Shepherd’s Pie is easily one of my family’s favorite ground beef recipes. This recipe for Shepherd’s Pie makes a perfect weeknight meal. It’s easy to make, delicious, filling, and comforting.
Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
I’ve been making this Shepherd’s Pie recipe for my family for many years. When I was a young bride the only recipe I knew was actually called Hamburger Pie. That version was made with ground beef, tomato soup and a can of green beans topped with mashed potatoes. It was a common addition to my menu plan.
Over the years I’ve made some adaptations to a few recipes to come up with my own Shepherd’s Pie.
Cooking Tips
- This is a very versatile recipe. If you need to substitute something, likely it isn’t an issue. Wine can be used instead of or in addition to the broth.
- Different vegetables can be substituted, and you can even try using cauliflower mashed potatoes on top.
- Instead of grated zucchini, you can use grated carrot. Dried rosemary would be a delicious addition as well.
Ingredients you will need
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or lamb)
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1/2 medium zucchini, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen carrots
- 3 cups mashed potatoes
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, finely grated
- a couple shakes of Parmesan cheese
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie
To make this recipe, preheat your oven to 375 F. Have a baking pan and a casserole dish at the ready.
- In a large skillet, brown the beef until no longer pink. Drain off excess grease.
- Next, add onion, garlic, and zucchini and saute for 3-5 minutes.
- After that add the frozen carrots and peas and stir everything together.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste.
- Season with thyme and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add broth and simmer until 10-15 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Transfer beef mixture to a deep casserole dish. You can use an 8×8 square pan, a casserole or you can make individual servings.
- Spoon mashed potato on top of beef. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese.
- Place the dish on a cookie sheet in case it bubbles over while baking.
- Bake in a 375° F oven for 20 minutes or until top is brown and heated through. The sides may be bubbly.
- Garnish with chopped scallions.
The Argument: Is it really Shepherd’s Pie?
Shepherd’s Pie was originally called Cottage Pie. Some would argue that this recipe can’t be called Shepherd’s Pie because it doesn’t contain lamb. Americans have adapted the original meaning of the recipe title to suit a beef-eating culture.
I’ll paraphrase from Wikipedia:
- Cottage pie, also known as shepherd’s pie, refers to an English meat pie. It has a crust made from mashed potato and filled with beef.
- The term cottage pie was common in 1791, when potato was being introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor. The word “cottage” meant a modest dwelling for rural workers.
- In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind. The pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.
- The term “shepherd’s pie” did not make an appearance until the 1870s. Since then it has been used synonymously with “cottage pie”, regardless of whether the main ingredient was beef or mutton.
- It’s now commonplace for “shepherd’s pie” to be used when the meat is mutton or lamb. The suggested origin being that shepherds work with sheep and not cattle, however, this may be an example of folk etymology.
I hope you enjoy this Shepherd’s Pie recipe as much as my family and I do. Throw in any extra ingredients you enjoy to make this classic meal even more comforting!
More casserole recipes you’ll love:
- Southwest Ground Beef Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Macaroni and Cheese with Ham and Peas Casserole
- Turkey or Chicken Pot Pie
- Spaghetti Pie
- Rotisserie Chicken Nachos
- Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
- Chili Mac
- Cabbage Rolls
Shepherd's Pie
This recipe for Shepherd’s Pie makes a perfect casserole meal for any night of the week.
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItServings: 6 people
40 minutes
Calories: 473
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef or lamb
- ½ cup onion diced
- 1 cup zucchini grated
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 5 ounces carrots frozen, 1 cup, not thawed
- 5 ounces peas frozen, 1 cup, not thawed
- 3 cups mashed potatoes
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese finely grated
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Things You'll Need
Before You Begin
- Instead of grated zucchini, you can use grated carrot. Dried rosemary would be a delicious addition as well.
- Wine can be used instead of or in addition to the broth.
- Different vegetables can be substituted, and you can even try using cauliflower mashed potatoes on top.
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown the beef until no longer pink. Drain off excess grease. Add onion, garlic, and zucchini and saute for 3-5 minutes.
- Add carrots and peas and stir together.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Season with thyme and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add broth and simmer until 10-15 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Transfer beef mixture to a deep casserole dish. You can use an 8×8 square pan, a casserole or you can make individual servings.
- Spoon mashed potato on top of beef. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese. Place the dish on a cookie sheet in case it bubbles over while baking.
- Bake in a 375° F oven for 20 minutes or until top is brown and heated through. The sides may be bubbly. Garnish with chopped scallions.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 473cal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1338mg | Potassium: 979mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4330IU | Vitamin C: 42.6mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 3.7mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Follow on Pinterest @AmandasCookin or tag #AmandasCookin!
This recipe originally published on: Jul 24, 2009 with this old photo
original photo of this recipe from 2009
Amanda Davis
President at Amanda's Creative Studio, Inc.
Amanda Davis is the entrepreneurial mom of four grown children and four step children. She and her husband, Chef Antoine, love to cook together creating recipes for this blog. Amanda also make kid's crafts and creates decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also a craft book author five times over and product developer as well as the owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com. You can find her on social media by using the buttons to the left!
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Linda Mantha says
the shepard pie , is from Quebec , Canada
the way you make it is wrong !
ithas only 3 ingredients : ground beef. creme corn , and mash potato a bit of parsil and paprika on the mash potato before putting in the oven.
it’s been past on are 5 generations in my family .
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Linda. The way I make it is not wrong ;) Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie started out as a way to use up leftover meat topped with potatoes. There is no original recipe, other than that. What you are describing is a regional adaptation of the pie made many years ago, so is mine. Neither are wrong.
DIANE says
Yes you are right that’s the the way my grandmother made it.
Kim Daigle says
Linda Mantha, I grew up in NH near the Quebec border. We called this Chinese Pie. Made with mashed potatoes, ground beef, and cream style corn and regular corn. Paprika sprinkled on top. Story goes is that the Chinese cooks who served the workers that were building the railroads in the 1800’s made this dish because it was cheap and filling. Hence the name Chinese Pie.
Pam says
This is almost like mine I just add peas and carrots diced. Have seen some recipes that do not sound anything like the shepherds pie I grew up with in England. I make it for my friends here in the states all the time and they love it. Thanks for sharing the real recipe.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Pam. Yes it’s one of those recipes that has been adapted by many. That’s actually the beauty of Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie is that everyone makes it their own.
SuAnn Bishop says
Your version sounds great also and I will be trying it real soon, only one question though, what spice would you use in place of the thyme? I don’t like thyme.(Sorry).
Amanda Formaro says
You could leave the thyme out completely, or replace it with oregano or parsley :)
SuAnn Bishop says
I have been wanting to make shepherds pie for quite some time now. I finally made it last night. I love shepherds pie and have since I was a little girl, which, was many, many, many years ago. This is the first time I have made it since I left home when I was 18 yrs. old. It was even better than I remembered. I browned the ground beef with onion and garlic powders, salt and pepper, bacon bits, and worcestershire sauce. Drained the fat and used the same pan and fried up some peppers, onions, celery with a little bit of real butter, little bit of oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper only until starting to carmalize. Layered that over ground beef then put a layer of canned sliced mushrooms,another layer of canned mixed vegetables, a layer of 3 small cans of cream of mushroom soup(undiluted), then the mashed potatoes. when cooked add Rague cheddar cheese sauce on top of potatoes. OH SOOOO GOOOOD!!!!!!
Amanda Formaro says
So glad you had an enjoyable dinner SuAnn! Thank you for sharing your story :)
Louise Shindler says
I was so happy when I came across this recipe . I am 88 years old and and I still love it. It is so easy to make ,but oh so very good.My Mom used to make it and we all looked forwawrd to the night it was on the menu.Thank you for publishing it.
Amanda says
I’m so glad Louise! I make it all the time, so good!
p-atty albritton says
haven’t had shepherds pie since being a small child. i’m looking forward to using this recipe
Nate says
We featured this recipe in our weekly Food Trend Friday post. You can check it out here:
http://blog.recipelion.com/food-trend-cheesy-casserole-recipes/
Thanks for all of the great recipes.
Amanda says
Thanks so much!
Rhonda says
Hi Amanda I was looking at your blog and you said as a kid you ate the easy version that is how my mom made when she was alive is that recipe posted anywhere?
Amanda Formaro says
You can see the hamburger pie recipe on All Recipes here http://allrecipes.com/recipe/hamburger-pie/
biz319 says
I love this recipe – fresh ingredients are key! :D
Helene says
Our Shepard pies in Québec are quite different. We have a layer of ground beef, a layer of corn and a layer of mashed potatoes. This one looks yummy.
Rachel says
Shepherd's Pie is one of my absolute favorite "comfort foods"! I tried it for the first time a few years ago and LOVED it! I can't wait to try your version!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I bought some nice lean mince the other day and was contemplating doing a shepher'd pie! Thanks so much for the recipe, it looks wonderful :D
Jennifer says
I love sheperds pie! I have always made from scratch, there is no going back, right?! :) love this version of it! great pic!!
Calogero says
Parmesan cheese and more, very very good… :-)
Cookie says
What a great way to sneak in some veggies! Love it!
Carrie says
I really love shepherd's pie! I love the addition of zucchini and the cheese on top. That sounds wonderful.
Charlotte says
Using Zucchini is a new twist and a nice summer alternative to this wonderful comfort food.
Ellie says
Hi Amanda!
Thanks so much for your really nice comment:) I just love your additions…You gave me a great idea,zucchini. Now, next time I'll try using some zucchini. Your picture looks absolutely lovely! I am so glad you adapted the recipe to your family's liking:)You did a fabulous job!~Ellie
Chow and Chatter says
this looks fab you are doing the UK proud lol
Finsmom says
Great photo!
Alta says
Our whole family loves shepherd's pie – and Gordon Ramsay's version is yummy. This sounds tasty too – and with the addition of zucchini, sounds healthy! You've reminded me of a dish I need to put back into rotation soon!
Cheryl says
I agree Alta, I love Gordon Ramsay and anything he cooks look so good anyway ! I also love Shepard’s Pie too !