Have mercy. Would you look at that bubbly brown, cheesy crust? This isn’t any old shepherd’s pie recipe. Sure it’s humble food, but that doesn’t mean it has to be bland and boring. It starts with sauteed onions that we’ll cook down until they’re tender, celery, carrots, and of course, tons of garlic, because when do we not use ample amounts of garlic around here? Then there’s also this herb and spice-scented ground lamb (or beef) all blanketed with cheesy Irish cheddar mashed potatoes. It’s fall/winter/spring comfort food, and who can even say no to that? There’s something so magical about this easy shepherd’s pie recipe. Sure, every family has a version, and sure with every version, you’ll find something that is a little different. Most of the time, I find shepherd’s pie to be a little on the bland side. It’s your simple mirepoix with ground lamb and mashed potatoes on top. And yes, that does sound comforting, but I like to use a few additional ingredients to amp this dish up to a whole new level. Shepherd’s Pie? Yes. Bland and boring? Heck no. So much goodness all up in this.
How to make Shepherd’s Pie:
Ingredients for homemade shepherd’s pie:
Ground lamb: I try to find the leanest ground lamb that I can for this recipe. If yours happens to be regular, make sure to drain as much of the grease from the meat once you’ve browned it in the skillet, before adding the other ingredients.Mirepoix: A mirepoix is a combination of chopped onions, carrots, and celery. For this recipe, you’ll want to use equal parts of all three.Frozen peas: I always have a bag stashed in the freezer. Just be sure to rinse the green peas under cold water to thaw them before using.Garlic: Press the garlic in a garlic press or mince it finely. I also like to have a few cloves on hand for the mashed potatoes!Tomato Paste: Adds depth to the recipe.Fresh herbs: I use fresh rosemary, thyme, and a bay leaf. The herbs just simmer in the beef gravy for a bit before fishing them out. I don’t like to leave them in because I find it annoying to get a big bunch in a serving! Feel free to leave them in if that doesn’t bother you.Seasonings: You’ll need the obvious ones like kosher salt and black pepper, but for my recipe, I also like to add a dash of ground cinnamon and nutmeg. It just amps up all the other flavors. Instead of using flour to thicken the mixture, I use cornstarch. This makes the recipe gluten-free friendly as makes the sauce silky smooth!Liquids: Beef broth and Worcestershire sauce are critical to any good shepherd’s pie recipe. You can also use chicken broth instead of beef if you prefer.Potatoes: Feel free to use Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes for this recipe. I’ve tried it with both, and they work equally well.Softened Butter: you’ll need a few tablespoons of unsalted butter for this recipe. We’ll soften the butter and then add it to the mashed potatoes along with the cream cheese and cheddar cheese.Cheese: You’ll need both Irish cheddar cheese (or any other white cheddar) as well as softened cream cheese. Instead of using sour cream in my mashed potatoes, I like to use cream cheese for this one as it gives it a more delicious flavor.Egg: you’ll need just the egg yolk. I fold this into the mashed potatoes. Not only does it give the potatoes such a rich and delicious flavor, but it also makes for a golden crust!Half and Half: Thins out the potatoes. Feel free to use whole milk here instead to make these a little lighter if you’d like.
Classic shepherd’s pie recipe
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
Chicken TetrazziniChicken Pot Pie with BiscuitsChicken Pot Tater Tot Hot DishBest Easy Homemade Sloppy JoesOne-Pot Lasagna Soup
Original recipe shared March 2018. Updated with new post, minor recipe edits, Jan 2023. SaveSave
You can also make the potatoes in the instant pot. Here’s how; just follow steps #1 and #2.If you don’t have a dutch oven or an oven-safe pot, transfer everything to a greased baking dish.
