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Shepherd’s Pie is the ultimate in comfort food and one the whole family will love This classic is the perfect solution when that comfort craving hits.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Shepherd’s Pie is the ultimate in classic comfort food. Creamy mashed potatoes with a meat sauce gravy! It is a hearty and delicious meal that the whole family will love and you get an entire meal in one bite. It’s the perfect solution to leftover mashed potatoes and you only need one pot to make it!
What is Shepherd’s Pie?
I’ve always been intrigued by how things get their names and what their story is so I did a little research on shepherd’s pie. It originally comes from England and is usually made with ground lamb. Here in the US we are more into beef so it is commonly made with beef in the United States. It is also called a cottage pie in England and it is basically what we would call a casserole. It is layers of cooked meat and vegetables with a layer of mashed potatoes on top.
Ingredients Needed
- Meat. You can use ground beef, ground turkey or ground lamb.
- Vegetables. Onions, corn, carrots, peas, diced tomatoes
- Garlic.
- Flour. Used for thickening
- Worcestershire sauce
- Beef broth
- Seasoning. Thyme leaves, fresh parsley, salt and pepper.
- Mashed Potatoes.
How to Make Classic Shepherds Pie Recipe
- In a large 9 inch cast iron skillet, 9 x 9 oven safe baking dish or casserole dish, brown hamburger along with onions and garlic until meat is cooked through. Drain any grease
- Sprinkle meat with flour and stir to incorporate. Cook for an additional minute.
- Add in tomatoes, vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and seasonings.
- Stir and simmer until it thickens into a nice soupy gravy like consistency.
- Top with warm mashed potatoes and smooth to cover.
- Place under broiler for a few minutes to crisp up and brown potatoes
Tips from Leigh Anne
- You will need about four cups of mashed potatoes. This is a perfect dish to make when you have leftover mashed potatoes or you can make up a batch of potatoes specifically for shepherd’s pie with my easy and creamy mashed potato recipe.
- To make this recipe even easier, I used frozen or canned corn and frozen mix of carrots and peas.
What do you Eat with Shepherd’s Pie?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make shepherd’s pie ahead of time.
This is a great make ahead meal. Just assemble the casserole, cover the dish, and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it. Use within 3 days of preparing it.
Allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before you bake it. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F until heated through. If the top has not browned, place under the broiler for a few minutes.
Can I freeze shepherd’s pie?
You can freeze it baked or unbaked. Allow to cool completely before freezing. Cover so that it is airtight and freeze for 2-3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking. If the pie is cold, cook in a 400 degrees F oven for about 20 minutes or until heated through and then place under broiler if needed to brown potatoes.
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Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lbs ground beef
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup corn
- 2 cups carrots & peas frozen mixture
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 3/4 cups beef broth
- 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
- salt & pepper to taste
- fresh parsley garnish
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet brown hamburger along with onions and garlic until meat is cooked through. Drain any grease
- Sprinkle meat with flour and stir to incorporate. Cook for an additional minute.
- Add in tomatoes, vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and seasonings.
- Stir and simmer until it thickens into a nice gravy consistency.
- Top with warm mashed potatoes and smooth to cover.
- Place under broiler for a few minutes to crisp up and brown potatoes
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Kimberly Dotson says
Love this recipe. Very easy to make and delicious. I made this for my family of 5. They all loved it. Now I’m learning tonight how to make it for my husband and I. Empty nesters now. Wish me luck.
Sheryl says
Can u use instant potatoes?
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
Yes, you can. Enjoy!