The Best Shepherd’s Pie Recipe! Tender ground lamb (or beef) and chopped vegetables cooked in a rich gravy, topped with a creamy layer of delicious mashed potatoes and baked. Learn How to make Shepherd’s Pie and enjoy this easy and comforting recipe year-round.

The best shepherd’s pie recipe

This is my absolute favorite shepherd’s pie recipe. It’s hearty, comforting, and loved by my child who, it seems, eats nothing that I make. Ok, that’s not true. He does love my chicken noodle soup, steak bites, overnight oats, and smoothies (particularly this pumpkin smoothie).

Filled with tender chunks of ground lamb, oodles of vegetables, and topped with a thick layer of rich and creamy mashed potatoes, this easy shepherd’s pie recipe is fantastic for feeding a very hungry family.

Before looking at the ingredient list and instructions and thinking “yeah, no“, I promise it’s not as bad as it seems. All of the ingredients are super easy to find PLUS, i’ve included loads of tips and tricks to help save you time. The best part? This shepherd’s pie loves to be frozen and saved for lazy, busy nights when you have no time or desire to cook.

Let’s get started.

What is shepherd’s pie?

Shepherd’s pie is a type of meat pie made with lamb and a crust or topping made from mashed potatoes. Original versions were a way of using leftover roasted meat. The pie dish would have been lined on the bottom and sides with mashed potatoes as well as topped with mashed potatoes before being baked.

Shepherd’s pie is made by cooking the ground lamb in gravy or sauce with vegetables such as onions, carrots, celery, peas, and sometimes corn.

Shepherd’s pie vs cottage pie

Often the terms shepherd’s pie and cottage pie are used interchangeably. However, if there is one very key difference it is that shepherd’s pie is made with lamb while cottage pie is made with beef.

Here’s the thing and why things probably get so confusing – the term cottage pie came first. In fact, the name cottage pie was put in place sometime around 1791 when the potato became a popular, inexpensive crop for the poor who, not so coincidentally, lived in tiny little “cottages”.

However, sometime around 1854, people started to refer to the cottage pie as a shepherd’s pie. At this time it didn’t matter if it was beef or lamb, cottage pie and shepherd’s pie were, for the most part, considered the same thing.

Until the 20th century. All of a sudden this changed and the UK decided that the term shepherd’s pie would apply only when the meat is lamb.

Ingredients in Classic Shepherd’s Pie

Ok, so what are the basic, must-have ingredients for this classic shepherd’s pie?

Mashed potatoes – You’ll need a nice big batch of creamy mashed potatoes to top your shepherd’s pie. I seasoned mine with salt, pepper, butter, milk, and sour cream (as is my favorite way of making them), but feel free to get creative and add extra herbs or shredded cheese.
Ground lamb – Personally, I love ground lamb. If it’s not your thing, feel free to use ground beef or ground turkey instead.
Veggies – In traditional shepherd’s pies, you’ll typically find onions, carrots, celery, and sometimes peas and corn. As with any recipe, add what you love (or have on hand) and leave out the rest.
Flour – You’ll need something to thicken the gravy. I used all-purpose flour. See suggested options below if flour isn’t a part of your diet.
Broth – Beef broth, bone broth, chicken broth, or even vegetable broth.
Tomato paste – Tomato paste helps give your sauce a nice tomato base while also thickening your sauce. If you really like tomatoes, feel free to add a can of diced tomatoes to the meat and veggies as they cook.
Worcestershire sauce – a flavor must, this sauce adds a hint of umami flavor to the overall dish.
Garlic – Because garlic goes in all the things.
Fresh herbs – I like to add a little fresh thyme and rosemary. But I also add some dried Italian seasoning too. If you don’t have the option to add fresh herbs, simply add a half teaspoon or so of additional dried seasoning.

How to make shepherd’s pie

To make this shepherd’s pie follow these simple, step-by-step instructions:

First, make some mashed potatoes. You can follow the instructions below, check out my full post on the best, creamiest, mashed potatoes ever! Or you can use your favorite instant mashed potatoes. Totally up to you.

Prepare potatoes – Peel potatoes and chop into chunks approximately equal in size for even cooking.
Cook potatoes – Transfer potatoes to a large stockpot and sprinkle with approximately 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until potatoes are fork-tender, approximately 20-25 minutes (cooking time will vary depending on the size of potato chunks). Remove from heat and drain then return back to the pot.
Heat the milk and butter – Add the butter, milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until hot stirring often.
Mash the potatoes – Meanwhile, use a potato masher to mash the potatoes. Pour the heated milk and butter mixture in with the mashed potatoes and continue to mash and mix until desired texture and consistency is reached. Season with additional salt, pepper, and warm milk, as needed. Set aside.

Next, make the meaty filling:

Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and spray a large casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook the lamb and beef. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb and use a wooden spatula to break apart into smaller pieces. Continue to cook until browned – approximately 5 minutes. Drain any excess fat and remove it from the skillet to a clean plate. Set aside.
Sauté the vegetables. To the same skillet add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, approximately 3-4 minutes. Stir often. Add the carrots and celery to the skillet and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 60 seconds, stirring continuously, before seasoning with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Sprinkle with flour and mix with tomato paste. Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle the vegetables with 3 tablespoons flour, mixing thoroughly to incorporate the flour into the vegetables. Mix in the tomato paste, reducing heat if necessary to prevent it from burning.
Add broth and Worcestershire sauce and simmer. Slowly add the chicken broth and mix well to combine. Add the Worcestershire sauce and fresh chopped rosemary and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for approximately 5 minutes.
Return the ground lamb and peas. Return the lamb vegetables and add the peas. Mix well to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Finally, assemble for baking:

Put it together. Spread the lamb and vegetable mixture evenly into your greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with a thick layer of mashed potatoes.
Bake. Transfer to the oven and bake at 400 degrees F. for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Garnish and serve. Remove from the oven and drizzle with melted butter, and sprinkle with fresh herbs, if desired.
Store leftovers. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You may also freeze extras in a freezer-safe dish for up to 3 months.

Now…eat!

What to serve on the side

Shepherd’s pie can be pretty heavy. It’s filled with mashed potatoes and delicious lamb, after all, so it makes sense that you probably want to avoid pairing this recipe with super heavy cream-covered vegetables. Instead, I recommend a light side salad or one of the following:

Preparing Shepherd’s Pie ahead

Sadly, this is not a wham-bam 30-minute meal. That said, it’s a million times worth it so let’s try to get the most out of our time, shall we?

First and foremost, you can store leftovers, covered, for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. I recommend always properly reheating before serving.
You can also FREEZE your leftovers! You know what that means, right? Make extra! I always make two of these beauties and freeze one for later. Before freezing allow it to cool, cover tightly, and transfer to the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Cook from frozen for approximately one hour or so and enjoy the meaty goodness all over again.
Making mashed potatoes? Or baked potatoes? Make extra. You can always use those leftovers to make the mashed potato topping the next day or even the day after that.
Assemble everything the night or day before and bake the next night. Simply keep it covered and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Easy peasy.
Use instant mashed potatoes. Not as good as homemade, but worth their weight in gold when time is short and people are hungry.

Tips and Tricks

For a more deeply flavored gravy add a quarter to half a cup of red wine just before adding the broth.
Make it vegetarian. To make a vegetarian shepherd’s pie, simply omit the meat and double the vegetables. Instead of chicken or beef broth, use vegetable broth and use a vegan Worcestershire sauce.
Make it gluten-free. Make your shepherd’s pie gluten-free by skipping the all-purpose flour and adding approximately 1-2 tablespoons mixed with one cup of stock before adding to the sauce.
Lower your carbs. and replace the mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower.
Make it a little sweeter – Yep, make a Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie! I’ve been making this recipe for yearssssss. It’s my all-time fav.
Add other veggies. Try other veggies such as corn or mushrooms.
Place a large baking sheet under your baking dish just in case some of the filling bubbles up over the sides.

Variations

Travel around the world and you’ll come across many potato-topped pies. These are some of the most popular:

Cumberland pie – a version with either beef or lamb and a layer of breadcrumbs and cheese on top.
Pâté chinois – popular in Quebec, this spin on the cottage pie is made with a bottom layer of ground beef, a middle layer of canned creamed corn, and mashed potatoes on top.
Shepherdess pie – a vegetarian or vegan version made without meat and dairy.
Philosopher’s stew – found in the Netherlands, this dish often includes things like beans, apples, prunes, or apple sauce.
Pastel tutup (closed pie) – an Indonesian pie made with chicken, mixed vegetables, and boiled eggs.

More lamb recipes,

If you try making this Shepherd’s Pie Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.

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Shepherd’s Pie Recipe (How to Make Shepherd’s Pie)