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I can just smell the goodness just looking at these pictures. This is your classic shepherd’s pie recipe made in a cast-iron skillet with cream cheese mashed potatoes and a beef mix made with frozen veggies, spices, fresh herbs, and a splash of Guinness. It’s warm, savory, and everything you need in comfort food.
What is Shepherd’s Pie?
Shepherd’s Pie is a classic British dish that is really popular around Saint Patrick’s Day (hence my addition of Guinness). My recipe features a creamy layer of ground beef mixed with carrots, onions, peas, corn, and fresh herbs, topped with a layer of buttery and cheesy mashed potatoes. It’s baked for a perfect golden finish and slightly crispy top.
How to Make Shepards Pie
My shepherd’s pie recipe is really easy to make. I recommend making the mashed potatoes first and setting aside so it’s one less thing to worry about. Once the potatoes are done, the meat filling can be made in your trusty cast-iron skillet or oven proof pan. Yes, a dutch oven even works for larger recipes.
Once the beef is cooked, seasoned, and ready to go, we can top with an even layer of cream cheese mashed potatoes. I recommend working in small clumps when layering potatoes. The potatoes will easily stick to the beef and won’t spread like you’re frosting a cake. I went around the surface of the dish with large dollops and smoothed with the back of a spoon.
Finish with The Broiler
Shepherds pie needs to bake for about 20 minutes to crisp the top of the potatoes, however, I recommend you broil on high for the last 2-3 minutes to get a nice golden crust like the picture below. This adds a phenomenal texture that compliments the creamy beef and potatoes underneath. Just to note, it’s harder to get the golden top without broiling.
Canned Versus Frozen Vegetables
I recommend frozen vegetables over canned for this recipe. Frozen vegetables are fresher and have better color. The only exception is canned corn. That can be swapped in place of frozen if you prefer.
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Skillet Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: British
Description
Classic Shepherd’s pie recipe made in a cast-iron skillet with cream cheese mashed potatoes and a beef mix made with frozen veggies, spices, and a splash of Guinness.
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and halved (about 2 lbs)
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 3–4 ounces cream cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Beef Filling
- 1.25–1.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots (1 cup), peeled and chopped (or frozen)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2/3 cup Guinness (pour rest in mouth)
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, removed from sprig and chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Chopped fresh parsley and rosemary, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- For mashed potatoes: In a large pot, cover potatoes with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until soft and tender, about 18 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
- Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until smooth. Add butter, warm milk (warm milk helps with creamy texture), and cream cheese. Mash until fully incorporated and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- For beef mixture: Heat oil in a 12 inch ovenproof skillet on medium heat. Add onion, carrots, garlic, and rosemary. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 5 more minutes more. Drain all but about 1-2 tablespoons of fat.
- Stir in peas and corn, cooking for 2-3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add flour evenly over mixture and stir until fully. Cook for 1 additional minute before adding Guinness and worcestershire suace. Let simmer for about 5 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened.
- Make sure beef is evenly distributed throughout the skillet before topping with an even layer of mashed potatoes. It helps to layer in small clumps/sections. It can be hard to spread without the potatoes sticking to the beef. Bake for 20 minutes or until potatoes start to brown on the top. You may need to broil for the last 2-3 minutes to get a nice golden crust. Garnish with rosemary and parsley and serve.
Notes
You can use sour cream in place of cream cheese if you prefer.
I recommend frozen vegetables over canned for this recipe. Frozen vegetables are fresher and have better color. The only exception is canned corn. That can be swapped in place of frozen if you prefer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 572
- Sugar: 8.2g
- Sodium: 314mg
- Fat: 23.3g
- Saturated Fat: 12.2g
- Carbohydrates: 57.2g
- Fiber: 9.1g
- Protein: 30.9g
- Cholesterol: 109mg
Keywords: shepherd’s pie recipe
a delicious recipe, but it is true Cottage Pie because itis made with mince meat and has vegies in it from the Cottage Garden, thus the name,,, – Traditional German Shepherds Pie is made with “minced Cooked Lamb” using the leftover Roast Lamb and Pickled Lamb minced and mixed with Tomato Sauce and Worcestershire Sauce, a pinch of seasoning and black pepper, topped with mashed potato, the pie is then heated thtough in oven and potato then browned nicely under grill,, there are no vegies in it but boiled carrots, beans and cabbage served with it,, this is a huge difference between the two pies,,,, my German Grandma made this lots of times,, it is delicious, originally made to feed the shepherds using the familys leftovers,, as they were very poor in those days,, so this recipe has been handed down through my German generations,, and we , as kids, in 1940’s loved helping Grandma turn the handle on the mincing machine, it was screwed to the kitchen table,,
★★★★★