      Reply

  4. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (23) Carolyn 07.27.2020

    Shepherds pie and Cottage pie are two completely different dishes ! Shepherd pie ss you’d expect is made with lamb, Cottage pie with beef.

    Reply

  5. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (24) Fiona 11.20.2019

    Sorry to correct you, but Shepherds Pie is made with lamb and Cottage Pie is made with beef – they are not the same thing.

    Reply

  6. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (25) 25 Make Ahead Camping Meals to Feed a Whole Family – CampingBeast.com 10.23.2019

    […] Shepherds Pie […]

    Reply

  7. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (26) Bruce 10.02.2019

    So easy. So quick. So tastyMy go to twice a month

    5

    Reply

  8. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (27) Nicole 07.08.2019

    Great recipe. Fast, easy, and my family loved it.

    Reply

  9. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (28) Tony 06.15.2019

    I am a huge fan of Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie. Fantastic and easy to make! Thanks for sharing your recipe. Just an FYI, Shepherd’s Pies were not formally known as Cottage Pies. I see Shepherd’s Pie being used incorrectly more often than not, even in restaurants. Shepard’s Pie is made with mutton or lamb (hence Shepherd) whereas Cottage Pie is made with beef. Other than this, they are the same. I prefer Shepard’s pie over cottage, but not everyone likes lamb and fewer like mutton. For an extra special version, make it in a flaky pie crust. I have never made one without, ever since I first tried it.
    Thank you and all the best wishes.

    Reply

  10. The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (29) Heather 03.20.2019

    I made mine with ground venison and a cauliflower/potato mash on top – we are enjoying this! Thanks for the best shepherds pie recipe :)

    5

    Reply

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hi, i'm kristin!

I’m a Midwestern wife and Mama, and after being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2013 I began sharing delicious and approachable gluten-free recipes made with everyday, in-season ingredients. Welcome!

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The Best Shepherd's Pie - Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is traditional shepherd's pie made of? ›

Traditionally, shepherd's pie is made with lamb mince, vegetables and mashed potato. The meat is added to an aromatic combination of softened carrot, onion and celery, known in French cooking as a mirepoix, which is then loosened up with stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and bay leaves to make a tasty gravy.

How do you keep mash from sinking in shepherds pie? ›

To stop the mash sinking into the filling, allow the meat to cool before topping with the mashed potato. Freeze in individual ovenproof dishes for an easy meal for one.

What can I use to thicken my shepherd's pie? ›

The easiest way to thicken shepherd's pie filling is by sprinkling a few tablespoons of flour into the ground beef mixture as it cooks before adding it to the baking dish. The starch in the flour will absorb the extra liquid and create a thick gravy.

How do you keep shepherd's pie from falling apart? ›

How do you keep shepherds pie from falling apart? The eggs in the mashed potatoes help keep the pie together. You should also make sure to spread the potatoes and press down a bit.

Does shepherd's pie have gravy in it? ›

Talk about satisfying. Ground beef, vegetables, and gravy are baked under pillowy mashed potatoes. If it's not yet already, this will soon be a family favorite recipe.

Why is my shepherd's pie soggy? ›

Classic shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb, gravy, mashed potatoes, and veggies like peas, corn, celery, and carrots. Why is my shepherd's pie soggy? Avoid a soggy pie by simmering the meat mixture for at least 8 minutes. Be sure to cook down the mixture to remove excess moisture.

Why does my potato sink in shepherd's pie? ›

How do you keep potatoes from sinking in shepherd's pie? Let the beef layer cool before you top it with the mashed potatoes. This is the number one way to keep your potatoes from sinking. Another tip is to not make your potatoes too runny because firmer mashed potatoes stay more level while baking.

Why is my shepherd's pie so runny? ›

Why is my shepherd's pie runny? Generally, this is caused by using too much stock.

Should I put shepherds pie in the fridge? ›

Remove the baking dish from the oven, sprinkle a few extra herbs on top if you would like, then dish up your servings while the shepherd's pie is still nice and warm. Or store the pie in sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Why put flour in shepherd's pie? ›

Flour: Used to thicken the filling, creating a sauce to coat the ingredients. Stock: Beef stock or broth enhances the meaty taste of the filling.

Is shepherd's pie good for you? ›

This ultimate comfort food can be quite unhealthy, with lots of butter in the mash and pushing up your saturated fat intake. Here are a few ideas to make this classic a little healthier and just as tasty.

How to make shepherd's pie less salty? ›

Add Dairy. Milk can go a long way in solving the salty gravy (or sauce) problem. The creaminess in milk and other dairy products desensitizes your taste buds, making the sauce taste less salty. Using dairy adds richness, too.

What is the original shepherd's pie made of? ›

Shepherd's pie comes to us from England, and is traditionally made with lamb or mutton. Here in the states we are more of a beef eating culture than a lamb eating one, and when one is served "shepherd's pie" here, it is most often made with ground beef.

Why does shepherd's pie need to go in the oven? ›

Both ingredients are already cooked so it really only needs to be in the oven long enough for the potato to form a golden brown crust on top. Minced or ground beef is used for a Cottage Pie not a Shepherds pie.

Should I freeze shepherd's pie before baking? ›

Yes! You can freeze shepherd's pie before baking it. This way, you can save time by defrosting your oven-ready shepherd's pie whenever you want to enjoy it.

What is shepherd's pie made of in England? ›

“Shepherd's pie” and “cottage pie” are used interchangeably, but technically traditional shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb and traditional cottage pie is made with ground beef.

What ingredients does shepherd's pie, a traditional Irish dish, contain? ›

Shepherd's Pie is a comforting mixture of ground lamb with peas and carrots and just the right seasonings. It is topped with mashed potatoes and baked to perfection. It's not a complicated dish and it is an Irish staple. We usually make it at home with beef, in which case it would be called a cottage pie.

What meat is in traditional pie and mash? ›

Pie and mash is a traditional working-class food, originating in the Docks of London. Often accompanied with jellied eels, the dish has been popularised as "a co*ckney classic". It typically consists of a minced beef pie, mashed potato, and a parsley sauce known as liquor.

Does shepherd's pie have cheese in it? ›

The dish often includes cheese and chicken; cod is sometimes used instead of beef. The filling is similar to that of a cottage pie, with the addition of sliced hard-boiled eggs. Similar to cottage pie; may also contain peppers.

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