Shepherd’s Pie Baked Potatoes
Shepherd’s Pie Baked Potatoes! All the flavors of the classic casserole served over baked potatoes (russet OR sweet potatoes!). So easy, so delicious!
You guys, I’ve eaten a lot of good food in my day.
But I have to tell you that these Shepherd’s Pie baked potatoes might just be one of the yummiest (and crazy easy) meals of my life.
Yes, yes, I went into it already a pretty big fan of the classic Shepherd’s Pie casserole*.
Even still, knowing I love Shepherd’s Pie heart and soul, this baked potato version blew me away.
*If you’ve read my deep, dark thoughts about Shepherd’s Pie, you’ll know that my love for the humble casserole is firmly rooted in using the right recipe, says the girl who suffered quite a bit of Shepherd’s Pie trauma in her youth.
Classic version here (terribly delicious and known to convert a lot of SP haters) and a less classic chicken and kale version here (also terribly delish).
This idea to convert Shepherd’s Pie to a baked potato meal was my saving grace one very busy Sunday morning when I knew we’d be walking in from church at 4:30 p.m. starving and needing dinner ASAP.
I had planned on making Shepherd’s Pie, our tried-and-true version, but knew five hungry children staring me in the face after church was its own recipe for disaster if the casserole still had to bake for an hour or so.
So, I decided to live life on the edge and change things up a bit.
I made the delectable meat and veggie filling (with a few quick variations to make it more baked potato friendly), scraped it into a slow cooker to keep warm for hours, and wrapped the potatoes in foil and put them in a low temp oven so they could bake slowly.
We walked in from church to a cry-worthy aroma and dinner ready to be served.
Maybe it’s the fact that these Shepherd’s Pie baked potatoes have a healthy amount of cheese (compared to the original casserole).
Maybe it’s because they are so simple…and because we don’t eat baked potatoes nearly enough (rectifying that immediately).
Or maybe it’s because I was reminded how much I love sweet potatoes when they aren’t covered in marshmallows and brown sugar (ick).
I don’t know what it is exactly (could be extreme after-church hunger, too, not going to lie), but these baked potatoes smothered in tender, flavorful, meat + veggie sauce and sharp cheddar cheese are amazing.
So, so good. Like, hoard the leftovers and lie to your children and spouse about what food is available to eat kind of good.
I baked a few russet potatoes and a few sweet potatoes (notes in the recipe how to get THE best baked potato using a little butter on that foil), and the savory filling over the sweet potatoes was, like I said above, one of the best things I’ve eaten in my life.
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I have to say, this flavorful meat mixture over a tender sweet potato (topped with a healthy amount of sharp cheddar cheese) is a heavenly, heavenly combo. If you are on the fence about what kind of potatoes to use, trust me on this one, and go for the sweet potatoes. Like I mention in my post, I've made the Shepherd's Pie filling and transferred it to a slow cooker to keep warm for several hours for a helpful make-ahead option. You may need to add a bit of extra broth, so just keep an eye on that if it starts looking a little dry. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.Shepherd's Pie Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
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This recipe is sooo easy and delicious!! I used 10 giant potatoes and 4 pounds of hamburger! I only tweaked a few things! I omitted the flour, and it still works well! After I brought the meat mixture to a boil I simmered it 30 minutes to cook off all that juice! I cut the potatoe down the middle but when I scooped out the insides I tore some of the skins at the opening so I just used my kitchen scissors and cut an oval….way better!! I think I will try using the microwave next time! Might be faster! I unwrapped all my potatoes and put them in individual foil tins because I took them over to needy family members. they LOVED THEM! Plus I melted cheese on meat mixture then piped potatoes on top and returned them to oven broiler for 30 seconds to get that nice brown crisp on top! I’m callin them cottage potato pies! Viola!
Oops I forgot one important comment! I WILL make these again but I won’t pierce my potatoes “through” the foil because I had small pieces in my potatoes, ick!
I had this on the menu to try a year ago, but ended up making your shepherds pie instead because a neighbor needed a meal and I was nervous to try out something on them. But I shouldn’t have worried! Your recipes are always a hit. I saw a repost of this and made it last night. Now my husband and I are fighting over the leftovers
I’ve made this and loved it. In an effort to make this even more quickly, do you think I could prepare the filling, cool, and freeze? That way I could just thaw and reheat on the stove or in a slow cooker later?
Yes, I bet the filling would freeze great!
These were FANTASTIC!!! So simple, healthy, and so much flavor! Loved them!! We try to cut down on meat for health and cost reasons so I used a half pound of ground turkey and added one diced yellow squash and one diced zucchini. It was perfect!
It was pretty good…my husband and I liked it. Mixed reviews from my kids. Simple flavors, lots of color, it was a base run hit for us, but a wholesome quick meal if you remember to put the potatoes in early enough!
We loved these!
This meal was a total hit at game night this past weekend. Another winner to add to your growing collection!
Simple. Tasty. Fast. Versatile. It checks all the boxes for me! Thanks for another healthy and quick meal that means my kids are fed for one more day.
This was delicious! I made it for Sunday dinner and it was the perfect fancy and simple and tasty meal!
We made this today and it was hit for my family. Before my husband and I got married, he told me his favorite meal was Shepherd’s pie. So I got the recipe from his family and I didn’t have a clue how to make it because I was 19 and had never cooked with “fake potatoes”. So it never became a menu item because I also stopped using cream of crap soup years ago, too. So when I saw this version, I thought I’d give it a chance. It was fairly simple, with real and healthy ingredients that I have at home. Also, my oldest daughter tries to be dairy free so this version was perfect to individualize it and she could easily leave the cheese out! We did both sweet and baked potatoes and had Kefir smoothies as our sides. It was a great, no stress Sunday meal. Thank you and my husband finally gets to have Shepherd’s pie again! He likes this version better.
Mmm looks so good Mel it’s going on the menu for next week!
Can you make this in the Instant Pot?
I haven’t tried – but you could definitely experiment and test it out!
Oops! I just saw the comment about the size of potatoes. So my only remaining question is the temperature for the crock pot — warm or low? We have church at 1 pm, too. Thank you!
My crockpot on the warm setting cooks ultra hot (even more than the low setting, which is strange) so I use low. I’d use the setting that keeps it warm without overcooking it.
Thank you, Mel!
This sounds delicious! I have a question about putting the Shepherd’s Pie ingredients in the crock pot during the 3-hour church block of time. Did you put the crock pot temperature on warm or low heat? I see that you put the potatoes in the oven at 250° for 3-4 hours. Were they large potatoes or will medium-size be fine? Thank you!
Loved the Shepherds Pie Baked Potato. I used the sweet potato’s & it was AWESOME! I am vegetarian so I used Loma Linda Vegeburger, it’s like ground beef… MEL, you scored big time. Keep them coming *****
This was a wonderful meal on a cold winter night.
Once again, your recipe SAVED the day! We skipped the grocery store this week to try and avoid wasting food by using what we had. We had ALL the ingredients on hand! We almost exclusively use recipes from your blog now for all of our cooking. They’re always real food ingredients (no cream of crap soup) or weird stuff we’ve never heard of. This shepherds pie was so easy and delicious! My kids couldn’t get enough 🙂
Yes, Mel, I love how use real ingredients I have on hand and never cream of crap soup!!
Love this waste not/want not philosophy, TJ! Thanks for sharing!
We love shepherds pie, but I don’t make it often because I don’t often feel like taking the time to peel and mash the potatoes along with making the filling. So I immediately added it to my dinner menu and we made it Wednesday night. It was AMAZING. My only regret is that I didn’t double it, so I had to fight my husband for the leftovers the next day. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Glad I’m not the only one who fights over leftovers. 🙂
As someone who despises (correction past tense despiseD) Shepherd’s Pie – THIS WAS FANTASTIC. To be completely honest, I was not looking forward to cooking dinner tonight and the only reason I made this is because we’re trying to eat more sweet potatoes (which I’m also not a fan of) and WOWZA Mel you’ve converted me. I want to make your other Shepherds Pie recipe now and douse all sweet potatoes in this lovely mixture . Thank you for another winner!
So, so happy you loved this recipe, Anna! Thanks for letting me know!
Well– maybe I shouldnt even be sending this comment because I haven’t made your recipe. However– I just put potatoes in oven and will top them with shepherds pie filling I’ve had in the freezer for a while which is very much like your recipe though.
THANKS FOR THE GREAT IDEA❣️
This turned out so yummy! We are already fans of your regular shepherd’s pie recipe, but the sweet potato really made this one even better. We left off the cheese because…well…I was in a hurry and forgot.
Glad you loved the recipe, Stephanie!
We had these for dinner tonight and they were delicious! All five of us loved them and the kids are excited for leftovers in their thermoses tomorrow for lunch.
Yay!
This was amazing! The 1 year old, the husband, and I all loved it. Thanks for another great recipe:)
Thanks, Alli!
I made this for dinner tonight and the family was looking at me skeptically as I explained how it was served. I told them Mels says it’s good so it’s good. They shrugged like ya, your probably right. They ate it and they loved it. Thanks for another winner!
I made it for my family too. I used the sweet potato and my father in law kept saying “mmmm so good”. I thought it was too. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Glad you guys loved that combo with the sweet potato…amazing, isn’t it?
This was SO delicious!!! Best comfort meal ever!!!!! And I totally forgot about the cheese – but it didn’t even need it!
Glad you loved it, Lynda!
This is the best creation EVER.
This was delicious and my picky eater ate it too! Win win!
Thanks for letting me know, Lachelle!
I just made this and it is so yummy! Perfect during the depths of winter in Minnesota – very filling and warming. I don’t usually change a thing in your recipes, Mel, but I did this time in order to make it gluten free for my celiac daughter. What worked for me was to use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with an equal amount of cold water. Whisk it in after the broth has been added and it’s simmering, but before the veggies. Perfection! Also, I used up the last of my carrots the other day in cabbage soup, so I used a 12 ounce package of frozen mixed veggies. So, yes, mine has green beans in it in addition to the other vegetables, but it still tastes delicious!
No sweet potatoes in the house today, but next time for sure!
Thanks for your comment, Gail! I love when readers adapt for dietary restrictions/allergies and then report back. So helpful for others!
Agreed! I was in the comments to ask you Mel about how to do it gluten free. So happy I saw this ladies comment. My daughter was just diagnosed last week with celiac, so we are figuring out a new life right now. Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Sincerest good luck with the new gluten-free journey, Allyson!
I forgot to add that I heated the frozen veggies first before adding them. The trick to using corn starch as a thickener in this type of recipe is that you don’t want it simmering or boiling for more than about a minute. If it does, the thickening will be undone. Factoid for the day. 🙂
I am headed straight to my kitchen right now to make this!! And I think this is the perfect after 1 pm church meal. We just switched to 1 O’Clock church and I need more ideas for things to have ready when we get home. The after church hunger with 5 young adult/teens to feed at 4:30 p.m is Unbelievable. So PLEASE send more after church food ideas for starving BOYS!! You are a genius Mel!! The Sunday night treats yesterday were provided by my 11 and 14 year old boys who came straight to your sight and whipped up Nutella Cheese cake and soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. I love that they know exactly where to go to find something to make….. and that they make them all on their own with very minimal assistance from me. Just wish I had a dish fairy to clean up Sunday night meals and treats, I still have dishes in the sink from yesterday and it’s 3 pm on Monday 🙂
Your boys are awesome, Helen! Tell them way to go! And yeah, wish I had that same fairy to visit me, too. 🙂
I’m not a fan of Shepard pie. But this sounds good, and healthy with the sweet potatoe! I’ll give it a shot!
Oh Mel this is genius!! One of my favorite things is to stuff BBQ pulled pork inside a baked sweet potato, but I’ve never tried experimenting with different fillings!!! Can’t wait to try this!
That sounds divine, Melanie!
What temperature did you cook the potatoes at to have them work correctly over 3 hrs of church plus travel to and from time? Or did you do the hour-long bake and just keep them warm in the oven while you were gone?
I put them in a 250 degree oven for 3-4 hours. They were on the large side. If they were small potatoes, I’d probably drop the oven temp to 225.
Mel, will you please add this 3-4 hour variation to the recipe notes? I keep referring to it but have to scroll the the comments to find it.
What a wonderful idea for a meal after
with hungry kids. I’m going to try this one for sure. At what temp. and for how long on the potatoes for the after church meal?
I put the potatoes in a 250 degree oven for 3-4 hours.
Hi there!
I am not a huge fan of ground meat of any kind. Do you think this recipe would work with some sort of diced beef roast or steak?
Hey Jen – sure, I think you could play around with that! Usually cuts of meat like that need different cooking method/time so they are tender and not tough.
Your original shepherd’s pie is one of my favorite recipes. It’s actually the first of your recipes that I tried & the reason I am hooked on your blog. I’m definitely going to try this recipe & if it’s half as good as it sounds, I’m going to be thrilled.
Serious? That’s awesome that Shepherd’s Pie brought you here, in a way. Hope you love this version. We can’t get enough!
Genius, Mel! Looks SO GOOD! Making it this week! Hugs!
Hope you love it, Amy – the combo over the sweet potatoes is amazing!
I’m intrigued 🙂 shepherds pie is actually one recipe of yours that I’ve never tried. Might need to fix that with this option. Do you think it would work to freeze the extra meat/veggie mixture?
Yes, I definitely think it would freeze well!
I stumbled on your site by accident. I love all the recipes I have tried, and printed them to put in a binder for when I need a tried and true good meal. My husband has given thumbs up to every recipe and now thinks I am a better cook than I am.
Thank you so much, Margaret!