This savory and delicious Shepherd’s Pie is one of my go-to dinners on a busy night. The creamy potatoes and nicely seasoned beef are hearty, filling, and a perfect meal for children and adults.
Shepherd’s pie, or cottage pie, is a French/British meat pie dish from the 1850s. It was commonly made with leftover meat and potatoes at the end of the week. However, now many chefs, writers, and bloggers will put their own spin on the recipe.
I did not eat shepherd’s pie until I was out of college and out on my own. I made many meals that I could either cook and walk away from or a meal that would last me multiple days, which is why I have grown so fond of this dish because it does both!
You can make shepherd’s pie the traditional way, chopping all your vegetables, using ground lamb, and making homemade mashed potatoes- but who has the time?! We are going to take some shortcuts!
The Star Ingredients
Ground Meat
In this recipe, we will be using ground beef. However, you can also use ground lamb or a mixture of both. This will be the base of the dish and contain most of the ingredients and seasonings.
Seasoning
Since the dish consists of only two major parts, we want to season the meat well. Some of the critical seasons are Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, tomato puree, and red wine.
Veggies
This will be the dish’s vegetable element and also add great color and contrast. You can add or remove what you like, but here we are using onion, garlic, carrots, peas, green beans, and corn.
Mashed Potatoes
Last but not least, the creamy topping. You can make a fresh batch ahead of time or use a batch of leftovers; just make sure that it is room temperature.
Check out our side dish recipe below for perfectly seasoned mashed potatoes!
Serving Sheperd’s Pie
How to serve Shepherd’s Pie?
Serving this dish is very easy. Since it is baked in a dish, you can portion and serve it directly from your favorite casserole dish.
Using a fork, try to create marks or patterns on the top. You can make an excellent presentational design with the mashed potato topping before baking it in the oven.
What should I serve with Shepherd’s Pie?
The dish will be rich and delicious. Pairing it with a refreshing side salad would be perfect.
Storing/Leftovers
How long do Sheperd’s Pie leftovers keep?
This dish can keep about 3-5 days depending on the age of the ingredients, especially if you are using leftover mashed potatoes. It is best not to keep any homemade dish past one week.
How long can I freeze Shepherd’s Pie?
For best results, you can freeze unbaked potions in airtight containers for about 2-3 months.
Variations to Shepherd’s Pie
This dish can be easily molded using almost anything you prefer to use.
Different Meats
Use lamb instead or a mixture of beef and lamb
Different Veggies
You can omit any vegetables used in this recipe and replace them with something else you prefer. Some tasty replacements are:
- Zucchini
- Eggplant
- Asparagus
- Mushrooms
- Red or Green Pepper (this may alter the overall flavor just a bit)
- Add cheddar cheese on top instead of Parmesan
Make this recipe Gluten-Free by substituting the flour with cornstarch!
Tips and Tricks
- Blending the egg yolks with the warm milk helps bring the egg up in temperature and keeps the egg from scrambling in the mashed potatoes heat.
- Use room temperature mashed potatoes. If it is too hot, it can sink into the meat mixture.
- Try to use only fresh herbs. They provide a much more flavorful mixture and delicate taste.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe.
Please comment below on what you thought of the dish or if you have any questions.
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Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe
Equipment
- Casserole Dish
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 5 large Potatoes, cubed
- 3/4 cup milk or heavy cream, warmed
- 4 tbsp butter, unsalted
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup parmesan, divided into (2) ½ cups
- 2 egg yolk
- ½ tsp nutmeg, ground
- kosher salt, to taste
- white pepper, to taste
Meat Mixture
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ lbs ground beef
- 2 sprigs thyme, or 2 tsp of dried
- 2 sprigs rosemary, or 2 tsp of dried
- 1 1/2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp all-purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 cups vegetable medley
- kosher salt, to taste
- black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
Mashed Potatoes
- Peel, wash, and dice the potatoes into even chunks.
- Add potatoes, enough cold water to cover, and some kosher salt to a medium pot. Bring to a boil until the potatoes are fully cooked.
- In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and egg yolks. Set aside
- Drain the potatoes and mash. Add milk mixture, butter, sour cream, ½ cup parmesan, white pepper, and nutmeg to the pot. Combine everything until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. (Try not to mix too much, or the potatoes will become gummy.)
- Taste for additional seasoning.
- Set aside to reach room temperature.
Meat Mixture
- In a large pan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic for about 1-2 minutes. Add beef and cook until no pinks are left.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Combine and taste for additional seasoning.
- Sprinkle flour over and add tomato paste. Mix until well combined. Pour in the wine, mix and deglaze the pan for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the broth and vegetables. Cook the mixture to thicken for about 4-5 minutes. Taste for additional seasoning.
- Set aside.
Assembly
- In a deep casserole dish, evenly cover the bottom with the meat mixture. Add the mashed potatoes on top and carefully cover the meat.
- Using a fork, lightly scrape the top in one direction and again in the opposite direction. Sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Bake for about 20-30 minutes. Take it out when the cheese has browned, and the meat mixture is bubbling.
- Let it rest and set for about 5-10 minutes. Scoop and Enjoy!
Notes
- Blending the egg yolks with the warm milk helps bring the egg up in temperature and keeps the egg from scrambling in the mashed potatoes heat.
- Use room temperature mashed potatoes. If it is too hot, it can sink into the meat mixture.
- Try to use only fresh herbs. They provide a much more flavorful mixture and delicate taste.