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A classic Shepherd's pie in a white dish with a serving spoon, featuring a golden layer of mashed potatoes atop savory ground meat and vegetable filling, garnished with fresh herbs.

Shepherd's Pie

This Shepherd’s Pie has a richly satisfying beef and vegetable filling and is topped with the creamiest mashed potatoes that bake up perfectly golden. It’s a true comfort food classic and absolutely worth making from scratch.
5 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine British, Irish
Servings 6 servings
Calories 564 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the meat filling

  • olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 6 button mushrooms, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb ground beef I recommend 85/15
  • 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups beef broth You can substitute ½ cup with red wine if desired.
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • salt & pepper

For the potato topping

  • 2.5 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
  • fresh parsley, chopped Optional, for serving

Instructions
 

Cook the Potatoes.

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.
    Add the peeled and chopped potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water.
    Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender and easy to mash, about 15–20 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Make the beef filling while the potatoes cook.

  • Drizzle olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high.
    Add the onion, carrots, mushrooms, and celery. Cook for 4–5 minutes until softened.
    Add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
    Add the ground beef and cook for 4–5 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for 1 minute.
    Slowly pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.
    Then stir in the frozen peas and simmer for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Mash the Potatoes.

  • Add the butter to the drained potatoes while they are still wam and mash until the butter is melted and incorporated.
    Then stir in the sour cream, milk, salt, pepper, and egg yolks until smooth and creamy.

Assemble and bake.

  • Transfer the beef mixture to a baking dish if needed and spread into an even layer.
    Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top and smooth them out. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
    Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, until heated through and golden on top. If you’d like more color, broil for 1–2 minutes at the end, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
    Let it set for about 5-10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 564kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 23gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 897mgPotassium: 1376mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4198IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 150mgIron: 4mg
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