Classic Shepherd's Pie Recipe

This is a nice change from the usual. It's quick, easy and very, very tasty. I followed the recipe to a T, tasting as I went along. I was a little wary of using the whole amount of dijon but it didn't overpower at all. The only change I would make is to use tomato paste instead of the ketchup, as I thought the sweetish tang of the ketchup was a bit much and add a bouillon cube. That's just personal preference, though. All in all, a great meal, thanks :)

Made with ground deer (husbands a hunter), extra garlic, and cut up my own veggies (3 cups of carrots, celery - forgot peas) recommend cooking veggies until very soft before placing in oven. Very generous with spices, and did “twist 1.” Got husbands families dish of major approval and are internally calling this dish “hunters pie.” 100% would make again.

100% recommended! I added additional veggies; green beans, mushrooms (baby bella), diced tomatoes (canned, Italian seasoned), and frozen/shelled edamame. Red/orange/yellow and/or green peppers would be phenomenal as well (next time!). Tomato paste works great to thicken it up a little instead of adding extra flour. If you want to save some time: use instant mashed potatoes (make according to the package instructions) and layer 'em on top and/or generic, frozen "mixed veggies," usually some combo of peas, carrots, corn, and beans is perfect; just throw the whole bag in. Also for next time, I will replace the potatoes with mashed cauliflower and broccoli. I made this once substituting ground beef with ground chicken/turkey (you can use any ground meat or leftover. Actually leftover beef roast, cubed or thinly sliced/chopped would be awesome). When I made this for my vegan brother, I substituted ground beef with mushrooms (chopped portobello, white, and shiitake was the combo I used). I have also just used generic "Italian seasoning" (marjoram, basil, thyme, savory, rosemary, and oregano) if I am out of the fresh stuff and it worked just fine This is a GREAT, EASY, PERFECT fall/winter comfort food!...and plenty of ways to make it even more healthy and get all those veggies into ya! I think I have made this 5-6 times and love to play around with the recipe...its super flexible and if you don't have 1-2 things, there's easily something you can replace it with. Thanks! J

This was a really nice meal with great flavor. I made a few adjustments, some on purpose and some due to convenience. First, I used Panera tomato soup instead of tomato juice because I had it and it's delicious. Second, I used ready made refrigerated mashed potatoes because I didn't want to wash an extra pot and I wanted to watch the Ravens' game rather than fuss with homemade mashed potatoes. Third, I doubled the frozen vegetables because I wanted more. I enjoyed it very much and will definitely make it again.

Darling hubby really loved it!! And he is very picky about his Shepherd’s pie!! He already says he wants it again!! The only thing I did was add one package of Lipton beefy onion soup mix dry to the meat mixture!! It was delicious!

I've already made this recipe 4 times since I first tried it late spring. It's delicious!! I use ground turkey instead of ground beef and doubt anyone can taste the difference because of how flavorful this version is. I also cook my potatoes in milk to make them extra creamy. I use the warm milk to mash them and they're delicious. I have learned to not mash them quite as smoothly as if I was serving them alone because they blend in too readily with the meat and vegetables. I think the separation of the layers is more attractive when serving. I'l always liked Shepher's Pie and this version is my new favorite!

This was baked this in an aluminum pan for easy cleanup. I doubled the recipe. Added shredded parmesan cheese after the meat mixture and before the potato layer. 5 min before it was done added shredded sharp cheese on top. It was loved by all.

Similar to my own recipe where I use a package of onion soup mix and for the topping half potatos/half yams. I put old cheddar cheese in between the layer of beef mixture and potatoes and then on top too!!

One of the things I loved about this recipe, before I even made it, was that it offered variations on it, depending on your preferences. My husband loves anything spicy so I chose the zesty option. After reading other recipes and variations on them, I decided on four changes...to use a crust on the bottom (Pillsbury Pie Crust), substitute mixed veggies with frozen corn, layer the corn on top of the meat mixture but below the mashed potatoes, and to replace ketchup with tomato paste. I also used an extra 1/2 lb of ground beef and cut the Worcester sauce in half. I first put the crust in a hot 350° oven for about 7 minutes while I cooked the meat mixture. Assembly was a snap, and I added another 10 minutes to the cooking time.. This dish was indeed zesty and very tasty, and my husband and I both loved it. I definitely will make it again, but here’s what I plan to do next time...I will eliminate the oil altogether and cook the ground beef first, then cook the onion in the juices with the ground beef, drain, and then add the spices. I’m not a big fan of Worcester sauce and may cut it even further, if not altogether. I think the mustard alone would provide just the right amount of tang. Now that I’m done talking about it, I can’t wait to make it again.

Very good. I changed it a little for what we had on hand and our food allergies. I used beef broth instead of tomato juice, and added a couple of tablespoons of mayo. I also cooked down carrots, celery, onion, and garlic as my veggies and added black eyed peas and corn to make it go further. (LARGE FAMILY!!) We topped ours with cornbread, and it was lovely!

This was great! Two fussy little boys ate it up. I used Alexia frozen mashed potatoes cooked in the microwave to save time. I didn't have rosemary so I substituted the same amount of dried basil. Delicious.

It was so delicious, I will be making again.

It was great! I put mixed vegetables instead of just corn.

I used lamb to make it “pub style,”and my family loved it! Especially my father in-law, who loves lamb but is a very picky eater, couldn’t stop raving about it. I will be making it again, soon.

So close to Grandmas!

I've been using this exact recipe for about 10 years. It is one of the top requested fall/winter meals in our house. I use Campbell's tomato juice because that's all I can ever find in small enough portions to not waste leftover. I often use a family size bag of instant potatoes to save time, topping with garlic salt, pepper and parsley. Other than that, I follow the recipe to a T. We like the "tang" the ketchup adds, the djon adds just the right mustard flavor and the rosemary, thyme and garlic add the zest to balance it all out. The flavors do pack a punch but the potatoes cut the flavor perfectly!

It turned out so pretty too!

Very easy and very good. Because my son does not like the version with the tomato base, I substituted 1 cup of beef broth for the ketchup and tomato juice. He loved it, and made a portion for lunch the following day. Will add spices with salt and more garlic next time.

This was good and brought back some memories - used to have this a lot when I was younger. I made as written except I didn’t have any tomato juice so used water - I think I should have done a water/ketchup mix instead to keep the tomato flavour running through it. Still came out pretty tasty though!

Interesting recipe but as to authenticity ... the originals were made with beef or lamb left over from the Sunday roast. In my childhood my Mum's was always called "shepherd's pie" but I believe that name strictly speaking refers to pie made with lamb/mutton, and the beef version is "cottage pie". No ketchup in our pie back then but definitely leftover veggies. The mashed potatoes were supposed to be thick, not whipped. And need I add, no garlic whereas now, bring it on!. Nowadays there may be soy sauce and a dash of Sriracha. I have never had a recognizably authentic British-style shepherd's pie in a US restaurant or "Irish pub". But my home-made one is a very popular favorite :-)