I love this easy shepherd’s pie recipe because it’s a fantastic way to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes. Of course, while using leftovers saves time, you can also make them fresh. And talk about the ideal crowd-pleaser! It’s just so super satisfying. Besides that, this effortless one-dish meal brings the family together and keeps them at the dinner table chatting and laughing. Shepherd’s pie is more than a meal; it’s authentic comfort food for the soul. 💕
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie
Potato Topping
Prep the Spuds – Rinse the potatoes under cold water and transfer them to a large saucepan. Add cold water. It should cover the potatoes by at least 3 inches. Season with a generous amount of salt. 🧂Cook Them – Next, bring it all to a boil over high heat. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, turn down the heat to medium and simmer the potatoes until they’re tender – 12-15 minutes.Drain – Then drain the potatoes, rinse them with hot water, and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.Mash – Use a potato masher or a hand mixer to combine the boiled potatoes with the milk, butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper until it’s nice and creamy. Set aside.
Meat Filling
Brown the Meat – Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the ground meat and brown for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into bits so it doesn’t form large chunks.Drain Fat – Remove any grease from the beef using a spoon or ladle.Season – Add the thyme, bay leaf, carrot, celery, onions, and garlic to the skillet and stir to combine for 4-6 minutes, until the ingredients start to soften.Simmer – Next, decrease the heat to medium and add the red wine and tomato paste. Simmer on low until most of the liquid has evaporated.Add More Flavor – Add flour, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and (optionally) beef or chicken bouillon.Keep Simmering – Bring the mixture to a simmer, then set the heat to low, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened slightly, 10-15 minutes.Add Veggies – Add the peas and corn and stir until thoroughly combined and heated through.Final Touch – Next, season it with salt and pepper and set aside.
Assemble the Shepherd’s Pie
Prep the Baking Dish – Preheat the oven to 425°F/218℃. Spray a generous amount of nonstick coating on a 9×13 casserole dish.First Layer – Add the meat filling.Second Layer – Top with the mashed potatoes and spread them out evenly using a spatula until the entire dish is covered.Bake – Transfer the dish to the oven and bake until potatoes start to brown slightly around the edges, 18-20 minutes.Rest – Let the dish cool for about 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with parsley to garnish.
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
To make this recipe a day in advance, cook the potato topping and meat filling, then assemble everything in the baking dish. Cover it with aluminum foil or plastic and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake the next day. You can also freeze this dish. Assemble as instructed, seal the dish in an airtight container and send it to the freezer for up to two months. Thaw it in the fridge the night before you plan on baking it.
Serving and Storage Instructions
The mashed potatoes will be very hot on coming out of the oven, so let them cool for about 10 minutes before serving them up. Garnish with parsley for a pretty finish. 🌿 Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Leftovers reheat well in the oven or the microwave. If you go the oven route, set it to 350℉/177℃ and pop the casserole in whole for about 20 minutes or until heated through.
What to Serve With Shepherd’s Pie
This dish is a meal in itself, so you really don’t need sides. But you know me, the more choices on the table, the merrier, especially when entertaining. So I like to include some homemade garlic bread for sopping up the gravy and a wedge salad – something fresh and crunchy to balance the rich, savory qualities of the pie. I also recently discovered that creamed corn and homemade gravy are heavenly when paired with shepherd’s pie. Try it, and I know you’ll be thoroughly impressed. 🤤
More Savory Pie Recipes to Try
Conclusion
‘Tis is the season for shepherd’s pie; rich and savory, filling and cozy, everyone needs to know this recipe. Are you a shepherd’s pie fanatic like me? If so, drop your best recipe tips in the comment section below. I can’t wait to see what you share. 💕
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”JuxvQxYH” upload-date=”2020-10-08T09:45:00.000Z” name=”Shepherd’s Pie” description=”Shepherd’s Pie – hearty casserole meal with a layer of saucy cooked meat and vegetables topped with buttery creamy mashed potatoes and baked until topping is golden and slightly crispy on top. Always a crowd-pleasing comfort food!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post was originally published in December 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
