Shepherd’s Pie
Seasoned ground beef and veggies are topped with mashed potatoes and cheese in this classic Shepherd’s Pie recipe that is so easy to make at home!
The search is over! This is the best Shepherd’s Pie ever. Hundreds of you have fallen in love with this recipe. After making it for more than a decade, additional step-by-step photos and recipe notes make it more tried-and-true than ever!
One reader, Carrie, writes: I have made several different shepherd’s pie recipes in search of a family favorite. This is hands down the BEST! My husband is not a raver and he raved! My only problem is that it is so good I eat way more than I ought to.
Key Ingredients for Homemade Shepherd’s Pie
This recipe relies on from-scratch ingredients vs store bought packets or instant mashed potatoes. There is nothing wrong with those store bought shortcuts, but this homemade version is stellar and not hard at all to make!
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes can be used. Cook the potatoes until tender, drain, and mash.
- Cheese: Two kinds of cheeses are used in the mashed potatoes: Parmesan and cheddar. This adds flavor and creaminess. Additional cheddar cheese is sprinkled on top of the casserole once assembled.
- Milk: Add the milk gradually until the ideal mashed potato texture is reached. That will depend on each person. I like the potato layer smooth and creamy.
- Egg Yolk: The egg yolk is optional, but if using, it is stirred into the mashed potato mixture and adds a richness to the flavor. It is a delicious addition – and I recommend using it if you aren’t working around egg allergies.
- Ground Meat: Ground beef, ground turkey, ground lamb, or ground sausage can be used. Or a combination of any of those meats can be used together in the recipe.
- Vegetables: The standard vegetables used in this Shepherd’s Pie recipe are onions, carrots, peas and corn.
- Broth: Beef broth is preferred.
Bonus tip: adding a teaspoon of beef bouillon paste to the filling mixture is optional but amplifies flavor in a big way! I use the Better than Bouillon brand that comes in a jar.
Assembling Shepherd’s Pie
This recipe bakes in a 9X13-inch dish. Glass or ceramic dishes are preferred, but metal pans can also be used.
- Spread the filling evenly in the bottom of a 9X13-inch dish.
- Dollop the mashed potatoes on top and spread evenly all the way to the edges creating a seal all the way around.
- Sprinkle with cheese.
Optional: if the dish is really full, consider placing it on a foil-lined baking sheet to bake so it doesn’t bubble over into the oven.
Make-Ahead Tips
Classic Shepherd’s Pie is an excellent meal to make ahead of time! Here are a few tips to make that happen.
- Freezer Meal: make and assemble the Shepherd’s Pie. Cover the dish tightly with layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Freeze (for up to three months). To bake, preferably, let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove the foil and plastic wrap and bake per the recipe instructions, adding 10-15 minutes to account for the chilled dish. If baking from frozen, remove the plastic wrap and foil and recover with a sheet of greased foil. Bake for 45 minutes covered. Uncover and bake another 30 to 45 minutes until the filling is hot and bubbling.
- Make-Ahead Meal: make and assemble the Shepherd’s Pie. Cover with greased foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge, covered for the first 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until hot and bubbling (may need an extra 10-15 minutes of baking time to account for the chilled dish).
Shepherd’s Pie Variations
Shepherd’s Pie is one of my family’s all-time favorite meals! Scroll below the recipe to see the adorable screenshot of how one of my son’s detailed exactly that.
This recipe has stood the test of time and is a solid tried-and-true favorite.
If you love the flavors of Shepherd’s Pie, here are two fun and delicious variations to try:
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
Potato Layer:
- 3 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped, about 4 to 5 cups (see note for thicker topping)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ to 1 cup milk
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 egg yolk (optional – see note)
Meat Filling:
- 2 to 2 ½ pounds ground beef, ground turkey, ground sausage (or a combination)
- ½ to 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ¼ cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth (see note)
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme)
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary)
- ½ cup frozen corn kernels
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- For the potatoes, place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Mash the potatoes lightly. Add the butter, milk (start with 1/2 cup and add more if you want the texture creamier and softer), Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, salt and pepper to taste, and garlic powder. Mash together until smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolk, if using, and mix until well-combined.
- For the meat and vegetable mixture, in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the ground meat, onion, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are starting to soften, 5-7 minutes or so. Drain excess grease.
- Sprinkle the flour over the meat and cook over medium to medium-high heat for a minute or so, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the corn and peas.
- Pour the meat mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top all the way to the edges of the pan creating a seal over the meat mixture. Sprinkle the 1 cup cheddar over the top of the potatoes.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the edges are golden and the casserole is bubbling. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
Notes
- Potatoes: many readers (and myself) report over the years wanting a thicker potato topping. To do that, simply 1 1/2 or double the potato layer ingredients.
- Filling:I often increase the filling ingredients as follows: 2 tablespoons flour + 1 3/4 cups broth + 1 tablespoon Worcestershire. And I often add a teaspoon or so of beef bouillon paste to amplify flavor. This recipe is very adaptable to changes like this (and a great recipe to play around with).
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Recipe Source: adapted from a recipe sent to me by a reader, Danielle, who got it from a friend and convinced me I needed to give Shepherd’s Pie another shot (I reduced the butter and cheese a bit and changed up the spices and meat based on what I had on hand) – it looks very similar to this recipe by Alton Brown, no wonder it’s good!
Recipe originally published February 2015; updated October 2025 with new photos, recipe notes, and additional information.
Some funny, random memories of making this meal since my kids were little that were included in the original blog post:
Little Cam (2 1/2 years old – who is now 13!) thinks it’s called “Cow’s Pie” and we have been unable to convince her otherwise. You can imagine how the boys still giggle over that one, especially when she asks: “we having cow’s pie for dinner, mom?”
This snapshot of my 9-year olds’ annual birthday survey makes me smile (he’s now 20 years old!). 
This recipe made cottage pie part of our regular dinner rotation. It comes together as easily as tacos or sloppy joes but so much more delicious. I cheat and used instant mashed so we can easily make it on a week night. And if you don’t already know, there is not one recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe that has been disappointing. It’s my go to site for recipes. Thanks Mel!
Thank you, Joy!!
An amazing meal. The potato toping takes this over the top!!!! I don’t have a skillet large enough to brown 2.5 lbs of hamburger plus veggies, so I had to cook it is batches which then increased the time to prep. But Oh was it worth it
Loved this recipe! So did my 3.5 year old. Only used 1lb ground beef and didn’t alter anything else except more potatoes… Used 6-7 small-med potatoes
I have made several different shepherd’s pie recipes in search of a family favorite. This is hands down the BEST! My husband is not a raver and he raved! My only problem is that it is so good I eat way more than I ought to.
Would this freeze well? If so, would I prepare and bake as above, freeze and then just heat? Or put in freezer before baking?
Yes, this should freeze quite well! You could freeze after it has baked and cooled – or freeze prior to baking and then bake from frozen.
I’ve tried several shepherd’s pie recipes. This is by far out favorite! Enjoyed by my whole family of 6….which is not an easy feat!
I made to take this over to my brother-in-law‘s after he moved. Everyone absolutely loved it! My husband has been asking me to make shepherds pie for ever and I’ve never done it. Now that I have this recipe I guarantee I will be making it often. Also I think this would be a great recipe to use for a meal for another family… After a new baby or illness, etc.
Love this recipe – best shepherds pie I’ve had. I’ve made this several times exactly as is and it’s perfect. I made it again tonight and wanted to comment that I also have adapted the recipe for a vegetarian version by leaving out the meat, but adding in 16oz chopped mushrooms and sautéing with the onion and carrots. I follow the rest of the recipe exactly the same, just switch the meat out for the mushrooms. Super tasty too as a meatless version. Thanks Mel for this one!
75 yr old bachelor here.. I don’t really want as much as a 9×13 dish of this. will it overflow an 8x8x21/2 baking dish? How can I make this recipe smaller? I need a little help cutting in half. My refrigerator freezer is half ice maker and half frozen vegetables and meat.
Thank you for any help you can give.
Hi Charlie, sorry for the delay in responding. You could definitely cut this recipe in half – just halving all the ingredients – and bake in an 8X8 or 9X9-inch baking dish.
I too hated this growing up, but I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious. I want to make it for a family member that can’t eat gluten though. Could you substitute cornstarch for the flour?
Yes, I think you could!
I have to leave a comment and say that this has become a family favorite. I make it every few weeks and my kids all like it. I am so grateful for you! You make our lives better!
I made these yesterday and they were delicious. I didn’t have any potatoes in the house but I had instant potatoes and used them, added the cheese and egg yolk, Also I only had 1 lb of meat ( I used ground lamb from Aldi. Delicious and so tender) so I halted the recipe. I will be making this agin. You couldn’t even tell it was instant potatoes! So good!!
Family favorite! It is a labor of love.
Hey Mel! My husband is very very anti cheese (except in pizza (biggest eye roll)) so I am curious if I can omit all the cheese in this recipe? Which is devastating, because cheese is life. Will it still be decent?
Thank you for all of the amazing recipes, they always turn out wonderful and make me feel brave in the kitchen!
I agree, that is devastating. 🙂 But yes, I think you could omit the cheese.
This was great but I think the potato later needs at least 5-6 potatoes. I don’t think this recipe comes together quickly, as advertised. It’s great and worth the time… Just plan on it taking a solid hour or longer to prepare and make.
This was amazing! Everyone loved it, even my skeptical hubby. Love your recipes, Mel. Thank you!!!
I’ve made this dish several times. My family loves it. I tried freezing the last time and it was a success. I split into 2 separate 8×8 disposable foil pans double wrap in foil then froze. I baked for 40 minutes with foil on, then 40 minutes with foil off. Thanks Mel!
Thanks for the recipe. Don’t cook this enough to feel comfortable not using a recipe and made it for my new BF. We loved it! Not sure if he’s a keeper but the recipe definitely is!!
Added some mushrooms, didn’t have Worcestershire so used soy with ketchup ( worked just fine), no parm but every thing else was on point.
Thanks again.
Be well and stay safe.
My kids LOVE this version of shepherd’s pie. In fact, my daughter requested it tonight for her birthday dinner and came home from a friends house just to eat it, Thanks for making everyone in my house happy!
Hi Mel, have you ever frozen this recipe? We have a bag of russet potatoes that are going to go bad soon, so we were thinking of doubling this recipe and freezing it for an easy dinner later on. Any tips or suggestions on how to freeze it or if it can be froze?
I haven’t frozen it, but I think it would freeze pretty well! I’d probably assemble, freeze, and then pop in the oven frozen (covered) and bake for 1 1/2 hours, uncover and bake until heated through.
Great! Thank you!!
Yes, I’ve frozen it in smaller, aluminum pans to give to my daughter at college. It freezes and reheats well.
This is my go-to recipe. I use a mixture of ground lamb, beef and turkey. I also up the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and use Tony Chachere’s salt instead of table salt for a little more oomph.
Looks lovely!
Have to say though, as a Brit this is one of my favourite comfort foods, Shepherd’s pie is only with lamb (hence Shepherd), if it’s beef then it’s a Cottage Pie..x
Loved the flavors!
This is a regular request in my house from kids and husband! I leave corn out and add more carrotts and peas! Going to try it with Portuguese ground chourico and ground beef instead of just ground beef one of thses days!
Why do you add an egg yolk to the potatoes?
It adds a unique (and delicious) texture! But you can leave it out, too.
My husband recently returned from a trip and while he was there, he went to an Irish restaurant and had shepherd’s pie. He ate it all the time as a kid and really missed it. So I decided I would check and see if Mel had a recipe and, of course you do. I made it last night and man oh man did he love it. Three (ok, four) servings later he declared it the best shepherd’s pie ever. I made it with half ground beef, half mild Italian sausage and it was ridiculously delicious. Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
So happy to hear this…thanks, Andrea!
3 cans of soup (tomato, vegetable, and green beans) plus instant mashed potatoes are NOTHING LIKE this recipe! This turned out really well. I only had 1.375 lbs of meat and it was more than enough. I don’t think I’d make it with the full 2.5 lbs. And I only used hamburger- next time I’ll cut it with Italian sausage for more flavor. 🙂 Thanks, Mel & Alton! 🙂
I just made this for the second time and I could eat the entire pan. I used 1 lb of ground turkey and 1 lb of ground turkey sausage. Also, I added french fried onions to the top the last 5 min. So good!!
I have a tendency to like spicer food, so I decided to add a few things. To me, Irish food is a bit bland. I can say this because I am 100% Irish so please don’t start reprimanding me. I added more salt, pepper, onion carrots, garlic, flour (I used cornstarch for my gluten-free daughter-in-law), Worcestershire sauce, thyme, corn and peas. But the addition that made all difference was 2 1/2 cups of Guinness in addition to 1 cup of beef stock. I like gravy and I wanted my pie to have lots of gravy. I also made far more potatoes. The pie was a huge hit and everyone at my St. Patrick’s Day lunch wanted the recipe. I made the potato layer and the meat filling the day before, refrigerated the two separately, warmed them up the next day, assembled and then baked. I did this because I didn’t want to mess up the kitchen before the guests were coming at noon. I think this added to the flavor because all the meat ingredients got to meld. Thank you and Danielle for this recipe.
My husband was also traumatized as a child, which drew me to this recipe, lol! I showed him the recipe and he reluctantly agreed to try it. Even walking in the house he looked at the pan with his nostrils flared!
Then he ate it. And he got seconds!! Seconds is a true sign of a delicious meal for him!
He said we can’t call it Shepherd’s pie though because of all the memories, so Cow Pie it is! Good one!
I have 4 boys, too. They are not mashed potato fans, but loved the meat.
My husband LOVES shepherds pie – I’ll have to try this version. If you’re ever in Orlando the Disney Springs Irish restaurant Raglan Road has the most amazing shepherds pie!
Is this recipe freezable?
I haven’t tried it, but I think so.
Thanks for a great go-to recipe! I made a big pan and fed company last night. Perfect.
Made this with leftover Christmas mashed potatoes. Used ground turkey and turkey sausage. So delicious! I topped it with some french fried onions for the last 5 min in the oven. Added a nice crunch and flavor!
can I put this together the day before and bake in the morning? would it change the bake time?
You’d probably want to add 10-15 minutes on the baking time if it’s coming straight out of the refrigerator and into the oven.
OH. MY. YUMMY!!!! This was so full of flavor and easy to throw together. I haven’t had a shepherd’s pie like this before and that is a pity because everyone ought to taste this version! I used half ground beef and half Italian sausage. My husband took one bite and declared that this needs to be in the regular rotation. It blows his mom’s version out of the water…and he liked that one until he tasted this. WOW!!!
Thanks, Amanda!
I recipe. I am half way through the recipe, meat mixture completed. I used 2 lbs of ground beef in the recipe. I found it very bland & had to doctor the meat mixture up with additional beef instant stock mix to boost flavour, more Worcestershire, more tomato paste, more salt & pepper & a bit more broth. Extremely disappointed. I like the tomato soup meat mixture better. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a can available because this would have helped with the bland flavour. I am not going to try the mashed potatoes according to the recipe because I was disappointed with the filling. I will make my own mashed potatoes & add the sharp cheddar.
It seems a bit silly not to try the second half of the recipe because you did not like the first–the meat and the potatoes are practically different recipes, and Mel’s mashed potato recipe is very unique–who would have thought of adding an egg?
Mel- You might have already answered this question, but I don’t have time to read all the comments! …
Can I omit the tomato paste and keep all other ingredients the same? My husband loves Shepherds Pie, but doesn’t like tomato based ones.
It would change the flavor and I haven’t tried it myself, but you could experiment. Good luck!
This is so good! A vast improvement from the Shepherd’s Pie I grew up eating. The meat filling is delicious! While I have never had cheese on top of Shepherd’s Pie, I will say that we cussin’ love it that way! This is going in the oven now for dinner. Yum! Thanks for the recipe.
Made this last night for potluck and prayer! It was delicious and fun to make,!
This was great! I just made it tonight to feed the missionaries and we all enjoyed it! Way better than the canned green bean, tomato soup concoction of my childhood! Thanks Mel!
This turned out so well………seriously good!
Holy potatoes, Batman! This is the first time I have EVER liked shepherd’s pie. It was a delightful 180° from the green bean tomato soupy dish with instant potatoes from my childhood (where I would literally only eat the cheese on top). The herbs came through wonderfully and the ratios of everything were just right.
I did cheat on the mashed potatoes by using leftovers from Mel’s amazing IP recipe (I added in some generous shakes of parmesan and stirred in the egg yolk before adding on top of the meat), and that helped cut down on prep & cook time, too.
The flavors in this recipe were amazing, but my meat and vegetable mixture turned out too liquidy. Did I not drain the meat properly? I am not sure. Feedback is welcome!
Hmmm, I’m not really sure why, Carol – you might try adding a bit more flour next time OR cutting down the broth.
Carol, hope you don’t mind me chiming in, too.
I drained my whole meat & veggie mix in a large sieve/colander before adding it back to the pan. Were you able to do the same? Using the colander helped get off the little bit of grease (I used 93% lean ground turkey), plus the water that’s generated from cooking the onions and carrots.
If you did strain all the liquid off after Step 4, then perhaps the simmering time in Step 5? I used my super large 14″ skillet and almost all of the extra liquidy-ness (totally a word, right?) was gone by the end. Just enough that everything was coated in a sauce, but not drippy or wet (like how a pasta salad is coated but not runny…if that makes sense).
I hope you give it another try and it turns out well!
Made this for dinner, it was excellent. All I had was Vanilla Almond Milk to use, and no one even knew! Tee Hee! Thanks Mel
I don’t know why or what peoples problems is with Shepherds pie,,,,this was so yummy and like comfort food for all, perfect at 4 degrees out side
Thanks
Aileen, I concede to your logic and greater knowledge of food history. I confess, this version of Shepherd’s pie just reminded me of my own personal trauma of Girl Scout campfire stew as a very young girl. It haunts me still and I’m almost 64 years old. To this day I refuse canned veggies and can detect reheated and instant potatoes from a mile away. No excuse for any of it. Of course, I’m probably the only weirdo in the United States of America who is repulsed by the thought of fish tacos. Please forgive me my quirks. Thank you for setting me straight on the Shepherd’s pie debacle. Still don’t care for mutton though. May my Scottish forebears forgive me that quirk, as well.
This recipe is enough to give anyone Shepherd’s pie trauma. Absolutely disgusting. I grew up in England. Who decided that cheese and corn were acceptable ingredients to include? It’s not a garbage can recipe. Even this simple meal has rules. No green beans or canned veggies. Apalling. Revolting! Ghastly!!
Elizabeth – I’m so glad someone out there is FINALLY policing recipes for authenticity. The liberties some people take with authentic international cuisine is astonishing. Don’t even get me started on what Americans have done to sushi. I once spent three days in Japan. I can tell you, they don’t add cream cheese to their sushi, nor would they ever consider deep frying it or covering it in some Americanized spicy mayo like I’ve seen in some putative sushi restaurants. Total quease.
However, I do have to rebut your point on THIS particular recipe, which I’m remise to do as a fellow food cop. I have a lot of Irish ancestors, so I know a great deal about Shepherd’s pie, which is actually a traditional Irish recipe (not English – you guys have the knock-off “fish pie” variant which, no offense, is repulsive). It is literally the epitome of a “garbage can” recipe as the peasants would throw anything they had into it! Except for frozen veggies – they couldn’t afford those. Normally it was just the blighted vegetables that weren’t good enough to export to England. And thank goodness for those exports, because otherwise we may have never had the dish! It was those exports which created systematic, generational poverty and oppression of my Irish kin, which led them to create the most SAVORY dishes like Shepherd’s pie, mutton, and who can forget – boiled cabbage! I’m not totally surprised that the Brits would continue their Irish oppression by creating strange rules about what can be included in this Irish delicacy, but I suggest you brexit on this one and leave Mel to her artistic liberties.
I heard a rumor that some food bloggers are adding BEANS to CHILI and calling it MEXICAN. I suggest we gang up on them and correct that indignity once and for all.
I have no words. . My family loved it Mel:). Thank you!
Thanks, Katie!
Hi, tried both spaghetti and shepherds pie for Sunday lunch and everybody loved it
Can this recipe be made ahead? Could I pre assemble it and bake it later?
Yes, it can be made probably 12-24 hours in advance and refrigerated.
I have never made shepards pie before but I followed this recipe cutting it down just a little since there is only two of us. My husband couldn’t get enough so tonight I am making a full size recipe and freezing leftovers for some night I don’t have a lot of time.