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Why we love this recipe
Yes, I realize this is my 457,947 version of shepherd’s pie, and yes I realize that technically this should be called cottage pie, but I love messing with success and I love calling it shepherd’s pie and I’m never going to stop. I gotta be me.
This is the version for folks who want their shepherd’s pie and they want it NOW.
This super easy shepherd’s pie recipe streamlines things just a little so that you skip the baking time and instead just pile some buttery mashed potatoes right on top of a savory, flavorful beef and veggie mixture.
ALL. THE. YUM.
Welcome to the streamlined but still scrumptious version of this recipe, which is even speedier if you use pre-made mashed potatoes. OUR SECRET.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Ground Beef: We recommend the 80/20 version of ground beef to get the most flavor.
- Potatoes: We find that Yukon Gold potatoes (also known as Butter Potatoes) make for the creamiest mashed potatoes…and you don’t even have to peel them!
- Milk: Whole milk works best for this recipe, and if you want to go EVEN creamier with your potatoes, you can use half and half or cream!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Start with the potato topping: put 2 pounds of cut up potatoes (I love Yukon Golds for this) in a medium pot, cover with water, stir in a tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes (a paring knife should go in easily). Drain and return to the pot.
STEP 2: Warm 6 tablespoons of butter and a cup of milk together in a small pot until butter is melted. Using a potato masher or a potato ricer, mash the potatoes. Add the butter and milk and mash again. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm while you cook the rest of the recipe.
STEP 3: Cook 2 pounds of ground beef in a large deep skillet over medium high heat until it’s nice and browned. Drain the beef in a strainer and set aside.
STEP 4: Pour ¼ cup of water into the skillet, add a peeled and chopped sweet onion and 4 chopped up carrots and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons of tomato paste and then 2 tablespoons of flour and stir for another 2 minutes or so. Add 2 tablespoons of 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.
STEP 5: Stir in 10 ounces of thawed frozen peas and turn off the heat.
STEP 6: Ladle the beef mixture into bowls, top with a generous spoonful of mashed potatoes, a dollop of butter and (optional!) a sprinkle of parsley.
Recipe FAQs
Shhhh….yes, and just between you and me, I may have done this a time or two when I wanted to save time. I recommend the mashed potatoes you find in the refrigerated section (usually next to the dairy foods, for mysterious reasons) but if you love the kind in the box, you do you!
You can! And you should if you can’t find Yukon Golds – if you are using Russet or Idaho potatoes they should be peeled (and you can make potato chips out of the peelings!) Yukon Gold potatoes have such thin skins that they will pretty much mash into the rest of the potato, but you can also peel those if you like them better that way.
Yep! The only thing I would do at the last minute is put the potatoes on the beef mixture. But you can make both those things ahead of time and warm them up in the microwave or on your stovetop.
Pop your question in the comments section below and I will answer pronto!
I’m telling you what….comfort food in a bowl. To the max.
This is also a great way to use up any leftover mashed potatoes (I always make WAY more mashed potatoes than we can eat just to have leftovers of mashed potatoes).
And my last piece of advice? Eat it with a soup spoon. Happiness!
Want to round out your meal?
One of the wonderful things about all kinds of shepherd’s pie recipes is that they are pretty much a full meal in a bowl. However, that wouldn’t stop us from having some Irish soda bread on the side, and some Irish Trifle for dessert!
Other Shepherd’s Pie recipes we love
Could you leave us a review?
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.
Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
This recipe for skillet shepherd’s pie has all the flavors of this comfort food classic, but in a softer and speedier version!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled (or not – I like mine unpeeled) and cut into even chunks
- 3/4 cup milk
- 6 tablespoons butter, plus extra for garnish
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 10 ounces frozen peas, thawed
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Start with the potato topping: put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water, stir in a tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
- Warm the butter and milk together in a small pot until butter is melted. Using a potato masher or a potato ricer, mash the potatoes. Add the butter and milk and mash again. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm while you cook the rest of the recipe.
- 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.
- Ladle the beef mixture into bowls. Top with a generous spoonful of mashed potatoes, a dollop of butter and a sprinkle of parsley. Serve at once!
Notes
-
- Ground Beef: We recommend the 80/20 version of ground beef to get the most flavor.
-
- Potatoes: We find that Yukon Gold potatoes (also known as Butter Potatoes) make for the creamiest mashed potatoes…and you don’t even have to peel them!
-
- Milk: Whole milk works best for this recipe, and if you want to go EVEN creamier with your potatoes, you can use half and half or cream!
Josephine says
Love this twist on shepherds pie! I sprinkled a little cheese on mine and it was heavenly!
Well, cheese DOES make everything better. :)