Shepherd S Pie

The filling of traditional shepherd’s pie uses lamb or mutton as the dish originated in the UK and Ireland. However, it is more common to use ground beef in America. Regardless of which type of ground meat you use, this easy shepherd’s pie recipe is a comforting and hearty dish everyone will love. While shepherd’s pie is perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, it’s a great dinner recipe year-round. It’s perfect for when you’re craving a cozy meal on a cold day. If you want another comforting recipe, then try my chicken pot pie recipe, creamy tuscan chicken recipe, or beef stew recipe.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Potatoes — I like russet potatoes, but you can also use Yukon gold. Avoid using a waxy potato. Russet potatoes are high in starch, leading to lighter and fluffier mashed potatoes. Half and half — I prefer using half and half over milk for the potato topping as it’s higher in fat, making the topping more creamy. You can also use heavy cream. Butter — the butter adds to the richness of the potato topping as well. Vegetables — I use onions, carrots, peas, and corn for the filling, but feel free to add in more vegetables. Beef — using lean ground beef will prevent the filling from being greasy. If you use ground beef higher in fat, you will have to drain the grease. Tomato paste — adding tomato paste to the filling helps thicken it and adds flavor. Beef broth — if you do not have beef broth, then you can use chicken or vegetable broth. But beef broth adds the best flavor to the shepherd’s pie. Worcestershire sauce — you don’t need a lot, but the Worcestershire sauce adds depth of flavor to the filling.

How to Make Shepherd’s Pie

1. In a medium pot, bring the potatoes, salt, and enough water to cover by 1-inch to a boil. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain well.
2. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until smooth.
3. Stir in the half and half, butter, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt until the butter is melted and the mixture is combined. Cover to keep warm.
4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
5. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant. Add the ground beef, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring occasionally and using the spoon to break the meat up into small pieces.
6. Stir in the flour until combined.
7. Gradually pour in the broth and Worcestershire sauce while stirring.
8. Stir in the peas and corn.
9. Transfer to a greased casserole dish. Scoop the potato topping over the filling and spread it into an even layer.
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until the filling is bubbly. Let the shepherd’s pie cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley or chives, if desired.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

Have fun with the potato topping! You can pipe the potatoes over the filling or draw some ridge designs over the potatoes with a fork. If desired, you can cook the filling in a 12-inch oven-proof skillet, top it with the potatoes, and bake in the skillet. For a little extra comfort, you can sprinkle the top of the shepherd’s pie with grated parmesan or shredded cheddar cheese in the last few minutes of baking. You can use a potato ricer instead of just mashing the potatoes if you’d like a silkier potato topping. If you’re worried the potato topping will sink into the beef filling, allow the filling to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Doing so will help keep the layers separate. Keep an eye on the shepherd’s pie in the oven in the last few minutes so that the top of the potatoes doesn’t get burnt.

If you’ve tried this Shepherd’s Pie recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!