This tasty Ultimate Shepherd’s Pie with Beef and Pork is a hearty all-in-one meal! This recipe uses both ground beef and pork and a savory brown gravy. This is a comfort food meal perfect to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or any Sunday dinner.
You won’t be able to get enough of this yummy recipe! It’s all things good in one casserole! The brown gravy makes it so yummy, especially if you make it with homemade beef broth.
It is a great use of leftover mashed potatoes and a good make ahead casserole for parties or to freeze. Sometimes, I’ll add some sauteed mushrooms to the meat mixture for some earthy flavor.
Our family loves Shepherd’s Pie! It is a great comfort food with cheddar cheese topped homemade (are there any other kind?) mashed potatoes, peas, and ground meat.
This recipe is made with a combination of ground beef and ground pork. What’s not to love?
What is Cottage Pie?
Although Shepherd’s Pie a.k.a. cottage pie, has traditionally been made with minced lamb, it is widely acceptable to make with beef. Some recipes call for beef chunks similar to beef stew while other recipes used ground beef, lamb, veal or pork.
I like using the mixture of ground beef and pork for this recipe. Shepherd’s Pie has long been long associated with Irish food in America (although it did not originate in Ireland) and is a common dish in Irish pubs and restaurants.
The meat mixture is seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, extra virgin olive oil (it is the only kind of olive oil I use) mixed with a rue . It is relatively easy to prepare.
How to Make Shepherds Pie?
Instructions
*The full, printable recipe is at the bottom of this post.
- First, boil water for mashed potatoes.
- Meanwhile, cut up the onion, garlic and carrots. Put them in a large skillet with EVOO. Cook a bit and then add ground meat. Once the meat has browned add Worcestershire sauce, fresh parsley and peas. Cook for 15 min on medium heat.
- Peel and cut into small cubes three med/large Russet potatoes. Cook for about 12 min in boiling water until soft and drain. Add butter and half-and-half and whip/mix until smooth.
- Then, in a separate bowl make quick roux- equal parts butter and flour and then add beef stock (I used homemade and it makes a difference.) Now you have a yummy brown gravy.
- Next, add the gravy to the ground meat mixture and stir it. Set it aside until the mashed potatoes are done.
- Then, spray the bottom of a baking dish with Pam cooking spray.
- Last, put the meat mixture in a baking dish, topped with mashed potatoes and shredded cheddar cheese, bake for 10 minutes and viola!
Delicious Beef and Pork Shepherd’s Pie!
Worcestershire Sauce and homemade beef broth make this Shepherd’s Pie especially tasty.
Serve this Shepherd’s Pie with fresh crusty Skillet Irish Soda Bread. I love this soda bread recipe because there’s no yeast and it’s made with basic ingredients. Best of all, it’s ready in one hour! It’ll be a great St. Patrick’s meal!
This is one of my husband’s favorite meals. It’s great to make with leftover mashed potatoes. I’m betting your family will enjoy this homemade meat and potato casserole and you may have no leftovers!
Shepherd’s Pie
This tasty Shepherd’s Pie isn’t only perfect for St. Patty’s day dinner, it’s great for any time of year! A yummy brown gravy and homemade mashed potatoes will make everyone happy every time.
This recipe freezes well. You’ll love to pull it out of the freezer for nights you don’t feel like cooking. Full bellies=happy family!
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Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
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Spicy BBQ Meatloaf with Smoky Sweet BBQ Sauce is a tasty and moist meatloaf recipe!
See other St. Patrick’s Day recipes.
Ultimate Shepard’s Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Meat Mixture
- 3/4 lb ground beef
- 3/4 lb ground pork
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped, reserve some for garnish)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 1/2 cup carrots (diced)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Brown gravy
- 2 tbs flour
- 2 tbs butter
- 1 cup of beef broth (homemade or canned)
Mashed Potatoes
- 3 potatoes (peeled and cubed to 1 inch pieces)
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 3 tbsp butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 375F.
Mashed Potatoes
- Then, in a medium pot on high heat, boil water for potatoes. Meanwhile, peel and cut potatoes into one inch cubes (and prep onions, carrots and parsley for meat mixture.) Boil potatoes for 12 minutes or until soft. In a large mixing bowl, mix potatoes 2 tbs of butter, half and half creamer and salt to taste until smooth.
Meat Mixture
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet on medium heat, add olive oil, onions and carrots for 5 min. Add ground meat and break up big pieces while stirring. When meat is browned, add garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and peas. Cook for 15 minutes on medium/high heat.
Brown Gravy
- Meanwhile, in a separate small saucepan on medium heat, add butter and flour to make a roux. As butter is melting add flour and stir until a thick roux forms. Add beef stock and stir until a creamy brownish sauce forms.
- Then, add gravy to meat mixture and stir until well combined.
- Next, in a 8"x 8"x 3" baking dish, spread out meat mixture followed by mashed potatoes. Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley flakes.
Notes
Storage:
Place leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days.Did You Make This Recipe?
If you made this recipe don’t forget to leave a review!
Thank you for explaining. I’ve heard they’re not the same. This recipe is more like a version of the Cottage Pie, but I don’t think most Americans have heard of Cottage Pie. Yes, beef is expensive these days and pork adds nice flavor to it.
Love the sound of this & will try it soon. Thankyou. Pasta ragus & Italain meatballs often use the beef/pork mix so why not Cottage Pie? Plus Beef mince is pretty expensive these days.
FYI Sheppard’s Pie & Cottage Pie a not interchageable names.
Sheppard’s Pie is always lamb & Cottage Pie is always Beef. I believe that when the dishes evolved in Britain in the late 17th & 18th C this distinction was not made but it is now & has been for the past 100yrs. Any Brit will tell you the same.
Hi Jane. Thanks for the 5-star rating!