Make the ultimate comfort food for your family: Homemade Shepherd’s Pie (or Cottage Pie) with ground beef (or lamb!) – simple, yummy and easy to make.
A delicious filling with lots of gravy underneath a fluffy layer of mashed potatoes – perfect for a cold night, or as a special St. Patrick’s Day treat.
I always use my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes on top (but regular mashed potatoes work just fine, if you’re not an instant-potter ?). You can also use leftover mashed potatoes (those also make great Irish potato pancakes… just saying!). Simple, but so comforting!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Wine: You can skip the wine and use more broth instead. If you’re not sure which wine to use, go for a dry red wine you would also drink. A Merlot or Pinot Noir is great. (You can technically use cooking wine, it’s just not my preference – if you do use seasoned cooking wine, make sure to taste test and pay attention to the amount of salt you add.)
- Tomato paste: Can also use ketchup instead if you don’t have tomato paste.
- Mashed potatoes: I usually make my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes for this, but my regular mashed potatoes are delicious, too. I’ve also had readers made this with ready-made mashed potatoes, so that’s a great shortcut.
- Allergy friendliness: For a gluten-free friendly version, use cornstarch in place of the flour. Be sure to check all of your ingredients to make sure they’re gluten free (especially the beef broth! you can use water if you don’t have any).
- If you don’t like peas, it’s also delicious with chopped green beans.
- I hear people make this low carb by using mashed cauliflower they whisk together with 1 egg yolk in place of the mashed potatoes. I love my potatoes, but your call 😉
- You can also make this vegetarian by using 2 cups of cooked, brown lentils in place of the ground beef and vegetable broth in place of the beef broth.
Beef or lamb?
It might we worth telling you right now that the technical term for this recipe is actually cottage pie (made with ground beef) and not authentic shepherd’s pie (made with ground lamb). But my mission here on Savory Nothings is always to share recipes real people with a real grocery budget and a regular grocery store and an everyday exhausting kids/work/life situation can make.
So, there it is. Fake Shepherd’s Pie. Aka Homemade Shepherd’s Pie with ground beef. One that’s simple and affordable and delicious. It is the best ❤️
Feel free to use ground lamb in place of the beef for a more authentic version! Lamb tends to be more fatty, so drain it after browning if you prefer less fat.
Step by step photos
Recipe tips
- Don’t be scared of adding some color: Make sure to brown the meat and vegetables well for the most intense flavors
- Do not skip cooling the filling: This is how you keep the layers in shepherd’s pie from mixing; depending on the dish and the room temperature, cool it for 15-30 minutes (sometimes I put mine outside in the winter, it’s cold in 15 minutes!)
Shepherd’s Pie FAQs
Like I said above, the main difference between cottage pie and shepherd’s pie is the meat: Shepherd’s pie uses ground lamb, cottage pie uses ground beef. In America, the term Shepherd’s pie has commonly been adopted for the version made with ground beef.
Yes, if you keep it in the fridge, shepherd’s pie keeps well for up to 3 days. Just reheat it until piping hot all the way through and serve.
Oven: Reheat the leftovers at 350°F until piping hot all the way through (this will take 15-30 minutes, depending on how much of the pie you are reheating). If you’re re-heating leftovers, I recommend transferring them to a clean baking dish to avoid food burnt into the dish.
Microwave: Make sure you put the pie in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave in 30 second bursts until piping hot all the way through. Check the pie in between (careful, it can get hot!) and stir a little to make the food heat evenly.
Make ahead instructions
Assemble the entire pie as directed in the recipe, right up to the finally baking step. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, then bake at 400°F for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the top is golden.
Freezer instructions
Prepare as directed in the recipe, right up to the final baking step. Wrap well with foil and then aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat: No need to defrost! Remove both foils, then replace the aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F with the foil on for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until browned.
Serving suggestions
As a casserole, this is generally an all-in-one meal I often serve pretty much by itself. Sometimes I’ll make sautéed green beans or crockpot glazed carrots on the side, especially if it’s a holiday or we have family over.
A nice green salad is also a good side. I make mine with a homemade honey mustard dressing – so good!
I LOVE Shepherd’s Pie. It’s the ultimate comfort food to me. It reminds me of working in a pub after finishing high school, it reminds me of my late British grandma, and it reminds me how much better it is to spend St. Patrick’s Day at home vs at a party, haha!
While, admittedly, this IS a bit more work than something like a one pot pasta or a throw-together casserole… It’s still fairly simple for such a hearty and traditional meal.
AND, you can always make double and freeze one for an easy meal later – freezer instructions are included in the recipe notes below. Enjoy!
More comfort food classics
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Homemade Shepherd’s Pie
Recipe details
Equipment
- Casserole Dish
Ingredients
For meat & vegetables
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots finely diced
- 2 sticks celery finely diced
For gravy/to finish filling
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons white flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅓ cup red wine OR more broth if avoiding alcohol
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
For topping
- 4 cups mashed potatoes (click for my recipe and you’ll have some leftovers to sneak during cooking)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown meat and vegetables:Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet. Brown the ground meat, then add the chopped vegetables and sauté until softened.
- Season and deglaze the pan:Sprinkle salt, paprika, pepper and flour over the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring all the time, until it smells roasted (about 1 minute). Pour in the red wine (OR beef broth if you prefer!), scratching any browned bits off the bottom.
- Finish filling and cool:Then stir in broth, herbs and peas, simmer 4-5 minutes and then let cool in a 7×11 inch baking dish.
- Prep mash:In the meantime, make your favorite mashed potatoes. You need about 4 cups of mash to top off the casserole. About 1.5 pounds of peeled potatoes should yield enough.
- Bake pie:Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the mashed potatoes over the cold filling. (Be careful not to mix up the two.) Criss-cross with a fork for a great look and crispy edges! Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until golden (I recommend baking on a lined baking sheet to catch any spills).
Notes
Beef or lamb?
Feel free to use ground lamb in place of the beef for a more authentic version! Lamb tends to be more fatty, so drain it after browning if you prefer less fat.Make ahead instructions
Assemble the entire pie as directed in the recipe, right up to the finally baking step. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, then bake at 400°F for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the top is golden.Freezer instructions
Prepare as directed in the recipe, right up to the final baking step. Wrap well with foil and then aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat: No need to defrost! Remove both foils, then replace the aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F with the foil on for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until browned.Cooking tips
- Make sure to brown the meat and vegetables well for the most intense flavors
- Don’t skip cooling the filling. A cool filling is much easier to top with mashed potatoes without mixing the layers.
Ingredient notes
Mashed potatoes: I usually make my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes for this, but my regular mashed potatoes are delicious, too. I’ve also had readers made this with ready-made mashed potatoes, so that’s a great shortcut. Tomato paste: Can also use ketchup instead if you don’t have tomato paste. Gluten free: For a gluten-free friendly version, use cornstarch in place of the flour. Be sure to check all of your ingredients to make sure they’re gluten free (especially the beef broth! you can use water if you don’t have any). If you don’t like peas, it’s also delicious with chopped green beans. I hear people make this low carb by using mashed cauliflower they whisk together with 1 egg yolk in place of the mashed potatoes. I love my potatoes, but your call 😉 You can also make this vegetarian by using 2 cups of cooked, brown lentils in place of the ground beef and vegetable broth in place of the beef broth.Nutrition
More recipe information
And in case you’re here for St. Patrick’s Day…
More Irish inspired recipes
I first published this recipe in 2017. I republished it on 06/04/2020 to make it better for you.
Audrey says
I’ve tried a few Shepards pie recipes and this, by FAR, was over the top! So happy I found this gem as my hubby loves Shepard a pie but has never really loved a recipe I’ve made until now. And may I add, I was on the fence about adding the nutmeg so I only added a dash…..PERFECTION. nice touch! This will prob be a weekly edition to our meal prep lol. Thank you!
Erin Rock-Ballard says
Excellent recipe! Just a wonderful dish. I have always hated Americanized shepherds pie but this was incredible.
Meri says
easy/delish & hearty
Patti McDerMott says
Everyone loved it. I made a few changes but it still turned out great. It’s added to my list!
Brie says
I made this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! I halved the recipe and put it in a 8×8 dish .I didn’t have any red wine but will try next time. I will definitely be making this again!
Sanura says
This is a good recipe, I did add extra seasonings like cajun, garlic powder, and I also added fresh garlic and ginger. For the mashed potatoes I did a mixture of sweet potato and yukon gold potatoes and it came out super yummy! I also didnt let the mixture cool before adding the potatoes, baked it for 20 minutes and then broiled on high for about 4-5 minutes to get a crispier crust on the cheese and potato layer. Delishhhhh!!
Mary says
I cook this alot best reciepe love it
Many Thanks
Jodie says
Hi Nora, I rarely read a whole recipe blog because the authors go on and on….and on not saying much of interest and the photography is so repetitive. I read your whole page and enjoyed it and am making your Shepherds pie recipe for a family meal Tuesday. I’m hugging 70, never had kids but the kitchen is my happy place. I love to feed people. Thanks for a great write up.
Carole Fariss says
Delicious! We loved it. Real comfort food.
Nora says
It sure is, Carole! I’m glad you liked it.
Terri D says
this is the best shepherd’s pie! a double the recipe and use 5 lb of potatoes in my instapot from another recipe. this was fabulous! I used all the spices and everything is written but I added some sliced mushrooms some green beans and a little bell pepper. came out perfect it was an excellent consistency and I got rave reviews! thank you so so much for posting this divine shepherd’s pie recipe!
Nora says
I love your little additions, Terri. Glad it was a hit!
Gail says
This recipe is delicious
Becky says
I have been dying to make a SHEPHERD’S pie since becoming a BBC fanatic. I scoured Pinterest for recipes and decided to give this one a try. The smell of the filling simmering on the stove has made our home feel so cozy on a cool fall day. (I ran out of time to fully cook it tonight, so tomorrow I’ll make the mashed potatoes, top the filling, and bake for dinner – my husband and I can’t wait!)
Jackie says
Well, you’ve done it! I’ve been married 25 years and Shepherd’s pie is my husband’s favorite dish. I’ve made it for him several times a year every year and after I tried this recipe and served it to him my husband said, “I think this is the best Shepherd’s Pie you’ve ever made. Delicious!” You’ve won my husband’s stamp of approval and that’s high praise!
Nora says
Oh, what a kind review, Jackie! I’m so glad my humble Shepherd’s Pie was such a hit.
Doreen says
Can you bake this and freeze it?
Nora says
I would freeze before baking, Doreen. There are instructions in the post, check the “Freezer instructions” section. Hope this helps!
Melissa says
It was delicious!!!
Linda says
Absolutely delicious. I make it quite often. Great comfort food.
Sharon says
Made this wonderful Shepherd’s Pie for dinner tonight, we enjoyed so much. Thank you for sharing this delicious comfort food.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Sharon! It’s one of my all-time favorite meals.
Latoya says
Do you drain the ground beef?
Nora says
Latoya, I think this comes down to personal preference and type of ground beef you buy! If I have fattier ground beef, especially from frozen, I do drain it after browning. If I’m lucky enough to get a pound of freshly ground lean beef from the butcher – I mostly don’t need to drain, because there’s little to no liquid/fat appearing during cooking. Hope this helps!
Paula says
Really delicious and super easy! Family loved it
Nora says
I’m so glad, Paula!
Eileen says
I rate this receipt with fivestars but it went to fast so it’s only got 1star lot up sorry
Nora says
It’s fine, Eileen 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
Angie says
Why would you mess up this lady’s reviews because it went too fast?
Susan says
This was the best shepards pie ever! Finally found a recipe I will always use. Thanks for sharing.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Susan! It’s one of my all-time favorite meals, so I’m always happy when others appreciate it, too.
Lynn says
This was so good my husband had 2 helping’s.
Nora says
Yay Lynn, so glad!
Lydia says
Excellent! My family loved it.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Lydia!
Kristy says
Absolutely delicious! My family loves this!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Kristy!
Janice says
This was outstanding! Thank you! And thank you for the tips to make with diet restrictions.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Janice!