A classic comfort food, this Shepherd’s Pie is filled with ground beef, veggies, and gravy, all topped with creamy mashed potatoes. This is a classic that everyone loves!
Traditional comfort food is the best! For some other favorites, try this Traditional Meatloaf with Glaze or this Penne Pasta Bake.
I’ve been blogging for quite some time. And I have a lot of recipes that I posted a long time ago that need a serious facelift.
This Shepherd’s Pie was one of them.
I went to work in the kitchen and was reminded just how much I love Shepherd’s Pie.
I know that technically this is Cottage Pie, since it’s made with ground beef, but I think the majority of us grew up calling it Shepherd’s Pie. So the name stuck.
One major change I made to the original recipe that was posted here was that when I remade it, we all found the filling a bit dry. So I doubled the gravy, which made it absolutely perfect.
This is the best kind of comfort food!
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I like to use a more rare ground beef, just so I don’t have to worry about too much grease. I tend to aim for 85/15.
- Vegetables: You need carrots and onions, and you’ll also add in some frozen peas at the very end.
- Tomato Paste: This just adds a little bit of acidity and depth to the flavor.
- Flour: The flour will thicken up the gravy just a bit.
- Broth: You may notice that the recipe calls for chicken broth, even though we are cooking with beef. You can definitely use beef broth, but I think the chicken broth brings a better flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This will also add some depth to the sauce.
- Thyme: I use dried thyme, but you can also use fresh thyme, if you have it. If using fresh, you will need about 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves.
- Potatoes: I have made this with both russet and yukon gold potatoes. While they both do work well, I prefer the creaminess of the Yukon gold potatoes.
- Butter: You will need some melted butter to add to the potatoes.
- Milk: When adding the milk to the mashed potatoes, if you use hot milk, it will incorporate and make smoother mashed potatoes.
- Egg Yolk: Adding an egg yolk to the potatoes will give the potatoes a velvety texture.
- Salt and Pepper: Salt and pepper is super important – both for the filling and the mashed potatoes. Make sure you are tasting and seasoning appropriately.
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie
STEP 1: Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. You want to use an oven proof skillet, as you will be transferring it to the oven later. I like to use a cast iron skillet.
STEP 2: Remove the ground beef to a bowl. Heat some oil in the same pan, and add your onion and carrots and cook until softened. Add the garlic in the last 30 seconds.
STEP 3: To the vegetables, add the tomato paste and cook for a minute, then stir in the flour. Cook this for another minute or two.
STEP 4: Whisk the broth into the vegetables, then add the Worcestershire sauce. Add in the thyme and the ground beef. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and let it simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes.
STEP 5: When the mixture is thickened, stir in the frozen peas. There is no need to thaw the peas beforehand, as they will thaw in the sauce.
STEP 6: While the beef is cooking, add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Boil until the potatoes are tender, then drain and return to the pan. Mash the potatoes, then add the butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the egg yolk.
STEP 7: Add dollops of the potatoes to the top of the meat and vegetable mixture.
STEP 8: Spread the potatoes out over the top, making sure to spread all of the way to the edges of the skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown.
Tips and Tricks
If you don’t have an oven proof skillet, you can transfer the mixture to a baking pan. I just like to keep it in one pan for less dishes.
You can make the shepherds pie ahead of time, assembling it completely then stopping before the final baking. Cover and refrigerate. When you are ready to bake it, you will need to add a little bit more time, as you will be cooking it from cold.
Some of the gravy may leak to the top of the potatoes, but that is just fine!
More Comfort Food Favs
One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff
Ground Beef Enchiladas
Crock Pot Chili
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Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/3 cup milk hot
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a large oven proof skillet and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the beef as it cooks. Once browned and cooked through, remove to a bowl.
- Add the oil to the hot pan and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and carrot. Season with salt. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for a minute or two. Then stir in the flour. Whisk in the broth and the Worcestershire sauce, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Mix in the thyme and the reserved ground beef. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat, cover the pan, and cook on low for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Place the potatoes into a large pot, then add enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil and let the potatoes cook until fork tender, about 25 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Roughly mash, then add in the melted butter and hot milk. Continue to mash until as smooth as desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the egg yolk.
- Heat the oven to 400ºF.
- When the beef mixture is cooked and thickened, stir in the frozen peas. Remove from the heat. With a large spoon, drop spoonfuls of the potatoes over the top of the beef mixture. Spread the potatoes to the edges of the pan, making sure to spread all the way to the sides of the skillet to seal.
- Bake in the oven until the top is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Let the shepherd’s pie rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Caine says
This looks delicious, but I'd like to know specifically what was adapted from the original recipe, which I can't view because for some reason my login isn't working on the ATK site.
christos says
Linda made this for me. It's utterly eff'n delicious.
I would long to hear the words 'Shepherd's Pie' if I were to yell out 'what's for dinner' as I came home from work. Sadly, when I yell it, no one hears.