My family loves this easy shepherd’s pie recipe with tender ground beef (or lamb), veggies, a delicious savory gravy, all topped with cheesy mashed potatoes.
Shepherd’s pie (or Cottage pie) instantly takes me back to my early childhood in rural Scotland. It was a staple recipe for my mom, and now, it’s become one for me.
This classic dish is my ultimate cozy meal, and I can’t wait for you to try our favorite version with its rich, savory gravy, tender meat (use your favorite, beef or lamb), and a buttery, cheesy mashed potato topping.
Key Ingredients
- Ground Meat: My family uses ground beef in this recipe, but ground lamb is lovely! My family calls this shepherd’s pie, no matter which we use, but if we want to be technical, cottage pie calls for beef, while shepherds pie calls for lamb.
- Vegetables: We keep this super simple and use onions, carrots, and peas. The onion and carrots are added early, while the peas are stirred in later, so they don’t get too soft. Frozen peas are great!
- Spices: We go with all dried spices for this recipe. They work exceptionally well, and they keep the ingredients down. You’ll need garlic powder, dried thyme, and salt.
- Broth: Beef broth is excellent, but you can use chicken or veggie broth/stock if that is all you have. Here are our homemade beef stock, chicken stock, and vegetable broth recipes.
- Tomato Paste and Worcestershire Sauce: For the best gravy, don’t miss this tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. They add color and richness to the gravy! Trust me.
- Mashed Potatoes: For the topping, we take our classic mashed potatoes and make them even more special with butter, milk, and grated sharp cheddar cheese (I love using English or Irish cheddar!). The type of potato makes a difference: Yukon Gold yields creamy potatoes, while Russets result in a lighter, fluffier mash. While I usually prefer Yukon gold potatoes for regular mashed potatoes, Russets are my favorite for this recipe!
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make the Best Shepherd’s Pie
Tip 1: Oven-safe skillet vs baking dish. Use a cast-iron skillet (at least 10 inches) to cook and bake everything in one pan. If you don’t have one, just cook the meat in a regular skillet, then transfer it to a baking dish before baking.
Tip 2: Use a food mill or potato ricer. For the silkiest mashed potato topping, use a food mill or potato ricer instead of a potato masher. This will give your shepherds pie a lovely, creamy topping.
Tip 3: Season your filling really well. Taste as you go! It’s easy to under-season shepherd’s pie. Be sure to taste the meat filling and potato topping and add more salt and pepper as needed until the flavors pop. If they don’t make you smile, you need a bit more salt and pepper.
Tip 4: This is a perfect make-ahead dish! I make this recipe monthly, probably more in the colder months. It’s cozy, and the family loves it! It’s also easy to prep in advance:
- Make the mashed potatoes and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Assemble the whole dish, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 2 days.
- For a longer option, freeze the assembled pie for up to 3 months.
More Classic Meals
Perfect Shepherd’s Pie
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There are few dishes as cozy and comforting as traditional shepherd’s pie! My favorite part of this recipe is the savory gravy, which works beautifully with the fluffy mashed potatoes piled on top. If possible, use English or Irish cheddar for the potatoes!
6 Servings
You Will Need
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef or ground lamb (450g)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, 1 cup chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ cups beef broth, chicken stock, or veggie broth (355ml)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas (160g)
2 pounds russet potatoes (907g)
8 tablespoons butter (113g)
⅔ cup whole milk (160ml)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (113g)
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Directions
1Prepare oven and dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Use convection if your oven has it. If you have a large cast-iron skillet (at least 10 inches wide), use it. You can make the beef mixture on the stove and then assemble and bake everything in the same pan. If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, use a large skillet, then assemble in a 9×9-inch casserole dish.
2Cook the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces roughly the size of golf balls. Heavily salt a large pot of water, add the potatoes, and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
3Heat milk: Meanwhile, heat the butter and milk in a medium saucepan and keep warm.
4Make the mashed potatoes: Drain potatoes through a colander, then use a food mill or potato ricer to get them back into the pot (or add them and then mash them with a potato masher). Pour the hot milk into the potatoes and mix. Add the cheese and mix to combine. Season to taste with salt. I start with 1/4 teaspoon salt and go from there. Keep the potatoes warm while you make the filling.
5Brown the meat: In a large cast-iron skillet (10-inch), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef (or lamb) and brown, breaking it into crumbles. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a bowl and place the skillet back over the heat.
6Make the gravy: Add the onion and carrots and cook, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, then stir until smooth. Add garlic powder, dried thyme, and tomato paste, and cook, stirring around the pan for 30 seconds.
7Make the filling: Pour in the broth and Worcestershire sauce, then add the browned meat with all the juices back to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook until it forms a nice thick gravy, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the peas. Then, season to taste with salt (1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon) and a generous pinch of pepper.
8Bake: If using a baking dish, transfer the meat and gravy to it. Or, if your skillet is oven-safe and at least 10 inches wide, you can assemble and bake this in it.
9Spread the warm mashed potatoes over the filling, spreading evenly and making sure it covers all the way to the edges. Then, bake on a sheet pan for 25 minutes, turning halfway (the sheet pan catches any drips over the sides). The filling should be hot and bubbly, and the top beginning to turn golden brown. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
- Make ahead: Spread the filling in your oven-safe baking dish and top with the mashed potatoes, sealing the edges. Keep covered tightly in the fridge for up to 2 days. Remove from the refrigerator, uncover, preheat your oven, and then bake until heated through.
- Freezing: Cover the assembled pie with plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven.
- Ground meat: I prefer lean ground beef (85/15). If your meat has more fat and renders a lot of fat in the skillet, you can drain some of it before making the gravy.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We used ground beef (90/10) in the calculations.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1/6 of the recipe
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Calories
535
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Total Fat
32.7g
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Saturated Fat
17g
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Cholesterol
111mg
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Sodium
709.2mg
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Carbohydrate
36.3g
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Dietary Fiber
5.9g
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Total Sugars
7.5g
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Protein
25g
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