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The shepherds pie recipe as we have come to know it more closely aligns to a cottage pie recipe, with the primary difference being a traditional shepherds pie recipe is made with lamb or mutton while the cottage pie recipe uses beef – both, however feature a baked mashed potato topping.

Shepherds Pie Recipe

Having originated in the United Kingdom – specifically Scotland and Northern England, the traditional shepherds pie recipe as we have come to know it more closely approximates a cottage pie recipe. While the traditional shepherds pie traditionally uses mutton or lamb, the cottage pie uses minced beef. Both however featured a mashed potato topping – often made as a means of using leftover mashed potatoes. Read More

Prep: 20 Min

Cook: 1 Hr

Serves: 8

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Ingredient	Amount	Measurement
Potatoes	5	large
Water	2	Liters
Salt	1	Tbsp

Milk	1/2	Cup
Butter	1/4	Cup
Cheese - Processed (Optional)	1	Slice

Ground Beef - Lean	2	Lbs
Garlic	2	Cloves
Onion - White	1/2	Medium
Bacon	1/4	Cup
Mushrooms - Sliced	1	Lb
Mixed Vegetables - Frozen (Optional)	2	Cups
Olive Oil	3	Tbsp
Beef Stock	2 1/2	Cups
Flour - All-purpose	3	Tbsps
Cornstarch	1	Tbsp
pepper	1/4	Tsp
Smoked Paprika	1	Tbsp
Old Bay Spice	1	Tsp

For The Mashed Potatoes

Bring a large pot of water and salt to a boil; reduce heat to medium high
Peel and quarter potatoes OR wash potatoes well and quarter with skin on
Boil until fork tender (approximately 25-30 minutes) until a fork pierces potatoes without effort
Drain potatoes and set aside
Add milk, butter and cheese to pot and bring to a gentle boil
Return potatoes to pot and mash to desired consistency

For The Beef Component

Over medium high heat, in a large skillet, bring olive oil to temperature
Add bacon and crisp, then remove and set aside
Add onions and cook until they become slightly translucent
Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until tender – do not brown
Add ground beef and cook through
Return bacon crisps to beef mixture
If using frozen vegetables, add them
Add two cups of beef stock and bring to a gentle boil
In a small jar, add remaining 1/2 cup beef stock, flour and cornstarch, put the lid on and shake until well-incorporated
Add slurry (flour/stock mixture) to beef mixture
Allow to boil approximately five minutes to ensure flour is cooked through
Reduce heat
Move oven rack so that a casserole dish fits comfortably high
Set oven to broil
Pour beef mixture into a casserole dish and cover with mashed potatoes
Dust with smoked paprika
Broil 8-10 minutes or until potato crust becomes golden brown
Remove from oven
Enjoy

The shepherds pie recipe ranks among the most comforting of comfort foods and originates of the United Kingdom towards latter part of the 18th century when it was traditionally consumed by – wait for it – shepherds and most often featured lamb or mutton in a gravy then smothered with mashed potatoes – often leftover mashed potatoes and then baked to a golden crisp.

The shepherds pie recipe that we love as pub fare after a pint or two is actually closer to a traditional cottage pie recipe than to a shepherds pie recipe as a cottage pie is essentially the same thing, except that it is made with ground or minced beef.

While apple pie is made from apples; cherry pie from cherries; and mincemeat pie from mincement – it is a well-known and documented fact that a cottage pie does not require a whole cottage.

Why either the shepherds pie recipe or the cottage pie are called pies is anyone's guess – perhaps it's the golden-brown mashed potato crust – or perhaps it's because it's finished in the oven.

Whatever you choose to call it, with a single bite, you will forever after call the shepherds pie recipe delicious.

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