Shepherd’s Pie
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Warm up your winter nights with a comforting Shepherd’s Pie, a rich and flavorful stew topped with a layer of creamy mashed potatoes.
Shepherd’s pie is a comforting dish consisting of creamy mashed potatoes on top of a rich and bubbly stew. It originated in the UK and Ireland and is traditionally made with lamb, but in the U.S. it is more commonly made with beef (and referred to as cottage pie). While the original version is made with leftover lamb stew, modern recipes typically call for ground meat, which cooks quickly and doesn’t require leftovers.
For this version, you begin by whipping up a batch of buttery, sour cream-enriched mashed potatoes, and then you make a flavorful ground beef stew with bacon, vegetables, and wine. You can either spread the mashed potatoes over the stew right in the skillet (for easy clean-up) or assemble the layers in a separate casserole dish for baking.
Table of Contents
“This was excellent! So much better than the old school Shepard’s pie from when I was a kid. It was definitely worth the effort!”
What You’ll Need To Make Shepherd’s Pie
- Ground beef: Serves as the for the filling. Using extra-lean beef means there’s no need to drain excess fat.
- Baking soda: Tenderizes the beef.
- Russet potatoes: The key ingredient for a fluffy, creamy mashed potato topping.
- Sour cream, butter, and half & half: These enrich the mashed potatoes, making them creamy and flavorful.
- Bacon: Adds a smoky depth to the filling.
- Onions and garlic: These aromatics form the base flavor of the filling.
- Carrots and peas: Add sweetness, color, and a vegetable component to the dish.
- Red wine: Adds robust flavor and complexity to the sauce.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the filling, ensuring it’s hearty and not too liquidy.
- Tomato paste: Provides concentrated tomato flavor, adding umami and richness to the filling.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds a tangy, meaty depth of flavor.
- Chicken broth: Adds savory moisture to the filling.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Tenderize the Beef
Before starting with the mashed potatoes, it’s important to tenderize the beef. Place the beef, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 tablespoon of water in a medium bowl.
Mash with your hand to combine, and set aside for 20 minutes. As it rests, the baking soda raises the pH of the meat, helping to lock in moisture and making the beef tender.
Step 2: Make the Mashed Potatoes
While the meat tenderizes, place the potatoes in medium saucepan and add enough cold water just to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes. The potatoes should be soft and fork-tender.
Drain the potatoes and return to the saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and stir the potatoes with a wooden spoon or potato masher until they are dry and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the sour cream, butter, half & half, and the remaining teaspoon of salt.
Using a potato masher, stir and mash the potatoes with the other ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the Stew
Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
Add the onions and carrots to the bacon fat.
Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add the wine and increase the heat to high; bring to a boil, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan, until the liquid reduces by about half.
Add the flour and stir until dissolved.
Add the reserved ground beef mixture, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
Continue cooking over high heat, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Add the thyme, pepper, peas, and reserved bacon.
Cook to warm the peas, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Step 4: Assemble & Bake
Dollop the mashed potatoes evenly over the filling.
Use a rubber spatula to spread evenly all the way to the edges of the skillet.
Drag a fork across the top to make ridges.
Place the skillet on a baking sheet or large sheet of foil to catch any drips. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. (For more color, turn on the broiler and broil for the last 5 minutes, or until the top is golden.)
Sprinkle the Shepherd’s pie with chives and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prepare Shepherd’s pie partially in advance. The stew portion can be made several days ahead and kept refrigerated. Before assembling the pie, simply reheat the stew, adding a bit of broth if needed to adjust the consistency if it seems dry. However, for the best results, the mashed potatoes should be prepared fresh, right before assembling and baking the pie. This approach ensures the topping is creamy and the filling is flavorful and moist.
Yes, as mentioned above, ground lamb is the traditional choice for Shepherd’s pie and would work beautifully here. For a lighter version, you can substitute ground chicken or turkey. When using meats other than beef, you can omit the step of tenderizing with baking soda.
Shepherd’s pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Ensure it’s covered tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, simply reheat it in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
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Shepherd’s Pie Video Tutorial
Shepherd's Pie
Warm up your winter nights with a comforting Shepherd’s Pie, a rich and flavorful stew topped with a layer of creamy mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds 90% lean ground beef
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-in chunks
- ¼ cup half & half
- 4 oz bacon, diced (about 3 slices thick-cut bacon)
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Place the beef, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 tablespoon of water in a medium bowl. Mash with your hand to combine. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- While the meat tenderizes, place the potatoes in medium saucepan and add just enough cold water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are soft and fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return to the saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and stir the potatoes with a wooden spoon or potato masher until they are dry and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sour cream, butter, half & half, and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Using a potato masher, stir and mash the potatoes with the other ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Set the mashed potatoes aside.
- Heat a 12-in oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the onions and carrots to the bacon fat and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the wine and increase the heat to high; bring to a boil, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced by about half. Add the flour and stir until dissolved. Add the reserved ground beef mixture, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce; continue cooking on high heat, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth; bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the thyme, pepper, peas, and reserved bacon, and cook until the peas are warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Dollop the mashed potatoes evenly over the filling. Use a rubber or offset spatula to spread the potatoes evenly over the stew and all the way to the edges of the skillet. Drag a fork across the top to make ridges. Place the skillet on a baking sheet or large sheet of foil to catch any drips and bake until the filling is hot, the topping is lightly browned, and the edges are bubbly, about 30 minutes. (For more color, turn on the broiler and broil for the last 5 minutes, or until the top is golden.) Sprinkle with chives and serve.
- Note: If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the meat mixture to a 2.5-qt casserole dish and then spread the mashed potatoes overtop.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The stew portion of the recipe can be made several days ahead of time and refrigerated. Before assembling the pie, reheat the stew, adding a little broth if necessary if it seems dry. The mashed potatoes should be made right before assembling and baking the pie.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 650
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Sodium: 1243 mg
- Cholesterol: 122 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, I made this shepherd’s pie recipe, and it was a hit! Unfortunately, the bunnies have eaten my chives in my garden, so I had to omit that this time. LOL! Still it was incredibly delicious and way better than any shepherds pie I have eaten in Great Britain!
Jenn, what would you substitute for the flour if you were going gluten free? I’ve used tapioca flour in the past, but want to get your expert opinion:)
Glad you enjoyed it! Tapioca or a general gluten-free flour are both fine here. 🙂
Oh my goodness this was amazing. Not easy to make – not a weeknight dish for sure (though I made it on the evening of St. Patrick’s, I would save it for the weekend next time): lots of prep, lots of steps. But it was absolutely delicious and everyone in the family loved it. Even the mashed potato recipe by itself is one I will use again – love the trick of fluffing them up over heat. This is going in the rotation, even if turns out to be only once a year. Eire Go Brach!
Best Shepherd’s Pie we’ve ever eaten and we’ve been making it every year for many years. Made it exactly as the recipe was given and wouldn’t change a thing. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
My question concerns the onions used in your shepherds pie, which is the best I’ve ever made! I want to make this for a friend whose cancer treatment does not allow onions. Is there a replacement I can use that will enhance the flavor? Thank you!
Hi Linda, Glad you like this! You could replace the onions with additional carrots, celery, or fennel. (Fennel has a licorice-like taste, but it mellows when it’s cooked.) Please LMK how it turns out w/ whatever tweak you make!
Jenn
I saw where you said that lamb could be substituted for the beef without tenderizing and that the bacon isn’t necessary with lamb. Can I still do the bacon with the lamb?
Thanks
Sure, if you’d like to include bacon, it’s perfectly fine. Hope you enjoy!
Made this last night and my family loved it. It was the best shepherd’s pie I’ve ever made. It tastes so authentic ☘️
Thanks Jen for another fabulous recipe!
Best shepherd’s pie ever!
Hi Jenn! Love all your recipes but this is labor intensive and took me an hour and 45 minutes prep time. It’s delicious but 30 minutes prep time might be an under-estimate.
Hi Karen, Thanks for your feedback on this, and sorry that it took you so much longer than the recipe indicated. I increased the prep time a bit.
Could I use a cast iron skillet to cook this in?
Sure – hope you enjoy!
Yum. The seasoning was just right. You give great instructions. I love, love, love your recipes. Thank you for doing such a great job.