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.
Deb says
Made this for the whole family last night. Doubled the recipe and baked in my largest casserole dish for around 30mins. Was perfect, everybody enjoyed, even the pickiest kid. Thanks for a lovely recipe!
Sheri says
Our Favourite by far for a Shepard’s pie!! Easy to make and so delicious! Thank you for the recipe
Holly says
best shepherds pie EVER, definately going to replace my previous recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Nora says
I’m so glad you liked the pie, Holly! And thank you for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate it.
Marina says
This was so good!!!! And using your potato recipe, whipped was beautiful!!!! Thank you ?.
Nora says
So glad to hear this, Marina! Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate your time.
Heather says
Can you sub cornstarch for the flour?
Nora says
Yes, just don’t sprinkle it over the top. Make a cornstarch slurry with a few spoonfuls of cool water, then stir it in once you have added the broth. Hope that helps!
Trish says
Oh my! I made this in my big wok to double it! Followed exactly and it’s now cooling for the second phase. Truthfully, I wanted to just sit down with my big army spoon and eat it all! Just order pizza for my family.. but my house smells delicious! The mashed potatoes can only make it better! Thanks for a wonderful new recipe … and I’ve been cooking 50 years!
Nora says
Haha, Trish! I definitely always want to sit down and eat it all by myself! Hope you an your family enjoyed the pie!!
Frances Ubaldo says
Tweaked it a little. Omitted the wine and subbed extra beef broth for it. I also tossed in some portabella mushrooms I had sauteed in butter. I typically use a different SP recipe but luckily their site was down so I tried this. Absolutely my new favorite. My 19 yo son who doesn’t like SP devoured this.
Nora says
So glad you enjoyed the pie, Frances! It’s one of my most treasured family recipes, so it always makes me happy to see others enjoying it, too.
Shay says
Second time making it and it was just as good as I remember!! The first time I forgot the peas (I blamed the wine!) but it is still delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Nora says
I’m so happy you’re enjoying this recipe, Shay! It’s definitely a favorite around here, so I’m glad I can pass on the joy of a great shepherd’s pie 🙂
Sa Wa says
Came out great! So savory and juicy (meaty part) and I added just a little bit of navy beans to the potato part, because I needed to use them, and to add more protein and fiber. Perhaps salt and pepper could go a little heavier. Kiddos love it and me, too! Thank you!
Debbie says
Excellent recipe! I’ve never cared for SP so I never made it, but my hubby grew up on it. I lucked up on your version and It’s wonderful! You won’t be disappointed! Thank you, sooo good!
Nora says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the pie, Debbie!
Jo Ann says
I tweaked the recipe and it was great.
BUT….. the little recipe video that stays on top of the recipe while in the pinterest app makes me want to hit the back button… Forever….
Goes away when I open it in my browser but I shouldn’t have to.
Nora says
Hi Jo Ann, I’m sorry you had a bad experience with my site through the Pinterest app. I just checked a few posts via Pinterest and I couldn’t find one where I wasn’t able to close out the video. If you ever experience this again on my site, I’d love a screenshot! I definitely don’t want people to have a negative user experience! Thanks for your honest feedback.
Angela says
What kind of red wine do you use? I’ve never used it before for seasoning.
Nora says
Hi Angela, I just use a dry red wine I like the taste of!
Diane says
I used 2 lb of meat to feed about 10 people….I long should I bake
Nora says
Diane, it really depends on what size casserole dish you used! Since the filling is cooked already and you just need to bake it to reheat, I would still start checking after 20 minutes to make sure the top doesn’t burn. As soon as the filling is bubbly and piping hot in the middle, it’s done.
Kate says
BEST SHEPARDS PIE EVER, thanks for sharing that recipe!
Everyone loved it!
Nora says
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the shepherd’s pie, Kate! It’s one of my favorite recipes.
Maria Regina Villanueva says
I was looking for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner recipe for the family and found this recipe for Shepherd’s Pie. My husband loves it, he ate half of the pan! lol! To make it fun, I used green milk to make my mashed potatoes (fat free milk with drops of green food coloring). Thanks for the recipe!! Will make this again with lamb instead of beef ?
Nora says
This sounds so fun with the green mashed potatoes, Maria! And my husband is the same, haha! Whenever I make this, he claims it’s all for him ?
Brooke says
Could you share the approximate serving size or how many servings this recipe serves. Calculating macros. Thanks !
Nora says
Hi Brooke, if you check just above the ingredient list, you’ll see it says 6 servings. How that helps!
Kayla says
I was scrolling on Pinterest for a Shepard’s pie recipe and this stood out for me because of the fresh herbs and wine. I made this for St. Patty’s Day and it was wonderful! Will be making this again!
Nora says
I’m glad you enjoyed the Shepherd’s Pie, Kayla! It’s one of our favorite dinners during winter.
Kelly says
Really good recipe but I did make slight adjustments to mine…
-used 1 yellow onion instead of 2
-used 1 tsp of salt
-used about 3 tbsp of tomato paste
-used dried herbs because didn’t have any fresh
-bakes 20 min on 400F and then turned on broiler for about 3-5 min keeping close eye
Soooo good and comforting!!!! Will definitely make again!
Nora says
Nice adjustments, Kelly! I’m glad you enjoyed the Shepherd’s Pie. Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate your time.
Pat says
I question the cook time, if the meat vegs are stone cold does 20 min get it Hot enough?
Nora says
Hi Pat, it will depend on the actual dimensions of your baking dish and how hot your oven runs. But yes, with my dish and my oven, it does get hot enough (I’m a HUGE stickler when it comes to heating food appropriately and always use a thermometer to check). Feel free to extend the baking time if you think yours needs longer, just be careful so the top doesn’t burn. Hope that helps!
Brenda says
Great directions
Awesome flavor!
Best shepherds pie!
Nora says
Thanks Brenda, so glad the pie turned out well for you!
Katie says
Made for the first time tonight and this recipe is awesome!!! Ive made Shepherds Pie a few times before but it never quite turned out right…this one is officially my new favorite:) Thank you for sharing!
Nora says
Yay, that’s awesome, Katie! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review – I appreciate it!!
Christine @ myblissfulmess says
This is probably my new favorite way of making Shepherd’s Pie. I have my own recipe, and I still think this one is probably my new favorite. It takes some doing, but it’s totally worth it! I prep my vegetables ahead of time, so that when it comes time to cook dinner, this comes together a lot faster. The flavor is amazing and my family loved it. I also prepped my potatoes ahead. I had a bag of potatoes that needed to get used, so I made a HUGE batch of mashed potatoes. Part of it I used the night before on another recipe, so I had enough leftover to make this recipe for the next night. Definitely making this one again!
Nora says
So happy to read this, Christine! And thank you for taking the time to leave a review, I appreciate it.
Lyndsey says
Can you put the mixture in the fridge to get cold or does it need to sit out?
Nora says
Hi Lyndsey, I wouldn’t recommend putting it in the fridge, because it will raise the temperature of the inside of your fridge and could potentially affect your other food. If it’s cold where you live right now, you could cover it loosely and put it outside for a bit. Hope that helps!
Marie Cole says
My name is Marie Cole. From Charleston West Virginia I plan on making this shepherd pie for our church community dinner sounds wonderful of course I will have to really increase amounts wish me good luck we serve around 130 plus wish me luck. Thanks for wonderful recipe.
Nora says
Oh my! I hope you managed, Marie!
Colette says
Aaack … the ingredient list isn’t showing up for me. I’m showing a Warning and Error in two lines.? Your photos are mouthwatering and the instructions look easy enough. Is there any way I can get the ingredient list please.
Nora says
Hi Colette
I’m SO sorry about that! Some updates to the site went wrong and everything was a huge mess yesterday. This recipe in particular suffered, the ingredient list was wiped completely 🙁 Luckily I had a backup and I put the ingredients back into the post. Hope you can get to it now, but here it is again in case anything goes wrong again:
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound ground beef
1 clove garlic (chopped)
2 onions (finely chopped)
2 medium carrots (finely diced)
2 stalks celery (finely diced)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
Ground black pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons white flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
1 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
4 cups mashed potatoes (?? click for my recipe and you’ll have some leftovers to sneak during cooking)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Brown meat and vegetables: Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet. Add the beef and cook until browned and all the meat juices have evaporated. Add the garlic, onions, carrots and celery and continue cooking until the veggies are starting to soften.
Season: Sprinkle the salt, paprika, pepper and flour over the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring all the time, until it smells roasted (about 1 minute).
Deglaze the pan: Pour the red wine over the meat and veggies, scratching the browned bits off the bottom. Bring to a boil and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the broth and simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until a thick gravy has formed.
Finish the filling: Stir in the peas and herbs. Check for seasoning, then spread in a 7×11 baking dish and set aside until completely cold.
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.) Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until golden.
Jac says
Thank you for the recipe. It was a hit! Mixed lamb and beef. So delicious! We will be making this again.
Nora says
That sounds delicious! I’m glad you enjoyed the Shepherd’s Pie – thank you for taking the time to leave a review!