Classic Shepherd’s Pie with Beef Recipe
Classic Shepherd’s Pie with Beef is a comforting and hearty casserole featuring a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes. This traditional recipe combines tender diced potatoes, ground beef cooked with carrots, onions, garlic, and thyme, thickened with flour and enriched with tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Finished under a hot oven until the potatoes are golden and fluffy, this dish is perfect for a satisfying family meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 2 and ½ lbs. Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2–3/4″ dice
- 1 Tbsp. salt (for boiling potatoes)
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- ¼ cup milk, heated
- 1 egg yolk
- Salt to taste
Meat Filling
- 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. salt, divided
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp. dried thyme)
- 1 and ½ lbs. ground beef chuck or other medium fat ground beef
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth (low sodium)
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ cup frozen corn, defrosted
- ¾ cup frozen peas, defrosted
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for baking the shepherd’s pie later.
- Cook Potatoes: Place the diced potatoes into a pot filled with cold water, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil with the pot slightly covered, then reduce heat and boil until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: While potatoes cook, heat vegetable oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped onions and carrots, cooking until softened, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and thyme.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add ground beef to the pan along with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir occasionally, cooking until the beef is browned and cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Drain excess fat from the pan.
- Thicken Filling: Stir in flour and tomato paste, cooking for 1-2 minutes to remove raw flour taste. Gradually add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, bringing to a boil.
- Simmer Meat Mixture: Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens, around 2-3 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.
- Add Vegetables: Fold in defrosted corn and peas, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Drain and Dry Potatoes: Strain the cooked potatoes and return them to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes to dry excess moisture.
- Mash Potatoes: Remove from heat, add butter and mash the potatoes until smooth. Stir in heated milk, then quickly mix in the egg yolk to enrich the mash. Season to taste with salt.
- Assemble Pie: Spread the meat mixture evenly in an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top starting at the edges, sealing in the meat. Use a fork to fluff the potatoes with swirling motions for texture.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are slightly golden and the filling is bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.
Notes
- Using medium-fat ground beef adds flavor without excess grease.
- Starting the potato topping from the edges helps seal the filling to prevent boil-overs.
- Quickly stirring in egg yolk prevents it from scrambling, adding richness to the mashed potatoes.
- Defrost frozen vegetables completely to avoid excess water in the filling.
- Let the shepherd’s pie rest for 5 minutes after baking for easier slicing.
Keywords: shepherd's pie, classic shepherd's pie, ground beef casserole, mashed potato topping, comfort food, British recipe
