If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort food, we’re sharing 21 EASY Shepherd’s Pie Recipes you’ll love!
A homemade shepherd’s pie has everything you’re looking for in a hearty meal. We’re talking ground meat, mixed vegetables, and creamy mashed potatoes in one casserole dish!
What is Shepherds Pie?
Shepherd’s Pie is a classic British dish known for its hearty and comforting nature. It is often served up on St. Patrick’s day!
A classic shepherd’s pie recipe consists of a savory meat mixture topped with mashed potatoes and baked until golden brown. The traditional version of is made with ground lamb as shepherds are associated with tending to sheep. However, in North American, it’s common to find variations made with ground beef or a mixture of lamb and beef. When it’s made with ground beef, it is often known as cottage pie. While these recipes use mainly a ground beef mixture, and aren’t necessarily authentic, we will be referring to them as shepherd pie. Use whatever kind of meat you prefer.
Here’s a basic breakdown of the components:
- Meat Filling: The filling is usually made with ground lamb or beef. Other variations may include vegetable filling with ingredients like vegetables, onions, carrots, peas, green beans and sometimes tomato paste. The cooked meat is seasoned with things like salt, pepper, herbs, worcestershire sauce, red wine and beef broth to enhance the flavor.
- Mashed Potatoes: The mashed potato topping serves as a comforting layer that blankets the savory meat mixture. The mashed potatoes are often spread evenly over the filling and can be seasoned with butter, cream cheese, salt or black pepper. You can also sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of the mashed potatoes for added richness. You can use any potatoes for this, but we prefer using yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes.
- Baking: Once assembled in a baking dish or large skillet, the Shepherd’s Pie is baked in the oven until the mashed potato topping develops a golden crust. This gives the dish a delightful contrast between the creamy interior and the crispy exterior.
Move over, Martha Stewart! We will show you that even home cooks can make the best hearty meal ever!
Which easy shepherd’s pie recipe are you going to make first?