Easy Shepherd’s Pie
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This Easy Shepherd’s Pie (Cottage Pie) is so beefy and delicious!! This recipe is made with simple ingredients and comes together quickly for a tasty dinner any night of the week!
Shepherd’s pie is a classic fam recipe! This one hits our menu at least once a month! Who doesn’t love the combination of meat and potatoes?! This recipe has been tried and tested many times in our kitchen. I hope this one becomes a regular for your fam as well!
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with lamb, but for personal flavor preference and ease, this recipe is made with a lean ground beef. I used an 85% to 15% ground beef, so it is not super greasy! The ground beef is browned in some olive oil in a large 12 inch oven safe skillet. Everything for the filling of this easy shepherd’s pie can be prepared in one pan which is always a bonus! If you don’t own an oven safe skillet, this can be prepared and transferred to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Once the ground beef is nice and browned, add in the onion and garlic and allow those to cook for about 5 minutes until they are fragrant and the onion is translucent.
Flour is the next step. This is essential for thickening the sauce of the shepherd’s pie filling. The filling is going to have a gravy like texture. The flour goes in at this point so that it can mix smoothly with the grease that is in the pan from the beef and olive oil. Stir to coat the meat and onions with the flour before adding the liquids.
Next the liquids are combined in the skillet. Whisk these in so the flour can smoothly combine with the liquids and thicken up the sauce.
The rest of the wet ingredients can be added and allow the filling to simmer until it has thickened to a thick gravy consistency. Turn down the eat and fold in the frozen vegetables lastly, just before topping the shepherd’s pie with the mashed potatoes.
Ingredients Needed for Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
The simple ingredients for this Shepherd’s Pie Recipe are probably things you already have in your pantry.
- 1.5-2 pounds ground beef
- olive oil
- 1 14.5 oz can of Italian tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup beef broth
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- garlic
- onion
- thyme
- potatoes
- cheddar cheese
- 3 tbsp flour
- milk
- butter
Shepherd’s pie is a full meal on its own, but if you feel it needs something a little more, serve it with a big green salad, rolls or even a fruit salad. Dinner doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to happen. This is a classic recipe that everyone loves. We love making this for our own fam or sharing it with guests!! I hope this Easy Shepherd’s Pie makes it on your menu!
Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Easy Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
Filling
- 1.5-2 pounds ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 14.5 ounce can Italian diced tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp Worcestershire
- 2 cups mixed frozen vegetables
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
Topping
- 3-4 large russet potatoes
- 3/4-1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF
- Topping: Peel and slice the potatoes into 2 inch cubes. In a large saucepan cover the potatoes with water and boil until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return to the pan. Mash the potatoes with the milk and butter. Salt and pepper to taste
- Filling: While the potatoes are cooking, in a large oven safe skillet ( I use a 12 inch oven safe pan, or you can use a casserole pan or even cast iron) heat up the olive oil over medium high heat. Brown the ground beef in the oil for 5-7 minutes until mostly brown.
- Add in the onion and garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes, until the onion is fragrant and translucent.
- Sprinkle the flour over the meat and onion mixture, with a wooden spoon stir to coat well.
- Pour in the tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire and thyme. Mix with a whisk until smooth. Allow the filling to simmer until a thick, gravy-like consistency has formed.
- Add the frozen vegetables.
- To assemble the shepherd's pie. With a large spoon, drop spoonfuls of the mashed potatoes on top of the meat filling. With the back of the spoon, spread out the potatoes to cover the filling making sure to try and seal the edges, so the meat will stay inside.
- Cover the pie with the grated cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Would have given 5 stars except there’s no size or dimensions on the pan in which we should transfer the filling before baking……. Had to improvise
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave me a comment!! That is such a great point! I have updated the recipe to contain that information!
We have lots of ground beef in our freezer, so this is a great recipe for me! Thanks for sharing!
Ground beef is a staple for us too!! Hope you like it! Thanks!!!