Shepherd’s Pie (Cottage Pie)

With tons of flavor from herbs, vegetables and meat you’ll instantly fall in love with this Shepherd’s Pie recipe. Satisfying, filling and delicious for the whole family!

A DELICIOUS AND COMFORTING MEAL

One thing that I have always loved is a good old Shepherd’s Pie. I’ve been eating variation after variation since I was a kid and this recipe I’m sharing with you today is the one that I’ve perfected over time. You get tons of flavor from the meat, vegetable and herb mixture and then of course with the homemade mashed potatoes. Truly it doesn’t get more comforting than meat and potatoes. If you want a filling and comforting recipe to warm up the soul, you need to try Shepherd’s Pie!

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST SHEPHERD’S PIE:

• Traditionally Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb. You can use either lamb or beef in this recipe. Technically a Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb and Cottage Pie is made with beef. But we all know it as Shepherd’s Pie so that’s what I’m going with.
• Russet potatoes are used for the topping, but you could also use Yukon gold as well.
• Need ideas on what to serve with Shepherd’s Pie? Try beer bread or a traditional Irish soda bread. Shepherd’s Pie is really a whole meal unto itself!
• I like to create fork marks in the potatoes to create that browning texture on the top. Plus, I like that way it looks. That is completely optional.
• I also use frozen carrots and peas for this recipe. A lot of people don’t know that frozen vegetables are often better than fresh. They are frozen at the peak of freshness so they retain all their flavor and nutrition. However, you can use fresh if you prefer.
• Since I use a fresh sprig of rosemary in the filling mixture, it needs to be removed before putting in casserole dish. You do not want to include that in with the meat mixture. It adds a lot of really great flavor though so don’t skip it!
• Want to make an easier version in the slow cooker? Check out my Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie recipe!
• Depending on how shallow your baking dish is (I use a 9″x 13″) you may want to place some foil on the bottom of your oven to catch any spills.
• I use a bit of ranch seasoning to give the potatoes a slightly elevated flavor (I am American after all – ha!) If you prefer, you can use my recipe for Homemade Ranch Seasoning or leave it out altogether.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

• onion
• parsley
• rosemary
• thyme
• pepper
• ground geef or lamb
• garlic
• flour
• tomato paste
• ranch seasoning (optional)
• frozen peas and carrots
• beef broth
• worcestershire sauce
• potatoes
• sour cream
• butter

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST SHEPHERD’S PIE:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the olive oil and diced onion to a 12” skillet and cook on medium heat.

Once the onions have become soft and translucent (about 5 minutes) add the ground meat, dried parsley, rosemary, dried thyme and black pepper. Cook until the meat is no longer pink.

If you are using a lean ground beef, you shouldn’t have much excess grease. However, if your meat did produce a lot of grease, be sure to drain most of it out and put it back into your pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Stir in the flour and tomato paste. Cook 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add the frozen peas and carrots, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and combine well.

Turn heat to low and start peeling potatoes. Cut them into small 1-2” pieces. Add to water and bring to a boil. Boil potatoes for approximately 15-20 minutes (or until potatoes are fork tender.)

Drain potatoes and add the sour cream, butter, ranch seasoning (optional) and salt and pepper, to taste. Mash well until no lumps remain.

Remove rosemary stalk from the meat mixture and the beef mixture to a 9×13 casserole dish.

Top evenly with the mashed potatoes. I like to press the fork into the mashed potatoes to make a pattern but that is optional.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the pie starts to bubble at the sides. I place a piece of foil or an extra baking dish on the shelf underneath to catch any overspill.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley (optional) Serve and enjoy!

HOW TO STORE:

• Once the shepherd’s pie has cooled completely, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• This can also be frozen. To do this, place in a freezer safe container and place in freezer where it should keep for up to 3 months.
• To reheat, let defrost in refrigerator and either place in oven on low temperature until heated through or scoop out servings and heat in the microwave.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

• Baked Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
• Reuben Egg Rolls
• Ground Beef Stroganoff
• Crock Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
• Bacon Fried Cabbage
• 100 Ground Beef Recipes

Originally published: March 2021
Updated and republished: February 2023