Easy Classic Shepherd’s Pie

This Easy Classic Shepherd’s Pie recipe is filled with tender ground lamb, and lots of veggies which can be found right in your pantry!  It’s the prefect meal for St. Patrick’s Day and can even be made ahead of time!

Since we’re stuck at home for the next couple of weeks, I’ve been trying to think of some creative ways to keep them entertained, so I decided to let them help me cook dinner. And by helping, I mean sorting out the veggies or stirring something.

Since we are going to be at home for a couple of weeks, I thought that it would be a great time to utilize some of my pantry items and make a Shepherd’s Pie! And since St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, I thought that this would be the perfect recipe!

Shepherd’s Pie is a hearty dish, that originated in Ireland, and is composed of a ground meat cooked in gravy, onions, carrots, and a mashed potato crust.

For more cozy, comfort meals, check these out:

• Kale, Lentil & Beef Stew
• Sheet Pan Lemon Basil Roasted Chicken & Vegetables
• One Pot Spinach & Mushroom Four Cheese Ravioli

I’ve had shepherd’s pie before but I was never a huge fan of it, and I honestly thought that the flavor combo was a little boring. So, with this Easy Classic Shepherd’s Pie recipe, I wanted to get a little creative and use some of the canned veggies in my pantry, such as sliced carrots, green beans, and mushrooms.

How to Make Shepherd’s Pie

Some of the recipes I see on the Internet call for ground beef. Some people say that technically, cottage pie is what you call a shepherd’s pie when it is made with beef. To keep this recipe as authentic as possible, I decided to use ground lamb.

While I cooked the ground lamb, I let my kids combine the veggies in a large bowl. Once the lamb was done, I combined the meat, veggies, and a few more ingredients in a large bowl and set it aside as I cooked the mashed potatoes. You can choose to make your mashed potatoes from scratch, but I wanted to use some of my pantry staples so I decided to use a box of instant mashed potatoes.

For more cozy, comfort meals, check these out:

• Kale, Lentil & Beef Stew
• Sheet Pan Lemon Basil Roasted Chicken & Vegetables
• One Pot Spinach & Mushroom Four Cheese Ravioli

Before placing the Shepherd’s Pie in the oven, I drizzled a little melted butter and grated parmesan cheese on top. This gave the potatoes a nice, brown crust!

Can You Freeze Shepherd’s Pie?

This Easy Classic Shepherd’s Pie is one of my favorite Sunday dinners and it’s a great meal prep idea. The casserole freezes and reheats really well! Before you freeze the shepherd’s pie, cool it to room temp first and cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Place it into the freezer and it will keep well for about 2 to 3 months.

To reheat the Shepherd’s Pie, leave the foil on top of the casserole dish and heat the frozen pie in a 350-degree F oven for one hour.

For more cozy, comfort meals, check these out:

• Kale, Lentil & Beef Stew
• Sheet Pan Lemon Basil Roasted Chicken & Vegetables
• One Pot Spinach & Mushroom Four Cheese Ravioli

Print Pin

Easy Classic Shepherd’s Pie

Author Beautiful Eats & Things

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 15 oz can sliced carrots drained
• 1 15 oz can green beans drained
• 1 4 oz can sliced mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• Salt/pepper to taste
• 6 cups prepared instant mashed potatoes
• 3 tablespoons margarine melted
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 375°F. While the oven is heating, add oil to a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add the ground lamb, onion, and garlic to the skillet and cook until the lamb is brown, stirring often to separate meat. Drain off any fat and transfer to a large bowl.
• Stir in carrots, green beans, mushrooms, ketchup, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and garlic powder. Stir until combined and season with salt/pepper to taste.
• Pour the lamb mixture into a 13×9 inch casserole dish and spoon the mashed potatoes on top. Drizzle the melted margarine and Parmesan cheese on top and bake for about 40 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned.
• Enjoy!

Notes

For more cozy, comfort meals, check these out:

• Kale, Lentil & Beef Stew
• Sheet Pan Lemon Basil Roasted Chicken & Vegetables
• One Pot Spinach & Mushroom Four Cheese Ravioli