This is the best Shepherd’s Pie with Ground Beef, made with a rich and savory filling that’s covered with fluffy mashed potatoes. It’s classic comfort food that’s quick to prepare and easy to make ahead of time.
Whether it’s St Patrick’s Day, a cozy winter day, or time to use up some leftover mashed potatoes, this recipe always hits the spot. For more comfort foods, you can also try our Homemade Beef Stew, Old Fashioned Meat Loaf, or this Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast.
Easy Shepherd’s Pie With Ground Beef
When the temperature dips, nothing compares to warm and cozy comfort food like shepherd’s pie. Whoever thought of combining meat and mashed potatoes into this perfect casserole was an absolute genius. Not only is it incredibly easy to make—it’s also a great make-ahead or even freezer meal.
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Technically speaking, this is actually more of a cottage pie because it’s made with ground beef rather than lamb, like the original Scottish version. But here in the US, most recipes labeled as shepherd’s pie are actually made with ground beef.
Because of its Scottish and Irish origins, this is a great recipe to make for St Patrick’s Day. But it definitely tastes amazing any time you want to enjoy a cozy, hearty meal.
Key Ingredients You Will Need
- Potatoes – Russet potatoes or Yukon gold are my favorite potatoes for making super fluffy mashed potatoes. It’s up to you whether you want to leave the skins on or off—just be sure to give them a good scrubbing first.
- Butter – all good mashed potatoes need butter! It adds loads of flavor and keeps the potatoes nice and moist.
- Sour Cream – sour cream makes mashed potatoes extra creamy, and gives them a great tangy flavor. You can use either full fat or lite.
- Ground Beef – stick with a lean ground beef like 85/15. It will keep the filling from getting too greasy. If you want to make this more of a classic Shepherd’s Pie, you can substitute ground lamb.
- Mixed Frozen Vegetables – adding frozen mixed veggies keeps things super simple. No chopping involved! Just toss them into the skillet. Truly any combination of veggies will taste great. You can, of course, use 2 cups of chopped fresh veggies instead.
- Flour – adding a couple tablespoons of the flour to the filling just before boiling it will help it to thicken.
- Beef Broth – beef broth makes an incredibly rich and savory filling. If you are making this with lamb, you could also substitute chicken broth.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Worcestershire sauce is often added to cooked meat because it adds such a richness and depth to the flavor.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – shredded cheese is sprinkled over the top before baking. Any kind of cheddar or cheddar blend will taste great with the mashed potatoes and beef filling.
How to Make This Basic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Make the mashed potatoes. In a large pot, add your boiled potatoes, butter, sour cream, salt, and garlic powder. Mash until smooth.
- Cook the onions and beef. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the minced onion in the olive oil until translucent and slightly golden. Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and ground beef and continue to cook until the beef is just slightly pink.
- Simmer the sauce. Add the frozen mixed vegetables, sprinkle over the flour, then add the beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes to thicken.
- Assemble. Spray a deep 9″ x 9″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, then add the beef mixture and spread evenly into the bottom. Add dollops of the reserved mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture. Cover evenly with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- You can leave the peels on the potatoes or take them off—whichever you prefer. Just make sure to wash them first.
- In order to make the potatoes cook evenly, start with cold water covering them and then bring to a boil.
- Salting the water you boil your potatoes in seasons them as they cook.
- A hand potato masher will give you a great rustic mashed potatoes texture.
- Cutting your potatoes smaller will make them cook faster!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can fully assemble this recipe, cool to room temperature, cover, and store in the fridge overnight. The next day, just pull it out while you preheat the oven and bake as directed.
Yup! This is a great way to use up leftover holiday mashed potatoes. You may need to warm them slightly and mix in a bit more soft butter or cream so that they become fluffy again before adding to the top.
The classic recipe for Shepherd’s pie comes from Scotland and uses ground lamb in the filling, while traditional cottage pie is made with beef filling. Cottage pie is often topped with thinly sliced potatoes, rather than mashed potatoes like in shepherd’s pie.
In the United States, the most common way it is found is as a beef shepherd’s pie recipe, as in this recipe. The two terms are often used interchangeably.
For this shepherd’s pie, baked in a 9″ x 9″ baking dish at 400 degrees, it should take roughly 20 minutes to bake. You will know it’s done with the potatoes begin to turn golden brown and the filling gets a little bubbly.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: you can freeze this fully assembled shepherd’s pie by covering it in foil and storing frozen for up to 2 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight before baking.
- To reheat: reheat in the oven until warm, or microwave a small portion.
EAsy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Mashed Potato Topping
- 2½ pounds russet potatoes, washed, peeled (optional) and cut into 1" dice
- 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons milk, as needed
Beef Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 pound ground beef, 85/15% beef, ground lamb is great too.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 2 cups Mixed Frozen Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose-flour
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and cut into 1" cubes. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water, add 2 teaspoons of salt, and bring to a boil.
- Boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes, or until they are fork-tender and no longer stick to a fork when pierced.
- Drain the water, then add the potatoes back to the pot. Add in the butter, sour cream, salt, and garlic powder. Mash potatoes with a hand masher until smooth. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil. Once hot, add the minced onion and cook until translucent and slightly golden. Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and ground beef and continue to cook until the beef is just slightly pink.
- Add the frozen mixed vegetables, then sprinkle over the 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix, then add the beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes to thicken.
- Spray a deep 9" x 9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, then add the beef mixture and spread evenly into the bottom. Add dollops of the reserved mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture. Cover evenly with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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More Classic Beef Dinner Recipes
- Crockpot Mississippi Pot Roast
- Ground Beef Pasta Bake
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Old Fashioned American Goulash
- Meatball Pasta Bake
- Classic Beef Stroganoff
- Homemade Lasagna
- Taco Pasta
- More Beef Recipes
This recipe for Shepherd’s Pie is made with ground beef and topped with the most fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes. It’s the perfect comfort food for a cold day.
Categories:
Beef, Easy Weeknight Meals, Fall Recipes, Main Dish, Nut-Free, St Patrick's Day, Winter Recipes,
