This easy recipe for shepherd’s pie just might be the best comfort food EVER. Warm and wonderful and just right for your supper table.
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why we love this recipe
Shepherd’s Pie…it might be my all-time favorite comfort food, and I never get tired of making it (or eating it!) and neither does anyone in my house, which is a minor miracle. And here’s why!
This version is made with ground beef, not lamb (and yes, I know this means it is technically cottage pie but stay with me here) and featured peas and carrots in a thick tomato-y sauce, all topped with mashed potatoes.
Which means that you and your lucky dinners are getting all of their meat and veggies in one easy, good and good for you, comfort food dish. And how great is that?
ingredients you need
- Ground Beef: We like the 80/20 fat mixture for this recipe as it’s got the most flavor, ground-beef-wise.
- Onion: You can use any variety you like – we find that sweet onions (also called Vidalia onions) are just perfect.
- Mashed potatoes: If you have leftover mashies in your fridge, you are good to go. You can also pick up pre-made mashed potatoes in the refrigerated section of your supermarket, and of course you can always make your own mashed potatoes. The only kind we don’t recommend is the dried kind in the box.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
how to make this recipe
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 425° and get out a 13×9 inch casserole.
STEP 2: Cook the beef in a large deep skillet over medium high heat until browned. Drain the beef in a colander and set aside.
STEP 3: Pour ¼ cup of water into the skillet, add onion and carrots and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and then flour and stir for another 2 minutes or so.
STEP 4: Add Worcestershire sauce, 2 cups water, and the cooked beef. Stir in 2 teaspoons of salt and a pinch of pepper and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in peas and turn off the heat.
STEP 5: Spoon the beef filling into the casserole and spread the mashed potatoes over the whole thing.
Bake until the potato topping is just browned, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve in warmed bowls. Be very happy.
Recipe FAQs
This brown sauce is a combo of molasses, vinegar, onion, garlic and other flavorings that adds a delicious tang to whatever you are making, and we LOVE how it brings out the flavor in shepherd’s pie. You can usually find it in the condiments section of your supermarket.
Yes! Yay you! You’ve turned this into one of the world’s best one pot recipes!
It definitely can. We recommend bringing it to room temperature before you pop it in the oven to brown the potatoes and heat everything else up.
Pop your question (or comment, or suggestion) in the Comments section below and I will answer pronto!
Want to round out your meal?
One of the great things about shepherd’s pie is that you get your meat and sides all in one scrumptious dish. However, we do love to have some butter biscuits on the side.
And for dessert, some caramel apple cake is perfection!
Related shepherd’s pie recipes we love
Looking for more dinner inspiration? Here is our complete collection of dinner recipes!
could you leave us some stars?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section. Your thoughts and advice will help both us and your fellow readers. 🥰
And now here’s the best part, which is the actual recipe!
Shepherd’s Pie
This easy recipe for shepherd’s pie just might be the best comfort food EVER. Warm and wonderful and just right for your supper table.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 10 ounces frozen peas, thawed
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° and get out a 13×9 inch casserole.
- Cook the beef in a large deep skillet over medium high heat until browned. Drain the beef in a colander and set aside.
- Pour ¼ cup of water into the skillet, add onion and carrots and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and then flour and stir for another 2 minutes or so.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, 2 cups water, and the cooked beef. Stir in 2 teaspoons of salt and a pinch of pepper and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in peas and turn off the heat.
- Spoon the beef filling into the casserole and spread the mashed potatoes over the whole thing. Bake until the potato topping is just browned, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve in warmed bowls. Be very happy.
Notes
-
- Ground Beef: We like the 80/20 fat mixture for this recipe as it’s got the most flavor, ground-beef-wise.
-
- Onion: You can use any variety you like – we find that sweet onions (also called Vidalia onions) are just perfect.
-
- Mashed potatoes: If you have leftover mashies in your fridge, you are good to go. You can also pick up pre-made mashed potatoes in the refrigerated section of your supermarket, and of course you can always make your own mashed potatoes. The only kind we don’t recommend is the dried kind in the box.
Amber says
I made this tonight
I used ground turkey instead of beef and mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes.
It was absolutely delicious!
Hi Amber and I love your healthy spin on this dish – thank you for sharing!! :)
Ella says
This is such great comfort food – perfect for a cold or rainy day. I like to sprinkle cheese on top of mine for extra happiness 😍
Well, cheese does make EVERYTHING better. :)
Rosemary says
Yes, it’s time to make this! I can’t wait. xoxo
Hurray! Miss you – hope all is well on your end. :)
Aliza says
It is delicious! Easy to make.
I added some fresh herbs. I am Greek, love food with fresh herbs. I will make it again for friends.
Thank you Aliza! I’m so glad you liked it! :)
Angela says
I just made this. It came out great! Thank you!
Thanks Angela! It’s just right for the start of chilly weather, right? :)
christine says
I am making this as I type for the menu at Celtic…by the way your shrimp and mango salad was yesterday’s special…I sold 40 orders xo
Well, BOTH of these things make me so happy!!! :) xo
Carole Rosenthal says
Hi! Your recipe looks so good. Will make it the next time I run out of ideas. After almost 46 years, you run out of ideas & you start inventing. Just made my lap band version of pizza w/eggs & cheese. Who cares what meat you use. These days, cooking is mix & match. As long as the ‘end’ product is good! Will check out your websites’ recipes & thanks for this recipe ~ Carole
PS-I’ve been in that type of apt. – great kitchen & bathroom. I had to climb over the bed to get into it. He got to use the regular side!!! It was “My Sister, Eileen” revisited!!!!!
I love your cooking philosophy and agree 100% – as long as it tastes good, anything goes! :)
Robin says
This recipe is for cottage pie. Shepherd’s pie contains lamb or slowly braised and shredded mutton…hence the name.Either way it is a soul warming comfort dish. I make both often in winter.
Robin, you are absolutely right – I found this out waaaaay after I posted this recipe. But I agree that either way, it’s comfort food! :)
Charlie says
Robin:
I was just going to say this!
I’m glad I saw your post first.
You can’t beat the real shepherd’s pie. Just love lamb!
Once you have the real thing, you never go back!
I’m definitely going to have to break down and try this one with lamb! :)
Charlie says
Kate I know most people use minced meat, but I use chunks of lamb in mine and like it much better.
I took a shepherd’s pie with lamb to an international day for my daughter’s class. There were two or three other people with shepherd’s pie made with minced beef.
Mine was the only one that was cleaned up (and they were asking for more). The others all had a least half a dish left.
I hear you! You’ve convinced me to give lamb a whirl in this one. :)
Alison says
I love this Shepherd’s Pie recipe and it is great on cold winter nights — perfect comfort food! I did make some minor changes, however, that I thought enhanced the dish. I added some chopped bacon and sauteed that along with the beef. It added a nice smoky flavor. I also added some red wine and thyme toward the end as it was cooking down and this made it more flavorful, too. My family loved it — thank you!
Kate says
Yes! And tonight is definitely one of those nights here in the Northeast…brrr!