Shepherd’s Pie
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This shepherd’s pie recipe is cozy, crowd-pleasing, and just the thing to make when you’re craving something hearty and homemade.
Shepherd’s pie is the ultimate comfort food—creamy mashed potatoes piled on top of a rich, savory stew. It hails from the UK and Ireland and was originally made with leftover lamb stew, but here in the U.S., it’s usually made with ground beef (technically cottage pie, but most of us still call it shepherd’s pie).
In this version, you’ll start by making a batch of buttery mashed potatoes with a little sour cream for extra tang and richness. Then you’ll cook up a hearty ground beef and veggie stew with bacon and a splash of wine for depth. You can spoon the potatoes right over the filling in the skillet to keep things simple (easy clean-up!), or assemble the layers in a baking dish if you want to serve it more casserole-style.
“This is comfort food at its best! The meat mixture with the bacon was incredible. It takes a bit of prep time, but was a wonderful Sunday project (and worth the effort)!”
What You’ll Need To Make Shepherd’s Pie
- Ground Beef: The hearty base of the filling. Using extra-lean beef keeps things lighter and saves you the step of draining off fat. Ground lamb is the traditional choice for Shepherd’s pie and would work beautifully here as well. 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.
- Baking Soda: Helps tenderize the meat so it stays juicy and tender as it cooks.
- Russet Potatoes: These starchy spuds make the best mashed potato topping—light, fluffy, and perfect for soaking up the gravy.
- Sour cream, butter, and half & half: The combination of these makes the mashed potatoes extra rich, creamy, and flavorful.
- Bacon: Adds a smoky depth and heartiness to the filling.
- Onions and Garlic: Build the savory base of the filling.
- Carrots and Frozen Peas: Add color, sweetness, and some veggies to balance out the richness of the other ingredients.
- Red Wine: Brings bold, complex flavor to the sauce. Any dry red wine will work—use one you’d be happy to drink.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the filling, ensuring it’s hearty and not too liquidy.
- Tomato Paste: Adds richness and a concentrated tomato flavor to the meat mixture.
- Worcestershire sauce: A splash adds a tangy, meaty depth of flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Keeps the filling saucy and adds more savory flavor without weighing things down. I use chicken broth as that’s what I typically have in my cupboard, but beef broth works just as well.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Tenderize the beef. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of water. Mash with your hand to mix, then let sit for 20 minutes. This quick step raises the pH of the meat, which helps it stay juicy and tender as it cooks.
Step 2: Boil and prep the potatoes. While the beef rests, place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. (Starting the potatoes in cold water helps them cook evenly from the inside out.) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, return the potatoes to the pan, and cook over medium heat stirring them with a wooden spoon or potato masher until they are dry and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Pro tip: Drying the potatoes in the pan removes excess moisture, which gives you a fluffier, creamier mash with better structure for topping the pie.
Step 3: Mash the potatoes. Off the heat, add the sour cream, butter, half & half, and remaining teaspoon of salt. Adding the dairy ingredients off the heat keeps it from curdling and helps maintain a smooth texture. Mash until smooth and creamy, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Set aside.
Step 4: Cook the bacon. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Those bacon drippings add a ton of flavor to the base of the filling.
Step 5: Cook the veggies. Add the onions and carrots and cook until soft and starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. Letting the vegetables brown slightly builds flavor and adds sweetness; adding garlic after the onions and carrots keeps it from burning and turning bitter.
Step 6: Add and reduce the wine: Pour in the wine, turn the heat to high, and boil until reduced by half, scraping up any browned bits. The browned bits (called fond) add flavor and depth to the sauce.
Step 7: Add the flour. Stir in the flour until dissolved. Make sure to stir it thoroughly to prevent lumps later on. The flour adds body to the sauce; cooking it briefly removes any raw flour taste.
Step 8: Add the ground beef and flavoring. Add the beef mixture, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet.
Step 9: Cook ground beef mixture and add broth. Cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer until thickened, 2 minutes more, scraping the pan as needed.
Step 10: Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the thyme, pepper, peas, and cooked bacon. Cook just until the peas are warmed through. (Adding peas at the end keeps them bright and tender, not mushy.)
Step 11: Top the ground beef mixture with potatoes. Drop spoonfuls of mashed potatoes over the filling. Dotting the top with spoonfuls first makes it easier to spread without disturbing the filling underneath.
Step 12: Spread the potatoes. Use a rubber spatula to spread the potatoes into an even layer, all the way to the edges. (Spreading all the way to the edges helps seal in the filling and prevents bubbling over.) Drag a fork across the top to create ridges.
Step 13: Bake. Place the skillet on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake at 400°F until hot and bubbling, about 30 minutes. For a more golden top, pop under the broiler and broil for the last 5 minutes (just keep a close eye on it to prevent it from burning).
Sprinkle with chives and serve. Shepherd’s pie can be made ahead—just prep the stew in advance and store it in the fridge. For best texture, make the mashed potatoes fresh before baking.
Shepherd’s Pie Video Tutorial
More Hearty Dishes You May Like
Shepherd's Pie
This shepherd’s pie recipe delivers big, cozy flavor with rich beef and creamy potatoes in every bite.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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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I made this last night for St Patrick’s Day and wanted to try a new recipe. The bacon sounded like a great twist and the ratings were high so I gave it a try. Maybe my 12 inch pan was more shallow than the one in the photo..but it barely fit everything…so I feel like larger would have worked much better.
The big problem in the end though I think was the wine. One cup sounded like a lot but I wanted to follow the recipe. I did use a “big” red blend…so perhaps that was it…but it really just tasted too strongly of wine. I reduced by half as the recipe states. I couldn’t taste the bacon in the least or much of anything else. Once everything mixed with the potatoes it mellowed it a bit but my kids and I didn’t care for it. Luckily my husband will eat anything with mashed potato. If I try it again I would skip the wine and use broth only. I’m not sure what wine everyone else was using with the great reviews…but sadly this just didn’t “pan out” for me.
Hello- I would love to try this recipe. We do not cook with alcohol in our house. Would it be okay to just substitute the wine with the same amount in broth or do have additional suggestions to make up for the flavor loss?
Hi Jen, You can just omit the wine. It will still taste great!
Hi Jenn!
What if I wanted to use ground lamb?! Does this recipe stay the same?
ThanksMuch
Gigi B.
Sure, Gigi – you can skip the tenderizing step as well as the bacon (lamb is so flavorful that I don’t think the bacon is necessary). Enjoy!
Will DO! Thanks much Jenn!!
Hi Jenn,
I DID make this with the ground lamb, tasted great. But the only and main issue I had was it was just soooo greasy!! I’ve made this before and I must’ve drained it before doing the tomato paste etc… I did check your recipe this time to see if you’d suggested it, but you hadn’t. It was so bad that as it cooked it almost covered the mashed potatoes. Just thought I’d tell you…. Still a fantastic recipe though!!
Ugh — I’m sorry you had a problem with it Gigi — I guess the lamb had a lot of fat!
I rate this recipe 1 star for beef and 4 stars for lamb. If you do use ground lamb, you’ll be making authentic Shepherd’s pie. Ground beef means it is a “cottage pie”, and not nearly as wonderful!! I have seen comments where people say it’s the same to use beef or lamb, but it is definitely NOT. Lamb raised in the USA has 3x more omega 3 fatty acids, more protien per ounce, less fat per ounce and less cholesterol per ounce. Also, more zinc and selenium for our brains… a much healthier meat.
YAWN…and it doesn’t sound like you even tried the recipe so your rating is based on what, your non existent culinary training?
Chris give it up. The beginning of the recipe states this if you had read it. Everyone knows this there is no need for you to try to show off or be annoying – let things be
The best Shepherds Pie! Luv shepherds pie and have made many – this is the best!!
Thank you again for another super recipe!
I made this when our neighbours came over with their younger, sometimes fussy children and they each had 3 helpings! This was the best Shepherds pie I’ve ever made!
It took me 2 solid hours to make this dish, but was super delicious! Only change was I omitted the bacon for health reasons. Still fabulous comfort food at its best!
Agree with Tara–this recipe was delicious, but prep time is not 45 minutes. I’d allow at least 90. I know recipe prep time often doesn’t include chopping and peeling, but it’s worth noting that there is a LOT of both before you get started.
On the plus side, my potatoes were browned after about 15 minutes in the oven, so that cut down the time at least. I couldn’t really taste the bacon but thought the wine flavor was a great addition.
Wonder if this could be done with a softer type of potato that doesn’t need to be peeled to shave some time off the front end?
Hi Jenny, Glad to hear you enjoyed it but sorry it took you significantly longer to prep than the recipe indicates. I’ve changed the prep time to 60 minutes. And, yes, though I haven’t tried it, I think you could get away with using Yukon Gold potatoes instead of the russets.
First, thank you for a great base recipe! Thank you, also, to the people who took the time to review/comment and say what they did differently (if they did!). I also made some changes, but followed the recipe pretty closely, so I will still give it 5 ⭐️! I used whole milk in place of half and half, cremini mushrooms in for 1/2 the ground beef. I also omitted the bacon (didn’t have on hand). It was STILL amazing. The flavors were incredible and I will absolutely make it again! I ended up making it in a Le Cruset 8 qt dutch oven. Super tasty! And great comfort food for cold nights!
I’ve made this before and it’s wonderful. This past time, I made it with Yukon Golds. Still good, but next time, I’ll stick with Russets as Jenn wrote. 😉
Made this for dinner last night and it was just delicious. I will definitely make it again. Thanks for a great recipe.
Absolutely delicious! I used a slow cooked lamb shoulder I cooked the day before with onions, carrots, and some flavorful stock, and chopped it into pieces for the pie the next day after skimming the hardened refrigerated fat off the top. I did not use tomato paste or Worcester sauce as the stock was so tasty I did not want to lose that taste. I added peas and mushrooms and a little chopped spinach too. And a light sprinkle of Parmesan helped brown up the potatoes just a little, and added a nice taste. Served six hearty eaters.