Dutch Oven Shepherd's Pie is the ultimate comfort food. It's cooked in one pot and packed with veggies, ground beef, and topped with creamy mashed potatoes.
When you think of comfort food, what comes to mind?
For some it's a big bowl of thick, creamy soup or hearty chili on a cold night. For others, it's indulging in once-in-a-while food, like loaded pub chips or loaded pulled pork nachos on Game Day.
Shepherd's Pie is one of those dishes that definitely falls under the Comfort Food Recipe category for me. It's also quite popular in Ireland, served as both pub food enjoyed with a pint, and Sunday family dinner.
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🥔 Ingredient notes
This is the best shepherd's pie recipe: hearty and satisfying, and packed with veggies and protein. I use the classic combo of:
- ground beef
- potatoes
- beef broth
- carrot
- peas
- celery
- corn
- onions
- garlic
- oregano
- thyme
- salt and pepper
You can almost add any of your fave other veggies to this dish. Just make sure you chop the veggies up to a uniform size and shape so that they all cook evenly.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes, or just until the beef has browned.
2. Add the broth, carrots, peas, corn, celery, oregano and thyme. Stir and cook on medium heat, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes, just until softened. Reduce heat to medium-low. In a small bowl, combine flour and water until well blended, then pour over the filling in the dutch oven. Stir together. Reduce heat to low, and cover.
Preheat oven to 350°F, and then make the mashed potato topping.
Mashed Potato Topping
3. Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 12-13 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to the pot.
4. Add the butter and mash potatoes until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble and Bake
5. Remove the Dutch oven with the filling from the heat, and top with the mashed potatoes, smoothing into an even topping layer.
6. Bake, uncovered, at 350° F for about 30 minutes. To create a slightly browned, slightly crisp top, turn on the broiler at the end of the 30 minutes and broil for about 5 minutes. Watch the oven to make sure the top doesn't burn. Serve immediately.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
According to some food sources, you can only call it shepherd's pie if you use ground lamb. If you use ground beef, many call that cottage pie. However, most people these days use the meat that they love and is available to them. Ground beef, ground pork, ground lamb, or ground turkey work well. I find that ground beef works best. Ground lamb also works well. If you're going to use ground turkey or ground pork, try not to use meat that is too lean, or the dish may end up dry and lacking flavor.
Extra liquid at the bottom of cooked shepherd's pie can come from a variety of sources. One of the main sources is the ratio of meat to broth. If you are using a type of meat that doesn't soak up the broth well as it cooks, you'll have extra water. If you're using frozen vegetables that aren't thawed and dried, some of the frozen ice around the veggies - even a teeny tiny amount - will melt and add liquid to the dish.
If you have extra liquid, simply lift the pot and very carefully pour the excess liquid into the sink.
🍽 Serving ideas
One-pot meals like this are some of my favorites during busy weeknights. But they also make amazing dishes to bring to potlucks and holiday gatherings.
Shepherd's pie can be a full meal all on its own. But we like to serve at least one side that balances out this hearty dish.
If you're planning a full Irish meal, consider adding on Instant Pot Irish Lamb Stew, Guinness Brown Bread, and some Shamrock Shakes or a Green Velvet Cake for dessert.
The richness of the dish goes well with vegetable-focused side dishes such as Air Fryer Broccoli, Garlic Lemon Asparagus, and Mushrooms Marsala. You can also serve it with Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Bread or Gougere Bites.
🥘 Kitchen tools and equipment
I like to make a classic shepherd's pie in a Dutch Oven. This one goes straight from stovetop to oven to table, thanks to the gorgeous Finex 5-Quart Dutch Oven you see in these photos.
I also like to use my Staub Coq au vin Cocotte 5.75 quart pot.
More comfort food recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Classic Shepherd's Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Shepherd's Pie Filling
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ lb ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces (about 3 large carrots)
- 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup celery, chopped (2 stalks)
- 1 teaspoon oregano leaves (fresh or dried)
- 1 teaspoon thyme (fresh or dried)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup water
Mashed Potato Topping
- 4 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup milk (I use almond milk; you can use any milk you prefer)
- salt & pepper
Instructions
Make the meat and vegetable filling
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes, or just until the beef has browned.
- Add the broth, carrots, peas, corn, celery, oregano and thyme. Stir and cook on medium heat, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes, just until softened. Reduce heat to medium-low. In a small bowl, combine flour and water until well blended, then pour over the filling in the dutch oven. Stir together. Reduce heat to low, and cover.
- Preheat oven to 350°F, and then make the mashed potato topping.
Mashed Potato Topping
- Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 12-13 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to the pot.
- Add the butter and milk, then mash potatoes until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble and Bake
- Remove the Dutch oven with the filling from the heat, and top with the mashed potatoes, smoothing into an even topping layer.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350° F for about 30 minutes. To create a slightly browned, slightly crisp top, turn on the broiler at the end of the 30 minutes and broil for about 5 minutes. Watch the oven to make sure the top doesn't burn.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Evoma says
Very nice and great recipe. A great addition to our cuisine.
Marcie says
Yum! We always make our's in a casserole dish but we're doing it your way next time! Gosh, it's the best meal, right?
Joanna Clute says
I absolutely love cast iron in any form. I am always cooking for a bigger crowd so I tend to prefer the bigger styles. This is a beautiful pan. I have never seen handles quite like that before.
Mama Munchkin says
My grandpa used to serve Shepard's Pie I haven't had it in years. I am going to try out your recipe and serve it to my kids. It is the perfect dinner to warm you up on cold nights. That pan is gorgeous too btw!
Jiawun | Beauty Nerd By Night says
OMG this looks so yummy!! Shepherd's Pie is one of my favourite foods, but I actually haven't had it in a while! It's so hard to find at restaurants here, and I can't cook to save my life, lol. So thank you for the super easy to follow recipe, hopefully my attempt turns out alright!
Christine says
I like chicken soup for my comfort food. The cast iron skillet is a good idea and would work well in my kitchen.
Amanda says
What a gorgeous dutch oven! And this pie looks yummy!
Luci says
That looks so good. Its a nice and hearty meal for the cold weather.
Lisa says
My family would LOVE this dish!
Madi Rowan says
LOVE this cast iron!! I actually do not have one yet in my kitchen, so I would love to enter the giveaway!! Great recipe too! Perfect for this time of year!
-Madi xo
everydaywithmadirae.com
Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says
Yum! This time of year I crave warm, comforting foods like shepherd's pie - but I've never made it in a Dutch oven like this Finex. My go-to comfort food is soup!
Chelsea says
Oh my, this looks heavenly! What a great recipe for a cold day too!
Barbara says
The dish looks very appetizing. Would love to make it . I better my tater tot hot dish would taste amazing in it.
Mary says
That Finex cast iron is so darn dreamy! I need some of those in my life!
Betty Phillips says
Love the post, and I would love to win.
Shweta says
Looks like a great recipe. I m on Keto and i think i can use this for keto as well. Thanks for the share.
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Glad you enjoyed the post! Thanks! :)
Doug Spence says
Love it. Cast iron fanatic