Shepherds Pie with Ground Meat (Printable Version)

Hearty meat and vegetable filling topped with buttery mashed potatoes, baked until golden brown.

# What You Need:

→ Meat Filling

01 - 2 lbs ground beef or ground lamb
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas
06 - 1 cup frozen corn
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
11 - 1 cup beef or chicken broth
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Mashed Potato Topping

15 - 2½ lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
16 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
17 - ½ cup whole milk
18 - ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
19 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Boil potatoes in salted water for 15–20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well.
03 - Mash potatoes with butter and milk until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheddar cheese if using. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and carrots for 3–4 minutes until softened.
05 - Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add ground beef or lamb and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to coat.
07 - Pour in broth and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Add peas and corn, stir, and cook 2–3 minutes more. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Transfer meat filling to 9x13-inch baking dish, spreading evenly. Spoon mashed potatoes over top and spread smoothly to cover filling. Use fork to create ridges for crispy finish.
09 - Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until top is golden and filling is bubbling.
10 - Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its the ultimate comfort food that transforms simple ingredients into something magical
  • Perfect for making ahead and the leftovers somehow taste even better
02 -
  • Letting the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving is crucial, otherwise the filling slides everywhere when you cut it
  • Those fork ridges on the potatoes arent just decorative, they create extra surface area for crispy bits
03 -
  • Dont be shy with the salt when boiling the potatoes, bland mashed potatoes are a tragedy you can easily avoid
  • If you want extra crispy bits on top, run it under the broiler for the last 2 to 3 minutes but watch it like a hawk
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