This is our shepherd’s pie, or cottage pie if we’re being technical about the beef. A savory ground beef or lamb filling, topped with creamy mashed potatoes, all made mostly in one skillet, ready in about an hour. Stick around; there’s a story behind this one worth reading before you get to the recipe card.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Donna Said: “This was the most delicious Shepherd’s Pie I’ve ever made! I followed the recipe exactly, and was very happy with the results. Nice balance of meat mixture and potato topping! It kept its shape well as I served it to my family, and we all loved it on St. Patrick’s Day!”
This recipe was originally published in 2021 and updated in March 2026 with new photos, clearer step-by-step instructions, and a few tweaks I’ve picked up making this more times than I can count.
What My Husband Brought Home From England (Besides Jet Lag)
My husband spent our early dating years, and our first years of marriage, working over in England. Every trip home he’d go on about three things: bangers and mash, scones, and the best shepherd’s pie from some pub he could never quite describe well enough for me to find it. I took that as a challenge.
So this homemade shepherd’s pie recipe became a St. Patrick’s Day tradition. I tweaked the seasoning, the thickness, and the ratio of meat to potato year after year until it stopped being a special occasion thing and became something I’d throw together on a random Tuesday in February. Which, these days, is exactly what happens.
I’ll be honest, there’s no secret ingredient in this one, no sneaky swap that makes it “different.” This is the classic version, done the way it’s supposed to be done. It’s closest to a shepherd’s pie I’ve had at the Golden Bee, the English pub at The Broadmoor, and that’s genuinely the bar I hold mine to.
Here’s how it actually works. The filling cooks in one skillet while the potatoes boil in a separate pot, and the whole thing is on the table in about an hour. You can keep it entirely on the stovetop, filling and potatoes together, covered on low until everything’s warmed through. Or, if you’ve got 25 extra minutes, slide it into a 400°F oven instead. The potato topping goes golden and a little crispy at the edges, and honestly, that’s the version I make most often now.
Ground beef or ground lamb, either one works, and my family loves this recipe both ways. Quick technicality: made with beef, this is really a cottage pie. We’re calling it shepherd’s pie anyway, because that’s what everyone types into the search bar.
Shepherd’s Pie vs Cottage Pie
Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is always made with ground lamb, so a meat pie made with ground beef, like mine, is technically a cottage pie. Here in the States though, we call them both shepherd’s pie and nobody blinks.
You’ll also see it spelled “Shepards pie” or “Sheppard’s pie” out there. I’m not going to be the punctuation police; I’m just here to give you a ground beef pie recipe that actually works.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Ready in about an hour. Ready in about an hour. Most versions have you babysitting the oven for the better part of an hour. This one doesn’t.
- Optional to use the oven. You can definitely bake this pie if you wish, or even broil it to finish. But we also give you instructions to make it completely on the stovetop for less hassle.
- The best leftovers. This is one of those meals that I know will feed my family for a couple of days, making it ideal for those weeks when dinnertime feels impossible!
Homemade Shepherd’s Pie Ingredients
Meat Filling:
- Yellow Onion | You could also use a sweet or white onion too!
- Lean Ground Beef | I use a local ranch, grass-fed beef. Use your favorite blend, mine was 80/20. Also, try ground lamb, chicken, or turkey, any type of ground meat will work.
- Dried Herbs | parsley, rosemary, and thyme
- Worcestershire Sauce | Adds a big hit of savory flavor. Make sure it’s gluten-free if you’re staying GF.
- Garlic | Because you can always use more garlic.
- Tomato Paste | Cooked into the meat for a minute or two, this is what keeps the filling from tasting thin.
- All-purpose Flour | helps to thicken the filling to the correct consistency, use all purpose gluten-free flour if GF.
- Beef Broth | Use a good quality beef stock or broth here; it rounds out the flavor. Try my homemade beef bone broth if you have it. One warning: don’t grab the canned condensed stuff; it’s a lot saltier and will throw off the whole dish.
- Peas & Carrots | I could not find frozen mixed vegetables, so I chopped some carrots and tossed them in with the onions, used fresh peas and tossed those in at the end.
- Frozen Corn | Use fresh if you have it, and canned corn may be used in a pinch!
Mashed Potatoes:
- Russet Potatoes | You can use other potatoes, like Yukon Gold, but they are creamier and could be runnier as a topping. Russets are king here.
- Butter | Yes, the real deal, but just a few tablespoons of butter does the trick
- Half and Half | If you don’t have it, you can use whole milk or other milk.
- Garlic Powder | Adds savory depth without the bite of raw garlic.
- Parmesan Cheese | Melts right into the potatoes and adds a little salt and nuttiness.
- Irish Sharp Cheddar | This is optional; it adds a bit of a twice-baked potato taste to the topping.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
- Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onions and carrots (if using frozen, add them straight in) and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until they start to caramelize.
- Add the ground beef (or lamb) and brown, breaking it up as you go. A little pink left is fine. Reduce heat to medium.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and garlic, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is fully browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste and flour, mixing until everything is thick and well incorporated.
- Pour in the beef broth and stir. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Add the peas and corn, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and let it bubble gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If you’re not already in a cast iron skillet, transfer the mixture to one now, or to a 9×9 baking dish. Smooth into an even layer and let it cool slightly while you make the mashed potatoes.
Pro Tip: If you cooked the filling in a cast iron skillet, don’t bother transferring it. That’s the best part of this recipe; the whole thing can go from stovetop to table in one pan. You might also like this zucchini and ground beef casserole.
Mashed Potato Topping:
- Peel and dice your potatoes, then place them in a large pot and cover with water, about an inch above the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer until fork-tender, they should feel like they’re just starting to fall apart when you poke one. About 10-15 minutes at sea level, 15-20 at high altitude.
- Drain and return the potatoes to the hot pot. Let them sit for a minute so any extra moisture evaporates. Add the butter, garlic powder, and half and half.
- Using a potato masher, mash until smooth. Don’t overwork them here, over-mixed potatoes turn gummy fast.
- Stir in the parmesan. Let the potatoes cool for 5-10 minutes before assembling, this keeps them from sinking into the meat layer.
- Spread the fluffy mashed potatoes evenly over the meat layer. If you’re planning to broil or bake for a crisp top, run a fork over the surface to create ridges, they’ll catch and brown first.
- If you’re keeping this entirely on the stovetop, cover and cook over low heat until beef filling is bubbling. If you want the golden, crisped top, see the oven-baked instructions below.
Let the pie sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with a spatula, it’s okay if it doesn’t hold a perfectly clean edge, that’s part of what makes it a skillet dinner and not a fussy one.
Oven-Baked Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
If you want to finish your Shepherd’s Pie in the oven, here are the instructions:
Bake in a 400°F (205° C) oven (uncovered) for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Or place under the broiler to crisp up the potato topping, just a few minutes, watching closely.
Best Shepherd’s Pie Recipe Tips
- Prep your ingredients before beginning to cook. This cottage pie recipe comes together quickly on the stovetop. So for a stress-free meal, I definitely recommend chopping and measuring every single ingredient before you begin cooking.
- Meal prep in advance. You can easily assemble this pie, let it cool, store in the fridge, and then reheat in the oven until warmed through to enjoy for dinner on a different night of the week.
- Shortcut mashed potatoes. If you are in a real pinch for time, you can use mashed potatoes from the refrigerated section of the grocery store (but I promise our from-scratch recipe doesn’t take long!).
- Choose a large oven-safe skillet. This recipe works best and is most convenient when it’s all made in the same pan. So make sure your skillet is both deep and oven-safe if you choose to bake this meat pie.
- Broil to finish if you please. It’s totally fine to serve this pie straight from the stovetop. But if you want that deep golden, restaurant-style top, run a fork over the potatoes before broiling to rough up the surface, then broil for a couple of minutes. Keep a close eye on it, broilers work fast.
What to Serve with This Recipe for Shepherd’s Pie
This holds its own as a full meal, but if you want to round it out, here’s what I’d add:
- Traditional Irish Soda Bread
- Irish Brown Bread
- Guinness Irish Brown Bread
- Beer Bread
- Braised Cabbage
- Maple Pecan Salad
And if you want to make a full night of it, finish with a Bailey’s Irish Cream Ice Cream and / or an Irish Coffee.
Easy Shepherds Pie Variations
- Try a different protein: You can make this using traditional ground lamb, or try making a Chicken Shepherd’s pie or even use ground turkey.
- Use other veggies: Most recipes call for frozen peas and carrots, some call for celery. I had fresh on hand, which I prefer; just replace cup for cup frozen peas and carrots. You could even stir leafy greens, like spinach or kale, in too.
- Make this cottage pie in advance: Yes, you can make it ahead and even freeze this meat pie. Allow to cool completely, cover tightly, place in the freezer, or refrigerate. To reheat, thaw overnight and bake as directed. Allow to sit on the counter 30 minutes prior to baking.
- Swap the broth depending on the protein: If you decide to make a chicken or turkey Shepherd’s pie, then you will probably want to change the broth to chicken broth or veggie broth.
- Low-Carb Shepherd’s Pie: Omit the carrots, peas, corn, flour and mashed potatoes. Swap with celery, zucchini, green beans. Make cauliflower mashed potatoes instead and thicken the sauce either with ⅛ teaspoon Xanthan gum or just simmer the meat sauce down until thick.
Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie
I love giving tips on how to convert recipes to gluten-free, this Cottage pie recipe is super easy to convert:
- Make sure the Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free; Lee & Perrins is.
- Replace the flour (or omit) with a good gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Check labels on mashed potatoes and pre-shredded cheeses if you are using store-bought!
Storing Homemade Shepherd’s Pie
It’s so easy to enjoy this skillet Shepherd’s Pie throughout the week (the leftovers may be even tastier in my opinion). Cool completely then store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze well wrapped, for up to 3 months to enjoy at a later date. When it comes to reheating, you can defrost overnight in the fridge, then let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. To reheat, bake at 400ºF for 25 to 30 minutes, or until fully warmed, if desired place a piece of aluminum foil lightly on top. Cooking time will depend on how chilled your Shepherd’s pie filling is.
You can also microwave indivudal slices until hot.
FAQs
Shepherd’s pie is a savory meat pie, traditionally ground lamb, cooked with vegetables in a rich gravy and topped with a layer of mashed potatoes instead of a pastry crust. Made with ground beef instead of lamb, it’s technically called cottage pie, though most of us in the States just call the whole category shepherd’s pie.
Yes. Build the pie completely, filling and mashed potatoes, then cover and refrigerate overnight without baking. The next day, let it sit out for about 30 minutes to take the chill off, then bake at 400°F for 30 to 35 minutes, a little longer than usual since it’s starting cold.
Bake until it’s hot all the way through, the center should reach 165°F if you’re checking with a thermometer. If the top starts to brown too fast before the center is warm, loosely tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.
This is somewhat the sloppy joe’s of meat pies, it’s not going to stay together perfectly, but allowing it to sit and cool for a few minutes before cutting into it will help, as well as making sure you incorporate the tomato paste and flour well, cooking it down a bit.
The secret is allowing the meat and potato mixture to cool slightly, let them sit for 10 minutes or so before assembling.
The pie is traditionally served with either parmesan or a good cheddar grated on top. This recipe incorporates the parmesan into the mashed potatoes and is finished with grated Irish Sharp Cheddar Cheese on top.
More Delicious Irish Recipes
- Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe
- Roasted Cabbage Recipe
- Bangers and Mash with Gravy
- Lucky Charms Bars
- 51+ Traditional St. Patrick’s Day Food Ideas
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped (about 1 small or medium)
- 1- 1 ½ lbs ground beef I used 80/20 beef, use ground lamb, turkey or chicken
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1-1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce make sure GF if making GF
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour | sub with Gluten free AP Flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
- 1 cup carrots finely chopped (may be replaced with frozen peas and carrots)
- ½ cup corn frozen, fresh or canned
Mashed Potatoes
- 1 ½ – 2 lbs russet potatoes peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 6-8 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
- ⅓ cup half & half
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
- Garnish with Sharp white cheddar cheese on top optional, try Irish Cheddar!
Instructions
- Meat Filling: Add oil to a large skillet, ideally the cast iron skillet you'll finish this in, over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes, until softened and starting to caramelize.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup yellow onion, 1 cup carrots
- Add ground beef and brown, breaking it up as you go. A little pink is fine.1- 1 ½ lbs ground beef
- Stir in Worcestershire sauce and garlic, cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the meat is fully browned.2 teaspoons dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground pepper, 1-1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 garlic cloves
- Stir in tomato paste and flour until thick and well combined. Add beef broth and stir.
- Add peas and corn, stir to combine, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside, or transfer to a 10" cast iron skillet or 9×9 dish, while you make the mashed potatoes.1 cup peas, ½ cup corn
Mashed Potatoes (make ahead or at the same time)
- Place diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water, about an inch above the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer until fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes at sea level, 15 to 20 at altitude.1 ½ – 2 lbs russet potatoes
- Drain and return potatoes to the hot pot, let rest a minute to evaporate any extra moisture. Add butter, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and half and half. Mash until smooth, careful not to overmix or they'll turn gummy.6-8 tablespoons butter, ⅓ cup half & half, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Stir in parmesan. Let potatoes cool 5 to 10 minutes before assembling, this keeps them from sinking into the meat layer.¼ cup parmesan cheese
- Spread potatoes evenly over the meat layer, top with cheddar if using, cover, and heat on low until warmed through and the cheese has melted.Allow to rest 15 minutes before serving, this will help it hold together a little better.Garnish with Sharp white cheddar cheese on top
Notes
- Preheat oven 400°F/204°C.
- Prepare through step 5 of the casserole, make mashed potatoes, then place beef mixture in an oven-safe skillet or casserole dish, top with mashed potatoes, sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Zoe Adamson
This was the perfect match for my Thanksgiving mashed potato leftovers. Loved the blend of spices. When the husband says, “You can make this again”. You KNOW it’s a winner! Thanks, Kathleen
Awe this made my day, Zoe! Thank you!!!
Donna
This was the most delicious Shepherd’s Pie I’ve ever made! I followed the recipe exactly, and was very happy with the results. Nice balance of meat mixture and potato topping! It kept its shape well as I served it to my family, and we all loved it on St. Patrick’s Day!
Awe Donna, you made my day! Thank you!
Sarah
I love this recipe! It is one of my go to’s! I use a plant based meat substitute and it absorbs a lot of the broth so I recommend using a little more to get a more juicy meat mince.
Thanks so much for your sweet comment and your twist too!!
Sara
We love Shepards pie and this was a great recipe that the whole family enjoyed, will definitely make it again.
Thanks, Sara – so glad it was a family win!
Dannii
This was such an easy way to make a shepherd’s pie. So delicious too.
Thanks so much, Dannii!
Sangeetha
This Skillet Shepherd’s Pie recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to try making it. The combination of flavorful meat and creamy mashed potatoes sounds like the perfect comfort food. Thank you for sharing this recipe Kathleen!
You are welcome!
veenaazmanov
This is just the perfect One pot meal. Healthy veggies, creamy,cheesy and meaty too. Love every combination to making this dish. Definitely a Happy Meal option.
I love that! Definitely a happy meal!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
Love how easy this recipe is. Can’t wait to try it this weekend.thank you for the recipe!
Hope you love it!
GG'
Delicious recipe just love it….Comfort food on this cold overcast day
Perfect for an overcast day! Thanks so much, GG!
Debbie
What size skillet did you use? I’ve tried several different Cottage Pie recipes, but this ones sounds better. A tip I use is if I am out of beef broth I mix a bit of Better Than Beef Bouillon with some water for a substitute.
Thanks for asking Debbie, I used a 10″ cast iron skillet, but you could certainly do larger! And, yes, that is great tip, I have done the same myself when I am low on beef broth!
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
Yum!! This is the ultimate comfort food! Perfect for this time of year when the weather doesn’t know if it should be hot or cold. And I’m still in the stage with my girls…..so NOT a fan of the time change. My little e, in anticipation this morning, woke me at 0500 {new time}. Luckily, I convinced her to go back to bed, but it’s going to be a long day!
Ugh, so sorry my friend, I remember not so fondly those challenging time changes!!
Michele
How have I never thought to make my shepherds pie in the same cast iron skillet I cook the lamb in? This worked beautifully! Loved the recipe!
Julie A Menghini
I was looking for an easy dinner that would take the chill out of our bones, and this one was perfect. It’s absolutely delicious and the family is already asking for a repeat. The leftovers were marvelous too!