Super Shepherd's Pie is one of my family's most requested recipes. This ultimate comfort food recipe has a rich tasty gravy, ground beef, veggies topped with fluffy mashed potatoes.
Super Shepherd's Pie is one of those easy to prepare comfort foods. It is a simple dish with ingredients you usually have on hand. You can also make it ahead of time, then refrigerate until ready to bake. This dish also freezes very well. My secret to making a Shepherd's Pie that is moist and delicious is to add prepared gravy to the mixture. Adding my favourite packaged beef gravy mix adds a terrific boost of flavour and extra sauciness to the filling.
I you like top with some grated cheese for an extra savoury flavour.
Super Shepherd's Pie
This ultimate comfort food recipe has a rich tasty gravy, ground beef, veggies topped with fluffy mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1½ lb lean ground beef
- 6-7 medium potatoes about 6-7 cups raw, chopped
- 3 carrots chopped about 2 ½ cups raw, chopped
- 1 onion chopped about 1 cup
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen green beans optional
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp thyme
- 6 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 package beef gravy mix prepared as per instructions
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded optional
Instructions
- Peel and cut potatoes; cook in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes, drain.
- Add butter, milk and mash; set aside.
- In large sauté pan add ground beef, salt, pepper and cook until browned. Transfer to casserole dish.
- Drain off all but about 1 tbsp. fat from sauté pan, add onions, carrots and garlic and cook until tender.
- Stir in beans, corn and peas. Cook for about 4-5 minutes (I usually add the beans and cook for a few minutes before adding peas and corn as they take a bit longer to cook.
- In the meantime prepare gravy mix as per package instructions.
- When gravy has thickened, stir in tomato paste and thyme.
- Add gravy mix into vegetable mix, then stir in ground beef and pour into 2 quart casserole dish.
- Top with mashed potato mix, cover and bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- (optional) Add shredded cheddar cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Nutrition
Calories: 408kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 28gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 568mgPotassium: 1235mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 4520IUVitamin C: 31.7mgCalcium: 198mgIron: 8mg
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Bet
Sure wish I had seen this last week. Had to take a meal to family from church and they mentioned they liked Shepherds Pie. I have never made it and couldn't find a recipe I thought would be amazing so they got chicken pot pie lol. I'm looking forward to trying this soon. Maybe I will take a meal of Shepherds Pie to them after all. Looks wonderful. Thanks for the recipe.
Laureen King
Drop me a note, love to hear how you like the recipe when you make it.
Julie
I made this recipe for my husband and 13 year old, who both loved it! Thanks! I am currently trying to find new recipes to make for co-workers, who recently had babies. I'd love to give it to them frozen, so they can heat it when they're ready. Any suggestions/instructions on how to do that?
Laureen King
Hi Julie, so glad your family enjoyed the Shepherd's Pie recipe. One of my fav recipe to bring to family and friends is my spaghetti sauce. It freezes really well. Also a couple of other of my recipes that freeze well is Irish Stew. Baked Spaghetti Pie, Turkey Burger Soup, and my Fuel to Go Muffins are alway a huge hit that freeze well.
Tracy
Thank you for the yummy, easy recipe!
Laureen King
your so welcome Tracy
Ashley
Looks great! Not sure why you are getting so many rude comments about this not being real "Shepherd's Pie". If they don't like it, don't make it and keep it moving! There are more important things to worry about 😉
Laureen King
Hey Ashley, the controversy seems to be that some people would only call it Shepherd's Pie if made with lamb, and cottage cheese if made with beef.
Ashley
Also, I've always used chicken stock and ketchup to make my sauce but I am definitely going to try your gravy/tomato paste combo! I may add a dash of worcestershire too though, as I enjoy adding some depth of flavor. I'll let you know how it turns out! P.S. I can't believe do many people said they skip the cheese on top. That's my favorite part! lol
Laureen King
Thanks Ashley, I too love the cheese on top!
Laureen King
Thank you Sheila, I too enjoy reading all the comments, most make me smile 🙂
Claire
Just made this tonight and it was fabulous! I added extra tomato paste (around 3 TBS) and for veggies used: carrots, celery, green beans, corn, mushrooms, and leaks. My fiancé is absolutely in love with it! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe with everyone! It is beyond fabulous and so comforting.
Laureen King
Thanks for letting me know Claire, Shepherd's Pie certainly is comfort food.
Cheryl
Hi Laureen, I just wanted to thank you for sharing your Shepherd's Pie recipe. It looks yummy, and I can't wait to try it. Going to pick up ingredients this week. My daughter loves Shepherd's Pie, but I haven't found a good recipe. We're anxious to try yours. Also, I was truly appalled to see such hostile comments when all you did was kindly share one of your recipes. You did not deserve the rude comments. There are some angry, hateful, opinionated people out there who will inappropriately use any form of social media, including food blogs, to express their ignorance and hostility. Ignore them and keep the yummy recipes coming:)
Laureen King
Hi Cheryl, I hope you enjoy the recipe. I don't let the negative comments bother me, seems like that is just part of why one has to expect being a food blogger.
Lauren Montgomery
Hi Newlywed here, what size of casserole dish did you use?
Laureen King
Hi Lauren, congrats on being a Newlywed, I used a 10 round baking dish.
Germenn
Hi Laureen,
I made this last week as a trial before Thanksgiving. Our small party has turned into a group of ten with some vegetarians thrown in for fun! The dish turned out fabulous, the family cannot wait for next week to eat this again. Thank you! The steps were very detailed and guided me along splendidly.
For convenience, do you think I can make this ahead a day or two? I could bake it, cool, freeze/ refrigerate and then heat to serve on D-day.....what is your advice?
Laureen King
Hi Germenn, So glad you enjoyed the recipe. This recipe should freeze well. The only thing I find is the consistency of the potatoes changes a bit when freezing. I think you would be fine making it a day or two ahead, refrigerate and then reheat day of. Enjoy!
Germenn
Wonderful, thank you for your guidance. I look forward to a wonderful Thanksgiving with your Super Shepherd's Pie!
Jessica
How long and at what temp would you need to reheat it at the next day? would this work in a 9"x13" glass dish? Thanks!
Laureen King
Yes it would work fine in 9x13 glass dish, the layers just would not be a thick unless you doubled the recipe. I would think 30 minutes at 350 degrees would work for reheating. If reheating from from frozen it would be about 1 hour. Hope you enjoy the recipe Jessica
Kayla
This was unfortunately ruined due to the amount of thyme... way too over powering. I would suggest using maybe half of the thyme called for in the recipe.
Laureen King
Hey Kayla, did you use 1 teaspoon? that amount should not of overpowered the dish. But we all have unique taste buds and prefer different strength of flavouring.
Dana McGraw
I made this dish tonight and I have to say it was delicius! I thank you for sharing.... Made a little bit more gravy 'cuz we llike it and used frozen mixed veggies making it a little easier.... again, fabulous!
Laureen King
Thank you Dana for taking the time to let me know how you liked the recipe.
Mary
Mercy. Call it what you want. Maybe the Scots have too narrow a view! Maybe they are not the last word on this dish. Looks delicious. Where I'm from this is shepherd's pie, and we have no such thing as Cottage Pie.
Dennis Korinek
I like the recipe and want to make this but need to know what size casserole dish are using. 8x8? 9x9? 9x13?
Laureen King
Hi Dennis, I baked it in my 3.3 quart round stainless steel casserole dish.
LYDIA
Thank you Laureen for this recipe. It is cold here in Michigan and I wanted to make something hot, quick and filling without having to run around to stores for the items. It came out PERFECT!!! So moist, tasty and very filling. I had made this awhile back without the pkgd beef gravy. It was good, but not nearly as moist and savory....I will be using your recipe from now on! 5 STARS
lydia
Laureen King
thanks Lydia, its cold here in Alberta, Canada as well, so nothing beats good old comfort food this time of year!
Elizabeth
I love this recipe. My husband says this is the best meal I cook. Thank you for sharing this.
Laureen King
Thank you so much Elizabeth, it is one of my husband's favourites as well.
Bobi-Jean
I made this today and I don't care what it's called, it was DELICIOUS!!
Laureen King
Thank you Bobi-Jean for letting me know how you liked the recipe!
Bee
I've never commented before but I think that's because the things I try never turn out, but THIS WAS A HIT! I made it last night and was scared I would mess it up but I didn't! My boyfriend is extremely picky but surprisingly he loved it and I did too! I left out the cheese and the green beans but followed everything else. This is def something I'll be making again And I seriously can't wait! Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂
Laureen King
Bee, so grateful you took the time to comment, I hope you try some more recipes. You and your boyfriend may like my Spaghetti Pie recipe.
Hanne
This was simply AMAZING! So much taste, so satisfying! My boyfriend was gobsmacked and is asking me to make more!
Laureen King
Love it, hope you try some of my other recipes. Let me know if you would like any my husband recommends.
Pauline
Love the recipe for "shepherd pie" instead of cheese I always put dobs of butter on the top before cooking....then a few more when I reheat it....
Laureen King
That sounds terrific Pauline
Thu
Wow this sounds so much better then the pillsberry recipe that calls for all that processed/frozen junk! I want to make this into cupcake tins ! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Laureen King
Terrific idea to make individual servings in cupcake tins!
alisha
First time making and eating shepherds pie and it was good! My 4 year who doesn't eat mashed potatoes ate mashed potatoes!
Laureen King
so glad you enjoyed the recipe Alisha, love that you got the 4 year old to eat mashed potatoes with this recipe 🙂
Mama Lolo
Excellent recipe! Will definitely have again! Thanks!!!
Laureen King
Thank you Mama Lolo
Michelle
Mmmm just came upon this on pinterest and decided to go ahead and make it for supper! Everything smells good 🙂 Can't wait to dig in!
BTW im from MB, Canada;)
Laureen King
Hello Michelle, my fellow Canadian, hope you and your family enjoy the recipe. We had it for dinner yesterday!
Caroline
Not sure if the original comment about the name was being critical or just informative. I don't mind informative and on that note, we call this Shepherd's Pie as well but realize it was historically lamb. I've never heard of Cottage Pie but I have a recipe similar to this called Hunter's Pie as it is made with beef. I kind of like the differentiation. However, I really appreciated the way Laureen dealt with this, be it criticism or information. On a different note, I'm not at home so don't have access to my recipe so plan on making this one! Sounds just what I'm looking for. Thanks.
Laureen King
Thank you Caroline for the great comment. I think we traditionally call things what our Mom or Grandma called them. They were great cooks and adapted many ethnic recipes and put there own flare on the recipe. No one really worried too much what it was called as long as it tasted good! (LOL)