Skillet shepherd's pie is a baked meat pie made with a layer of sautéed ground beef and vegetables, fluffy and creamy garlic cheddar mashed potatoes, and baked in the oven to perfection. When you bite into skillet shepherd's pie, you'll taste the wonderful blend of spices, vegetables, and beef in the bottom layer, with a natural gravy oozing throughout. With all the food groups in one dish, this one-pan skillet shepherd's pie is a completed wholesome meal the whole family will love.
Why You'll Love This Shepherd's Pie
- Skillet shepherd's pie is bursting with flavour. From the seasoned beef, tasty veggies, and delicious gravy, the bottom layer of this skillet shepherd's pie is enough to make your mouth water. Add the mashed potatoes on top, and the savoury flavors are enough to make your heart melt!
- You can't go wrong with filling comfort food. No one will be left hungry or disappointed with this skillet shepherd's pie. Hearty beef and potatoes will satisfy the whole family.
- It's the perfect make-ahead meal. Skillet shepherd's pie is easy to make ahead and serve fresh when you need it. Assemble the pie. Then, store the skillet shepherd's pie in your fridge for up to 3 days. When you need it, bake as directed. Simple and delicious!
What is Shepherd's Pie?
Shepherd's pie is a traditional British comfort food cooked in a cast-iron skillet. It consists of two different (but equally delicious) layers. The bottom layer of a shepherd's pie has cooked ground beef, veggies, and spices. It's topped off with fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes. Then, the whole thing is baked in the oven until the top turns brown and crispy. Skillet shepherd's pie is the perfect heavy, savoury, comfort food to warm you up on cold nights.
Ingredients
To make this delicious and easy skillet shepherd's pie, you will need the following ingredients:
- mashed potatoes - the potato topping is made with russet potatoes, unsalted butter, milk, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- olive oil
- ground beef - or you can substitute the ground beef with ground lamb.
- vegetables - yellow onion, medium carrots, and frozen peas.
- garlic
- seasoning - Worcestershire sauce (or easily substitute with tomato paste), Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper.
- all-purpose flour - helps thicken up the beef mixture.
- beef broth or water
You will also need a large cooking pot and a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or ovenproof skillet).
How to Make the Best Skillet Shepherd's Pie
First, prepare the mashed potato topping:
- Make the mashed potato topping. Add the potatoes into a large pot of salted water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. If you can easily insert a fork into the potatoes, then they are ready.
- Drain the water and mash the potatoes using a potato masher or a fork. Add butter, milk, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well until evenly mixed and set aside.
Then, make the beef mixture:
- While potatoes are boiling, heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet (or other ovenproof skillet) for 2 minutes over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles. Add onion and carrots, and sauté until fragrant and tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add ground beef and stir well to cook evenly until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Use a spatula to break up the beef into small pieces to help with even browning and cooking.
- Stir in garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper and stir together until well combined. Add flour and stir well until fully combined with the beef mixture. No dry flour should be visible. Add peas and beef broth. Stir occasionally and bring the mixture to a simmer, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for another 2 minutes until thickened to a desired consistency, stirring occasionally.
Lastly, assemble and bake the pie:
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Use a spatula to spread the beef mixture into an even layer on the same skillet. Carefully add spoonfuls of the mashed potatoes on top, and spread it evenly on top using a fork.
- Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the top turns golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Tips and Tricks
- No cast-iron skillet? No problem. You can cook the beef in a shallow saucepan on the stovetop. Then, transfer the mixture to a casserole dish, and top with the potato mixture.
- Make ahead instructions. Assemble the skillet shepherd's pie according to recipe instructions. Then, store it (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking as directed. So easy.
- How to store. Store leftover shepherd's pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- How to freeze before baking. Assemble the pie and freeze before baking, tightly covered, for up to 2 months. To make, allow the shepherd's pie to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
- How to freeze after baking. Allow any leftover shepherd's pie to cool to room temperature, then wrap it tightly or store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 300F oven for 20-30 minutes until warmed though.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Ground Beef Meat Pie
- Classic Meatloaf
- Swedish Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Beef Chili
- Sticky Honey Garlic Meatballs
- Easy Meat Lasagna
- Beef Cabbage Barley Soup
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Recipe
Skillet Shepherd's Pie
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
Description
Skillet shepherd's pie is a savoury and hearty traditional comfort food. With flavourful beef and fluffy potatoes, this cozy meal it will warm you up.
Ingredients
For the mashed potato topping:
- 2 lb. medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
For the beef mixture:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 lb. ground beef (or ground lamb)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or tomato paste)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup peas, frozen
- 1 cup beef broth or water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
Prepare the Mashed Potato Topping:
- Add the potatoes into a large pot of salted water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. If you can easily insert a fork into the potatoes, then they are ready.
- Drain the water and mash the potatoes using a potato masher or a fork. Add butter, milk, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well until evenly mixed and set aside.
Make the Beef Mixture:
- While potatoes are boiling, heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet (or other ovenproof skillet) for 2 minutes over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles. Add onion and carrots, and sauté until fragrant and tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add ground beef and stir well to cook evenly until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Use a spatula to break up the beef into small pieces to help with even browning and cooking.
- Stir in garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper and stir together until well combined.
- Add flour and stir well until fully combined with the beef mixture. No dry flour should be visible.
- Add peas and beef broth. Stir occasionally and bring the mixture to a simmer, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for another 2 minutes until thickened to a desired consistency, stirring occasionally.
Assemble and Bake the Shepherd's Pie:
- Use a spatula to spread the beef mixture into an even layer on the same skillet. Carefully add spoonfuls of the mashed potatoes on top, and spread it evenly on top using a fork.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top turns golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Cast-iron skillet alternatives. You can cook the beef in a shallow saucepan on the stovetop. Then, transfer the mixture to a casserole dish, and top with the potato mixture.
Make ahead instructions. Assemble the pie according to recipe instructions. Then, store it (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking as directed. So easy.
How to store. Store leftover shepherd's pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to freeze before baking. Assemble the pie and freeze before baking, tightly covered, for up to 2 months. To make, allow the shepherd's pie to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
How to freeze after baking. Allow any leftover shepherd's pie to cool to room temperature, then wrap it tightly or store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 300F oven for 20-30 minutes until warmed though.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Beef
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Irish
Sherry Smith says
I was looking for recipes and came across your website. My Grandmother was Scottish and I spent the summers at her farm in NY as a little girl back in the 1960s. I noticed your lovely recipe for Shepard's pie. My Grandmother would have called your recipe a Cottage Pie instead because it is made with beef not lamb, like a Shepard's pie. She also would layer the vegetables and top with a pastry crust. In fact, any type of protein or vegetable was put in the Cottage Pie depending on the time of year and what was plentiful on the farm and many times topped with sliced potatoes. I thought you would like to know this so the history of the Shepard's pie was not misrepresented. Thank you so much for sharing all your recipes.
Sally says
My family loved this! I will definitely be making this again. The only thing I did different is to use frozen peas & carrots. I didn't have any fresh carrots on hand.