Recipe for Shepherd's Pie
Admittedly, I had actually never even tried to make or even tasted a shepherd's pie of any kind until last year. I'd gone 30+ years without ever having one and truly had no idea what I was missing out on! With the picky eaters in my home, I realized that it was all foods that they both loved, so I thought, "why not?" I figured I could give it a shot and if it worked out, great, if it didn't we just wouldn't eat it again.
To my surprise, they both liked it, but I felt like it could be better. I tried several different recipes I had found on Pinterest and in cookbooks. I never found an easy Shepherd's Pie recipe using beef that I felt was still thick, full of flavor, and easy to make. Gathering together my knowledge of the basics, I decided to just wing it and go with my own recipe. After months of different combinations and seasonings, we found one our family truly loves. We make this at least twice a month. Basically anytime there's leftover mashed potatoes, you can guarantee there will be Shepherd's Pie in our future.
What is Shepherd's Pie?
Shepherd’s Pie is a meat based dish traditionally made of lamb, vegetables, and a cheesy mashed potato topping. It’s often referred to as shepherd’s pie because of the lamb meat used. Over time, both cottage pie and shepherd’s pie began to be used interchangeably, but cottage pie is the technical term for a shepherd’s pie made with beef. Both the British and Irish claim to be the originators of Shepherd’s Pie. Whoever is truly the original creator, hats off to them because it’s delicious!
What is traditional shepherd's pie made of?
Traditional shepherd’s pie is made from lamb, vegetables, and a cheesy mashed potato topping.
Recipe Ingredients for Shepherd's Pie
- Lean Ground Beef
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables
- Tomato Sauce
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Garlic
- Dried Onion
- Beef Base
- Mashed Potatoes (homemade or store bought, but I use our Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe)
- Tomato Paste
- Cheese (optional)
- Splash of Water (if needed)
Shepherd's Pie Seasoning
- Minced garlic - Fresh garlic works best, but if you need to use the jarred kind, that will work as well. Don’t use garlic powder as it won’t give the same flavor.
- Dried onion - Fresh onion will also work well here, but be sure to mince it finely and don’t do too much. You don’t want the onion to overpower the rest of the dish.
- Worcestershire sauce - Worcestershire sauce gives it a nice deep, salty flavor. If you don’t have any, you could try using a splash of soy sauce. It won’t be exactly the same, but will give a similar taste.
- Beef base - beef base will not only give you a depth of flavor, but it adds a saltiness that you need to match up with the potatoes. It also helps create the gravy style sauce. If you can’t get your hands on beef base, you could also use beef bouillon. Just be sure to dissolve it in a small amount of water first.
Using instant potatoes in shepherd's pie - Is it OK?
I do not recommend using instant potatoes in shepherd’s pie. They are not as thick and are likely to sink into your meat mixture. They also don’t have the same excellent flavor as homemade potatoes. If you’d like to use a shortcut for the potatoes, I recommend using premade mashed potatoes (like the Bob Evans kind).
HOW TO MAKE SHEPHERD'S PIE
(full recipe with measurements and printable card below)
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until it is no longer pink.
- Add the garlic and dried onion and saute an additional minute or two, stirring just until it gets fragrant.
- Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and beef base to the meat mixture. Stirring until fully combined.
- Add in the frozen mixed vegetables and cook, stirring until vegetables are thawed and warm. Add a splash of water if the mix seems dry or too thick. You want the mix to be thick & spreadable, but not dry.
- Pour the mixture into a round baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Top with the mashed potatoes and a sprinkle of cheese (if using).
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until it is hot, bubbly, and the tips of the mashed potatoes just begin to brown a tiny bit.
- Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
How to layer a Shepherd's Pie
To layer a shepherd's pie, start by adding the beef mixture to the baking dish. Spread it evenly across the dish. Next, top them with mashed potatoes. Try not to push them down. Make sure they stay sitting on top and fluffy. For the final layer, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the mashed potatoes.
Can this shepherd's pie recipe easily be made ahead of time?
Yes! You can assemble, cover, and place in the fridge until ready to bake (up to 1-2 days in advance) or you can even stick it in the freezer. If you use the freezer method, be sure to thaw before placing in the oven. I recommend over night in the refrigerator.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat Shepherd's Pie
To store shepherd’s pie, allow it to cool completely and come to room temperature. Once cooled, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 6 months.
When reheating from the refrigerator, place on a microwave safe dish and reheat through (about 1-2 minutes). From frozen, you will need to allow the shepherd’s pie to thaw (preferably in the refrigerator overnight) and then reheat. You can also reheat shepherd’s pie in the oven.
Tips for a Perfect Shepherd's Pie
- Use frozen vegetables! Don't be the hero and go with fresh in this case. It makes it go so much smoother.
- I don't recommend adding any salt to this recipe when making it as typed. The beef base and the Worcestershire sauce both add salt to the dish. If you still feel like you'd like to use it, I recommend taste testing the filling once it's complete (prior to adding to the baking dish) to decide if you'd like to add it.
It depends on what part you're talking about. In regards to the filling, if you feel like it's a bit too thick & dry prior to adding the mashed potatoes, add in a splash of water if needed. Be conservative gentle, you don't want it runny. If you're talking about your potatoes, you need to be sure to use mashed potatoes that already have butter in them. I recommend using our Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
You've added too much water instead of a splash. The filling should be thick and spreadable. Never runny. If your mix is a bit too runny, you can try simmering for a little while to let some of the liquid absorb, but it's important to not add too much liquid to begin with. If it seems a bit runny after cooking (but wasn't to begin with), allow it a chance to cool. It'll stick together better if you let it cool before serving.
The meat. Technically, this recipe is cottage pie, not shepherd's pie, but shepherd's pie has become the catch-all name for this type of pie. In actuality a shepherd's pie contains lamb (hence the shepherd) and a cottage pie contains beef. We still call it Shepherd's Pie around here though! We just never really say cottage pie.
ALTERATIONS FOR PICKY EATERS
The good news is that this dish isn't too bad for picky eaters. There are a few slight changes you can make, but for the most part it's picky eater friendly.
- Use vegetables your picky eater enjoys! If they only like peas and corn, only use peas and corn. If they don't like carrots, get a mix that doesn't have it. Tailor the vegetables to the ones that they enjoy.
- Add extra mashed potatoes on top. Instead of having a thinner layer, add a thick one!
- I use dried onion in my recipe since my picky eaters don't like onion, but if even the dried onion seems to bother them, you could omit it all together or try with onion powder instead. I recommend trying the dried onion first though (my picky eaters don't even notice it).
What to Serve with Shepherd's Pie
The great thing about shepherd’s pie is that it’s a complete meal. It includes protein, vegetables, and a starch. Some people like to serve shepherd’s pie with rolls to soak up the extra sauce, but it’s not necessary.
LOOKING FOR SIMILAR RECIPES? TRY ONE OF THESE:
Easy Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef 96/4
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon dried onion
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon beef base
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables corn, peas, green beans, carrots
- splash of water if needed
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
- shredded cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until it is no longer pink.
- Add the garlic and dried onion and saute an additional minute or two, stirring just until it gets fragrant.
- Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and beef base to the meat mixture. Stirring until fully combined.
- Add in the frozen mixed vegetables and cook, stirring until vegetables are thawed and warm. Add a splash of water if the mix seems dry or too thick. You want the mix to be thick & spreadable, but not dry.
- Pour the mixture into a round baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Top with the mashed potatoes and a sprinkle of cheese (if using).
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until it is hot, bubbly, and the tips of the mashed potatoes just begin to brown a tiny bit.
- Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Notes
- 8 points on WW green plan
- 7 points on WW blue plan
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