Shepherd’s Pie with Cheddar Mash Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Shepherd’s Pie with Cheddar Mash Recipe

Shepherd’s Pie is a hearty, filling dish featuring meat, vegetables, and gravy under a fluffy bed of mashed potatoes. Bake this up for some ultimate comfort food.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, English

Servings:

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

Ingredients

For the filling

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground beef or lamb
1 onion chopped for 1 cup
2 carrots (chopped) for 1 cup
2 oz mushrooms (sliced) for 1 cup
¼ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 cup beef broth or chicken stock
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage
¼ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
1 cup frozen peas or green beans

For the cheddar mash

6 russet potatoes peeled and chopped
½ cup butter
1 cup milk
4 oz cheddar cheese (shredded) (1 cup)
additional salt and pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. Add the beef, onion, carrots, and mushrooms and cook until the beef is browned and the onion is translucent. Add the flour and stir until the drippings have completely absorbed the flour. Stir in the broth and spices. Simmer until thickened. Stir in the green beans or peas.
In a large pot of salted water, boil the potatoes until very tender.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and mash the potatoes until very fine. Add the butter and continue mashing, until the butter is melted and incorporated into the potatoes. Stir in the milk and cheddar cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat mixture, taking care to seal the mashed potato topping all the way to the edges of the pan.
At this point you can chill the pie and refrigerate to bake later or chill, cover, and freeze up to 2 months. Before baking, thaw the pie in the refrigerator .
Bake the pie for 30 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the top is golden brown. If the pie is very cold, you may need to increase the baking time up to an hour.

Notes

Serving Suggestions: I like to serve shepherd's pie with a green salad or steamed veggies, as well as bread.

Shop Your Kitchen: There are so many different subs you can consider based on what you have.

Use another ground meat instead of the ground beef.
Other veggies can be used instead if you have some that need using.
Use leftover gravy or cooked meats from a larger meal.
The gravy is seasoned with a few dried herbs; feel free to use a favorite spice blend or other favorite herbs.
A white sauce or other cream of soup can be used as the gravy.
Some people enjoy this made with mashed sweet potatoes as the topping. It's a very different flavor.

To Make a Meal Prep: This works best as a meal prep when prepared in smaller glass dishes. Bake and cool. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Freeze Extra for Later: Shepherd's pie is a great dish to make and freeze. Assemble the pie, then lay the dish on a level rack in the freezer until frozen firm. Wrap tightly with foil and place inside a labeled, ziptop freezer bag.

You can bake it from frozen, adding about 20 to 30 minutes baking time, or thaw it completely and proceed as directed here.

Baking from frozen can be a little fussy, often requiring more than 30 minutes. I recommend thawing the pie completely for best results.

Make a Plan for Leftovers: Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. If you store your leftovers in clear containers, they’re more likely to get eaten.

Nutrition