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Golden baked classic Shepherd pie with rich savory beef and toasted mashed potato ridges

Ultimate Easy Shepherd's Pie

The quintessential cozy comfort dish: savory simmered ground beef and sweet garden vegetables bathed in a rich, glossy gravy, blanketed under a thick, golden layer of garlic-buttered Yukon gold mashed potatoes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Comfort Food, dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, British, Irish
Calories: 440
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

Fluffy Garlic Butter Mashed Potato Topping
  • 2.5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream or whole milk warmed
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for golden browning
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Savory Beef & Vegetable Filling
  • 1.5 lbs lean ground beef (85/15) or lamb
  • 1 large yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and finely diced
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour to thicken gravy
  • 2 tbsp rich tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1.5 cups rich beef bone broth low-sodium
  • 1 cup sweet green peas frozen or fresh
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary finely minced

Method
 

Step-by-Step Method
  1. Boil potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and mash with melted butter, warm cream, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and velvety. Set aside.
  2. In a large 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles. Drain excess grease.
  3. Add diced onion and carrots to the beef. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until vegetables soften. Stir in minced garlic, fresh thyme, and rosemary, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Sprinkle flour over the meat mixture and stir for 1 minute to cook out raw starch. Stir in tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.
  5. Pour in beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to lift browned fond. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until gravy is thick and glossy. Fold in green peas.
  6. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the warm mashed potatoes evenly over the meat filling in the skillet. Use a fork to create decorative swirl ridges across the top and dust with parmesan cheese.
  7. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until the gravy is bubbling vigorously at the edges and the potato ridges are deeply golden and crispy. Rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 440kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 28gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 620mgPotassium: 780mgFiber: 3.8gSugar: 4.2gCalcium: 95mgIron: 3.8mg

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