Best Classic Shepherd's Pie

Our Classic Shepherd's Pie recipe marries a heavenly, umami-rich beef vegetable stew with a savory potato mash for comfort food perfection.

Jump to:

• The True Story Behind this Recipe
• Why You Will Love this Recipe
• Shepherds Pie Ingredients
• How to Make Shepherds Pie with Beef
• FAQs & Expert Tips
• More Classic Comfort Food Recipes
• Best Ever Shepherd's Pie

The True Story Behind this Recipe

Some years ago, on the day after St Patrick's Day, my daughter Gracie and her father were t-boned by a truck-driving teenager. Gracie sustained multiple life-threatening injuries, and was life-flighted to ICU, where she stayed for nearly a month.

At the time, in addition to nine-year old Gracie, we had four other young children, including an eight-week old newborn. While the girls' father held down the fort at home, Baby Em and I lived at the hospital with Gracie.

I survived the first week almost entirely on saltine crackers and Jello Pudding cups from the ICU refrigerator. It was several days before I finally made my first trip home – to take a real shower, revive my spirits, and visit my other girls and their father.

When I arrived, I found my dear friend Bev and some other ladies in my kitchen, delivering dinner to my family. After a short visit with the ladies, I went to shower and clean up. I read the girls a book, sang them a song or two, and packed up for the next week.

Almost as an afterthought, I spooned some of the potato-topped casserole that Bev had left us into a plastic tub to take with me, and then I buckled Em back into her carseat and sped off to the hospital.

It wasn’t until late in the night, as my injured child slept amidst her web of tubes and wires, that I realized I was hungry. I opened the plastic container, and at once the sterile hospital air filled with savory goodness.

Padding down to the Parents’ Kitchen, I popped it in the microwave, and then fork full by fork full, I let that Shepherd’s Pie wrap me in a blanket of warmth, kindness, generosity – and hope. Even today, the memory – standing there alone in the hospital kitchen eating Bev’s Shepherd’s Pie – brings me to tears.

From that time on, making Shepherd's Pie has been a labor of love, and in that spirit, we have made it a Valentine's Day tradition. It is warm, comforting, enduring, and hope-filled – and serving it to the people who mean the most to me in this world is one way I show my love for them.

Why You Will Love this Recipe

No Peas! Shepherds Pie with Sweet Potatoes

Bev’s original Shepherd's Pie recipe was A-Mazing, but over the years I’ve made a few tweaks. Most notably, the only flecks of green you'll find in this pie is the fresh thyme. This recipe rocks tradition, substituting sweet potatoes (American yams) in place of the traditional peas.

Why? Two reasons: (a) I don't like peas, and (b) it adds another layer of deliciousness.

Easy to Make & Take

The prep for this recipe is pretty basic. The hardest, most time consuming part of the whole thing is dicing the vegetables.

Another thing to love about this dish is how easy it travels. Mr B and I almost always take a weekend getaway for Valentine's Day, and Shepherd's Pie is our standard Valentine's Day dinner: we eat it every single year, no matter where we are.

Using this recipe, I just put everything together ahead of time, and then we bake it when we get to where we are going. (We once even had the hotel kitchen bake it for us.) We have also baked it ahead of time, and then simply reheated it in the microwave.

This recipe can be made up to 2 days ahead of time, and refrigerated it until you're ready to bake it. (pspsps: I've made it up to 5 days ahead of time with no issues whatsoever; but the food safety police probably don't want me to tell you that.) It can also safely be frozen for up to a month, and baked directly from the freezer.

Shepherds Pie Ingredients

Filling Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

★ Ground beef: We use 85-90% lean ground beef. You can also use ground turkey. (If you use turkey, add an extra tablespoon of Worcestershire.)

★ Mushrooms: Crimini mushrooms add just the right meaty, savory flavor. You can also use button mushrooms, or a chopped up portobello.

★ Onions: Use yellow onions if you have them: they have more natural sweeteners than sweet onions. You can also use red onions.

★ Sweet Potatoes (orange flesh): Peel and cut an orange-fleshed American yam (sweet potato) into ¼-inch cubes. In this recipe, yams takes the place of the more traditional peas.

Fun fact: All yams sold in the US and Canada are technically sweet potatoes. The USDA even requires any label with “yam” to also include “sweet potato."

★ Beef broth: Beef broth work best; however, chicken broth and even vegetable broth are good options.

★ Red wine: Use a medium-bodied or full bodied red wine for this recipe (i.e., merlot, malbec, cabernet sauvignon, etc.).

No alcohol option: If you prefer not to use wine, a natural grape juice (no added sugar) will work just fine. If you do so, you may find that you need to add a tablespoon or more additional Worcestershire sauce to deepen the flavor of the filling.

★ Flour: We suggest using Wondra; however, any all-purpose flour will work. (Wondra dissolves more quickly than all-purpose flour, and mixes into both hot and cold liquids easily.)

★ Heavy whipping cream: Shepherd's pie is one comfort food that doesn't want anyone trying to lighten it up. (I mean, you can, but why?) If you must, you can use half-and-half, or even a good alternative milk, if that's what you do. It'll work fine.

★ Thyme: If you can find it, use fresh thyme. It really does make a difference. If you can't find fresh, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried thyme for each tablespoon of fresh.

Topping Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

★ Potatoes: Use starchy, mashable potatoes, like russets or Yukon golds.

DO NOT USE waxy potato varieties (e.g., red potatoes, new potatoes, fingerling, etc.) for this recipe.

★ Sweet Potatoes (white flesh): Shepherds Pie with sweet potato topping is as good as it gets. Use a medium white-fleshed sweet potato for the topping. White sweet potatoes are milder and have less sugar than orange ones. (If you want to make extra mash, use a ratio of 1:3, sweet potato to russets.)

I've never tried to make the pie topping with an orange sweet potato, but I imagine it would do the same job. It would add a little extra sweetness to the mash. The mash would turn out salmon-colored; but flavor-wise, it should work fine.

★ Heavy cream: Once again, if you're looking for a lightened up version, this may not be the best shepherd's pie recipe for you. Anyway, half-and-half, milk, or even a good alternative milk will work for this.

How to Make Shepherds Pie with Beef

Make the Filling

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. When it's done, remove it from the heat and drain the ground beef in a colander, then set it aside. 

In the same large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the yams, onions, and carrots. Cover and cook them, lifting the lid and stirring frequently, until everything is fork-tender; about 12-15 minutes.

Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until they soften and release their juices; about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle flour over everything. I do this with a little strainer so the flour disperses more evenly. Add the ketchup.

Stir the flour and ketchup into the vegetable mixture until everything is evenly coated.

Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 or 2 minutes.

Add the cream and cook another minute.

Add the beef broth, wine or grape juice, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme.

Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick but still saucy; 8-10 minutes.

Add the browned ground beef to the mixture in skillet and stir to combine.

Pour the beef and vegetable mixture into a casserole dish. (This recipe fits perfectly into a 1½ quart casserole, but a 2-quart will work just fine.)

Make the Topping

The topping is basically a rich potato mash.

Put the cubed potatoes and sweet potatoes into a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover them, and sprinkle in ½ teaspoon salt.

Cover and bring the pan to a low boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender; 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander.

Add the butter and cream to the cooked potatoes. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes to your preference. (My mother liked her potatoes smooth as silk: Mr B and I prefer ours with a little more texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Carefully spread the prepared potatoe mash over the meat and vegetable filling, using a spatula or large spoon to smooth the top.

Egg Wash (optional): In a small bowl, make an egg wash by whisking together 1 tablespoon water with the egg.

Brush the top of the potatoes with egg wash, and then drag a fork across the top to make ridges. (This last bit is purely decorative.)

We've learned over the years that it is advisable to add a good-sized vent to the Shepherd's Pie. Otherwise, you will have a lot of bubbly overflow around the edges as it bakes.

It is also a good idea to line the bottom of your oven with an oven liner or foil, because no matter what you do, you may still have bubbly overflow.

Bake It Up

In all cases, keep in mind that everything in the pie is already cooked: baking it all together simply brings it up to temperature and allows the flavors to meld and marry.

Warm, Right Away

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 375°F | 190°C. 

Put the prepared pie in the oven and bake until the filling is hot and bubbling; about 20-30 minutes. 

Turn on the broiler and cook until top is golden brown, 2-4 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Cold, from the Fridge

Place the prepared pie on the middle rack in a cold oven.

Set the oven temperature to 350°F | 176°C and bake until the center is piping hot; 45-60 minutes after the oven comes up to temperature.

Turn on the broiler and cook until the top is golden brown, 2-4 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Frozen: from the Freezer

Place the prepared pie on the middle rack in a cold oven.

Set the temperature to 325°F | 160°C and bake until the center is piping hot; about 90 minutes after the oven comes up to temperature.

Turn on the broiler and cook until the top is golden brown, 2-4 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

FAQs & Expert Tips

More Classic Comfort Food Recipes

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Originally published February 14, 2014. This post has been updated with new content, images, and recipes instructions to improve reader experience.