Shepherd's Pie

My hubby always asks his mom to bake her famous Shepherd's Pie when we go to visit. I have never made it for fear that it would not be as good as hers and he wouldn't want to eat it. This recipe was fantastic, and everyone gobbled three helpings! I followed some of the other suggestions here and cooked potatoes and carrots together in the same pot. I mashed the potatoes with 8oz sour cream and salt/pepper. I used green onion in the mashed potatoes. I sautéed 2 pressed cloves of fresh garlic in butter with the onions to use in the meat mixture. I cooked the meat mixture with 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce and added seasoned salt to taste. I bumped up the ketchup to 1/4 cup, but I think half that (2 tablespoons) would have been fine. I used 1 packet of brown gravy mix with 1 cup water instead of the beef broth as suggested. And I mixed the ground beef with about a cup of frozen mixed veggies (peas and corn). Everyone loved it; it was definitely a huge hit!

As already said, this is a sort of cottage pie, as it's made with beef, however it's wrong. you don't put onions or cheddar in the potato topping, sprinkle the cheddar on top if you want before sticking it in the oven at the end or under a grill, but the cheddar is purely optional , don't mash the carrots, they should be in chunks, no ketchup, use tomato puree if you want, but ketchup is a no-no, a splash of Worccester sauce is good, as is a teaspoon of mustard powder inwith the filling, and where are the peas so clearly visible in the photo? Sorry to be so negative, but it's an english recipe (not Irish), and I've been making it for as long as I can remember. There are better recipes to be found than this one.

I've made this so many times that I must give everyone my updates. First, I season the beef with whatever I have on hand (onion powder, garlic powder, seasoning salt, meat magic, etc.) I use canned veggies (drained), and then top it with instant potatoes. (I use either 4 cheese or roasted garlic!) Then I top with about 1 cup of cheese (any cheddar mix will do.) The result is delicious AND it is sooooooo much faster!!! Great weekday meal for the meat-and-potatoes type family! I've also made it with the brown gravy instead of the beef broth - husband did NOT like that... he much prefers the broth. Gravy gives it almost a beef stew texture. Update 2: I also use the bagged steamed veggies that I've become a huge fan of. And yes, it does taste better if you use real onion and garlic.. just toss in a small food processor to chop.

This recipe was fantastic! Like other's here, I added a few little extra's into the mix. Instead of the small amount of Ketchup, I added 1/4 cup... I used a FULL can of Beef Broth, and added 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce into the ground beef cooking section I would recommend adding a 1 cup of corn to the beef mixture as well when you add the broth and ketchup..etc...but use niblet corn... NOT peaches & cream or sweet corn, as the meal (with the carrots and extra ketchup added) can turn the taste a little sweeter than you might like it. I also added a bug dollop of sour cream to the mashed potatoes before I spread them across the casserole...(makes them smoother and easier to spread) This recipe is a keeper and one of my top 10's here!

We REALLY liked this recipe. When I make any dinner with mashed potatoes I automaticly make way more mashed potatoes needed for that dinner, because I know I will make Shepherd's pie for dinner within two days. I made a few changes, which my husband said was the best shepherd's pie he has every eaten. I added 1/4 cup of worcheshire sauce to the hamburger when browning. I used a can of drained peas and carrots ( and eliminated the 5 carrots), then I added a can of drained whole corn on top of that. Instead of beef broth, I used a can of Franco American Beef Gravy. I would recommend this to anyone. Bon Appetit...

This recipe was very tasty. I was skeptical about not using any spices in the meat mixture as I am the type of cook who loves spices. I did add garlic as I cannot imagine cooking without it!! Meat mixture was very moist, carrots lended a sweet taste to the pie and the onions & cheese in the potatoes was truly a great match. Would definitely make this recipe again. Family loved it. Other than it taking a lot longer than the indicated prep time this is definitely a hit in my books!!! 2 THUMBS UP!!!!! Thanks for the recipe.

Excellent! Will be really a wonderful, hearty meal for those fridgid winter nights! Added some minced garlic to the potatoes and meat and a couple dashes of Worchestershire sauce along with the ketchup. Instead of mashing the carrots, I finely chopped them after cooking.

I made this with two pounds of lean turkey burger, and about two cups of low sodium beef broth. Left overs were a hit too. Very tastey.

Needs less potatos more meat. Basically spot on tasteless english food. Needs herbs and lots of salt and pepper. I added 1/2 bottle of red wine which helped a little. Drinking the other 1/2 helped more.

Okay, I cheated. I didn't have any potatoes on hand, but I did have a bag of "Simply Potatoes with Onion" lurking in the fridge which I used for the mashed potatoes ~ using these made for SUPERB mashed potatoes. Continued to make the dish as directed, but added 1/4 cup of worstershire and sauteed garlic to give the dish more complexity. I know others will scream foul, but I had green beans I needed to use, so I threw those in as well... Not a traditional Shepherd's Pie, but it turned out wonderful!

THIS IS GREAT! PEOPLE.... SEASON YOUR FOOD TO YOUR LIKING! DON'T COMPLAIN NOT ENOUGH TASTE & NEEDS MORE SEASONINGS!! YOU KNOW YOUR TASTES. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT! THIS DESERVES 5 STARS!

Such a winner with my entire family. My small changes make it perfect...I hope they are a help to someone...as I took many other tips from other reviews and combined them. First, I used 1 C of sour cream, butter and some milk (just a tad) in making the mashed potatoes. They, according to my kids, are the best part! The sour cream really does make the difference. I also season them with Lawry's season salt. I sauteed the onions with the beef (used half beef and half turkey..about 1 1/2 lbs. in all) and seasoned w/ garlic powder, worchestershire (about 3 T), ketchup and a bit of steak sauce. I then made homemade gravy: brown flour in oil and make a roux (I do a good bit)...add s and p and garlic powder. Once brown, I add a can of beef broth, then milk to consistency of choice. I mixed the beef mixture with the gravy...so delicious. This was the bottom layer. Next was a layer of corn, then the coarsly smashed carrots, then the potatoes, and a goodly layer of cheddar cheese. Sprinkle w/ paprika and you have a beautiful and savory meal that will be on everyone's request list! This is delicious with a ceasar salad. Note, you can also use green beans or peas in this, in addition to, or instead of the corn. You almost can't go wrong with this!

I really enjoyed this. I did change it up a bit and didn't add carrots simply because our family wouldn't like that.

I really enjoyed this. I did change it up a bit and didn't add carrots simply because our family wouldn't like that.

Very good. I followed the others suggestions and added 1/4 c. worcester sauce and 1 pack gravy with 1 c. water. I also substituted about 14 oz. frozen peas and carrots for the mashed carrots. Worked out very well. I would suggest adding milk or cream to the potatoes as they were a little bit dry. Very good though, I will make again.

I didn't follow the recipe because some said it was bland. I added 1/2 each of red and yellow bell pepper, a couple tblspn's of Worchester sauce, 2 gloves of garlic to the meat and 1 roasted to the potatoes (no onion in potatoes), 4 skninned plum tomatoes that went into the food processor. I sauteed 10 sliced baby carrots in butter for 5 minutes then added the onion and bell pepper while the ground beef was draining in a colandar. I then added the beef, 2+ cups beef broth and Worchester to the sauteing veggies and simmered. I seasoned the meat with Monterey Steak Seasoning when browning and sauted an entire small package of fresh baby portabella mushrooms in butter until they created a deep colored sauce which I thickened with flour and cooked for an additional 5 minutes stirring frequently to create a thick roux. Added it to the meat, carrots, and peppers simmering in the beef broth to create a gravy. I put less than 1/4 cup ketchup on the bottom of the casserole about a cup of cheddar on top of the meat and another 1/4 cup in the potatoes. I used this as a guide and I hate it when people change a recipe and than rate it but this was awsome. I almost gave up on this site because I have made so many recipes that are highly rated only to be very disappointed. I now sort recipes by ratings then click again to get the negative ratings first to find out peoples complaints and adjust accordingly. This was devoured with requests for a remake in the very near future.

Liked this ALOT!! Nice comfort food for winter meals! I did use a pie crust for bottom cuz...i just love pie crust =) but used can of corn and can green beans (drained) instead of carrots, simply what my family prefers. also added some dales marinade and garlic to meat.

My husband and I LOVED this dish. It smelled delicious while cooking and gave us 2.5 meals. I followed some of the suggestions that said to add garlic and worcestershire sauce to the ground beef. I also added 2 Tbsp of sour cream and some oregano to the mashed potatoes, with a sprinkling of paprika on top for color. Also, instead of using carrots, I put a layer of frozen peas on top of the ground beef before adding the mashed potatoes on top. SO delicious, I will be making it again very soon.

This was good. I added a package of brown gravy mix, frozen peas, carrots, bean, corn mixture, onion and about 1/4 cp of worsh sauce. It was yummy on a chilly night.

Instead of the chopped carrots, I mixed into the browned ground beef (didn't layer) a package of thawed mixed vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, carrots). And at the suggestion of some other reviewers, added some worcestershire sauce. Really enjoyed this hearty casserole.

Perfect just as is! :D

This is a good base to start from. I used Yukon Gold potatoes & had to add some milk to the mashed potatoes. Extra sharp cheddar worked well. I wanted a variety of vegetables so I sliced baby carrots and steamed them. Towards the end of the carrot cooking time, I added in frozen corn kernels followed by frozen peas. The vegetables were mixed into the meat mixture. The flavor was a bit bland for our tastes but the combination of flavors overall was still good.

This recipe is really good. I had never made shepherd's pie before. I had never even eaten it. It's just not something that was served in my house. However, when my extremely picky husband put in a request for me to make one, I had to find a recipe that would work the first time! The next time, I will reduce the amount of onions because I kinda felt like they overpowered some of the better flavors. I also added a can of peas (I hate the flavor of frozen peas) and a can of sweet corn. Gotta sneak in as many veggies as possible without crossing the line where my husband will actually try it. It went over so well! This will go into my regular dinner rotation. Another plus, is that I can make this in the morning before I go to work and my husband will throw it in the oven when he gets off work.

Just got done having this meal for dinner with friends and it turned out amazing. very simple and easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out very delicious. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe. I plan on making it again and again.

We loved this! As per other reviews, I skipped the beef broth and instead added 1 packet of gravy mix combined with 1 c. water. This made the sauce nice and thick & there was enough left in the pan to pour over each serving like a gravy. I also skipped the mashed carrot layer and instead put on about a 2 cup layer of frozen peas and carrots. You could use any frozen vegetable combination that your family loves. I also added 2 T. Worchestershire (sp?) sauce to the the browned hamburger at the same time as the ketcup and gravy mix and it really added a nice flavor to the meat...it wasn't just 'plain hamburger', as my husband said. We took this to an Olympics Opening Ceremony viewing party as our contribution to the London Food theme & everyone loved it!! Husband even told me to put this one 'in the rotation'...a major compliment! :)

Really loved this dish. The addition of the little bit of chopped onion and cheese to the potatoes adds so much flavor. I used a bag of frozen mixed vegetables instead of just the carrots and that really made it a breeze to make. My son thought it would also be great topped with biscuits instead of the potatoes. Next time, I will try that idea.

Very good, once a few changes are made. First, as others have suggested, I added 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce to the meat along with 2 cloves of minced garlic, however, i added it, AFTER I drained the meat. Also, I added one bag of frozen, mixed veggies and placed them directly on top of the meat mixture in the baking dish. I did not mix carrots with the mashed potatoes, I did however use instant because we prefer them to be lump free. GREAT recipe! Everyone always begs for more!!!

I loved the flavor of this recipe, but it did not have the gravy I expect from Sheperd's Pie. My kids and husband didn't like it because of the carrot layer. They prefer carrots in chunks so they can pick them out lol. However, I thought it was spectacular against the mashed potatoes. I'd mix the two if I could get away with it. I will keep the recipe, but will not be a regular around here.

I made this tonight, only altering the mashed potatoes to be instant (time constraints). I had some carrots that desperately needed to be used so I went ahead and mashed them in as suggested. Instead of beef broth, I only had bouillon, I ended up using 1.5 C water and 2 cubes to get the flavor I wanted (I had 2 lbs of meat). Also, I added 2 C of frozen corn to the beef mixture. It's really amazing. I had too much so I baked it in two casserole dishes. Adding some sour cream to mashed potatoes is always a great idea too. UPDATE 9/12: Making this with homemade potatoes adds exactly the improvement you'd expect. Made it for my fiance's birthday dinner tonight with homemade potatoes, 3 lbs of ground turkey, and added approx. 3/4 C of both frozen peas and frozen corn to the meat mix before baking. (Should've probably cooked the frozen veggies slightly longer on the stovetop before baking, but it was still amazing.) I love this recipe and with or without cheese it's just great. Real non-frozen carrots adds a lot.

so tasty, followed other reviews and added gravy mixed with water...a huge hit at my house.

This is the first shepherd's pie I've ever made that had a real "wow" factor. I followed the recipe almost exactly; the only revision was adding two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. My anticipation was that half would be leftover for lunches- but after my husband's second and third helpings, there wasn't any left! I really appreciate the from-scratch approach: although it might be tempting to cut corners by using other recipes' call for highly processed cream-of-whatever soup, your tastebuds will thank you for taking the time to make this comfort food the way it was meant to be prepared.

omg. so friggin delish! made a few changes: after cooking potatoes, i added the butter and onion and also sour cream and american cheese (only cuz i didnt have the other), but the sour cream helps!! i sauted garlic AnD onions before adding beef then added worcestershire sauce, ketchup, diced tomatoes, and a can of beef gravy after flour direction.. and instead of mashing carrots, i used frozen carrots, green beans, and corn and boiled. then transerred the meat to pan, then frozen veggies that i had flavored with butter and salt, then the mashed potatoes, and put more american cheese on top, lacking the cheddar.. mostly the same recipe but took advise of others and suited it to my tastes. everyone had seconds and some even thirds. but i will tell you that its a good idea to, per serving, add a couple drops of tobasco.. its awesome.

Excellent recipe just as is. This recipe is wonderful to make and put into single serving dishes to take to someone in need and it freezes well so double it up. Add whatever vegetables you like or keep them as a side dish if you aren't sure what the recipients like. My family likes garlic mashed potatoes so I add 3 cloves in with the potatoes when I boil them and cook them in any extra broth or a bouillon cube to enhance the flavor. Regarding the meat, season it to what pleases you but know what you are adding ( Ketchup =^ sugar, Worcheshire =^ salt, use cornstarch instead of flour to make it gluten free). This is an ultimate comfort food recipe especially served with apple crisp or pie. Mmmmm! Thanks Jacquie.

Oh my...this is the best hamburger meal I've made in quite some time. A few months ago we went to an Irish restaurant where my husband ordered Shepherd's Pie that was "horrible" in his opinion. I decided I'd look for a good homemade recipe. This was it! He said it was 10 times better than ANY he'd ever had. I read many of the reviews and added the Worchesteshire sauce, minced garlic, doubled the ketchup and used mixed frozen peas, carrots, and corn. I did not add the gravy mix because I thought the flour/beef broth would be fine. As I sauteed the meat mixture it was beautiful and very tasty. I made real mashed potatoes. I wanted to make smaller servings, so I divided mine into six single serving sized bowls. We ate some and froze the others for a quick tasty and healthy meal. THANKS Jacquie!!

This was a great recipe with the modifications suggested by other reviewers. My big time/cleanup savers: I cooked the onion right along with the meat (I used ground turkey), I used leftover garlic mashed potatoes, and I used canned/frozen veggies (I used Mexicorn and frozen peas, which I thawed in the microwave first). I doubled the gravy, which was definitely a good idea.. 4 Tb flour, 1 1/2 c water and 2 tsp beef broth base, probably 2 tsp Worcestershire (not 1/4 cup like other people said.. I don't like it that much.. a little goes a long way for me), and 1 Tb Montreal Steak Seasoning (which I might leave out next time, just because I don't like giving my toddler black pepper). I had to use a 2.5 qt oval casserole.. my round 2 qt wasn't big enough. I baked it as directed, then broiled it for a few minutes. My picky husband's first comment was 'It needs more pasta'. I have no idea what he thought he was eating.. but he said he liked it. :)

I've been making this for almost 5 years now and my husband and kids LOVE IT! I do it a bit differently but it still turns out delicious. Instead of mashing carrots....I do the meat as it says (I add garlic to it though and seasonings to my liking), then I add a small bag of frozen mixed veggies to it, spread it in the pan then top with mashed potatoes and cheese on top! This is a great meal and easy to prepare in advance too! ENJOY!

I betcha mine was better than all of yours! This was a definite make again and again and again and again.....

First, I want to share that a close friend from Dublin actually recommended this recipe to me as she thought it was one of the more authentic versions of this recipe. To fine tune the recipe a bit more, I used a little more meat (1 1/2 - 2lbs) and a little extra potato (5 large). I also added garlic and mushrooms when sauteeing the meat to give it a bit more flavor. I increased the amount of gravy and added worchestshire to taste and a bay leaf for simmering. I did not include the smashed carrots as I'm not a fan of the carrots-beef gravy flavor combination. Finally, I recommend baking longer or broiling the last 5 minutes to get a browned coating on top. Delicious!

I rated this five stars after a second try making this with my own personal changes. In England this would be known as Cottage Pie because it is made with beef, if made with lamb it becomes Shepherds pie. I skipped on the cheese since it is not traditional and also left out the ketchup substituting for worsteshire sauce and steak sauce since I could not find "brown" sauce. I trippled this recipe and my family devoured it. I also left out the oil and browned the ground beef first then sauted the onion in some of the drippings. Peas were also added to the mix. I used a typical packet of brown gravy and also a few boullion cubes in place of beef broth. The kids loved it even the picky eight year old. There is enough leftovers for my husband to take for lunch.

Such a wonderful recipe!! My family loved it. My sister does not eat carrots, so I left them out, and instead put one more potato. Mixing chopped onion into the potatoes made the potatoes really special. Instead of butter I used beef broth. It really was a wonderful meal, and did not have any left overs!!

Dont be scared to experiment...I added a top layer of Quinao Corn Bread: 1 cup quinoa meal, or flour 2 cups corn meal 1 tsp salt ½ tsp baking soda 1 ½ tsp baking powder 1 Tbs honey or brown sugar 1 large egg, beaten 3 Tbs melted butter or bacon fat 2-½ cups buttermilk Preheat oven to 425° degrees. Prepare quinoa meal by grinding raw quinoa in a blender, or use quinoa flour. Combine all dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Mix the two together. Bake in greased 9”x9” pan or greased muffin tin until golden (about 25 minutes). Serve hot, with lots of butter. For a spicier variation add a 4-oz can of chopped green chilies or jalapeno-and-tomato relish.

This was just eh, kinda blah, not much flavor and the mashed carrots with the mashed potatoes made it feel like baby food. Would not make this one again

my husband and i loved this!

This was really quick and tasty! Great for a weekday meal. My hubby said that he liked it and should make again! I did not mash my peas and carrots...just put in whole. I wish I would have had corn to add a little sweet veggie in there!

This is great tasting! I read a few of the reviews and the modifications the cooks made. I made only a few small modifications. I added 2 tablespoons of ketchup not one; I used a little smoked fontina cheese along with cheddar. I didn't peel the potatoes. I left the skins on so I would get more of the nutrients. When I make this again, I'm going to leave some of the water in the potatoes when I mash them. I did add a little milk to the potatoes because without it they wouldn't mash up as nicely. I think this dish is great and I'm so glad I made it. It is very economical. I'll have leftovers for a few days. Great comfort food.

I would just like start by saying to the two previous reviewers that ya'll are cracking me up. I am taking a history class right now and after a day of studying the revolutionary war and the events following it you guys ended it with a great laugh:) Well back to the pie. I followed it exactly except I added some garlic salt to the meat while it was cooking and we just didn't like it. Sorry but it was really bland and just not qiute to our liking but would probabley be a great dish for a meat and potato person.Sorry

My family really liked it. Instead of mashing the carrots, though, I cut them up, cooked them, then added them to the meat mixture in chunks. They were still a little on the crisp side when I took them out of the microwave, so I cooked them in the skillet with the meat a little first.

Excellent , easy dish. Boiled potaoes until just fork tender. Mashed with butter, garlic powder and about 1/3 cup of Ranch dressing. Seasoned with salt & pepper. Browned the beef and onion together, drained oil., added about 3 TBS flour. Made roux with beef broth and tsp. of browning sauce. Season to taste. Drain and mash carrots . Season with salt, pepper and butter. Layer beef, carrots then potatos. Top with shredded cheese or dot with butter . Heat at 350 for 25mins.

Not your typical dish. I followed the recipe exactly, contrary to what I knew. The picture shows what I want. I made it for my wife (her favorite) and she asked where were the peas and corn. Duh! The Ketchup made the beef sweet and took away the savory elements of it. I would have used a spice like thyme for the meat but i didn't. The end result was I got beef, carrots and potatoes. I would order the picture of the dish any day but I would never make this recipe again. It does provide 6 portions but since my wife won't eat it, I've got plenty of mediocre leftovers to stomach. Please adjust the recipe to your liking and omit the ketchup. It really made it taste like sweet meatloaf with stuff piled on top. I would give this a C- grade. I'm giving the author credit for atleast putting baseline steps online for others to use as a guide. Cook times and portions are accurate. Taste is not, even though it got high stars. You'll notice everyone changed the recipe and came out with a better result.

Awesome! Family loved it! followed the recipe exactly, only I used 1 cup of beef broth , added red bell pepper and 2 cloves of garlic to the onion.. thanks Jacquie! this is a keeper! In Chile we make something very similar, only we add sliced hard boiled eggs and black olives to the meat mixture (no ketchup either).. we spice the meat up with paprika, cumin and garlic. And no cheese or onion in the potatoes. Sugar is sprinkled on top and browned in the oven.. I know it may sound weird but it is really good!

This dish was AMAZING with a few changes that I made! I used potato flakes to make the mashed potatoes. I also added diced celery, red pepper and corn to the the carrots and mixed all the veggies into the beef before pouring it into the pan. For flavoring the beef, I also added 1.5 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and doubled the amount of ketchup. I also added a teaspoon of sugar to the beef to balance out the flavor of the beef and make it more well-rounded. Lastly and probably most importantly, I added a tablespoon of taco seasoning to the beef and that really gave it the flavor it needed! My mom reallyyy liked this dish and you will too if you add some additional flavoring for the beef!

I thought this was ok. It seemed a little bland for my taste and I did add a teaspoon or 2 of garlic salt. Not worth all the work it took and the multiple pans I had to use. Next time I might add a can of diced tomatoes to the ground beef and spice up the potatoes.

I just made this dish for the first time and I thought it was pretty good. I added 1/4 cup of worcestershire sauce and substituted the broth for 1 cup of water with 1 packet of beef gravy. Instead of the carrots I added a 1 1/2 of frozen mixed veges as well. Nice hearty meal. :-)

This is a good recipe that I will make again and perfect. I only gave it 4 stars because I think that it alone is not 5 star...it's good with some modifications. Last night I followed the recommendations of others and used worsteshire sauce and brown gravy mix. I also upped the ketchup to 2 T. My own personal modifications were, when I made the mashed potatoes, I used 5 large russets...and when I mashed them, I added 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter. I did not add the onions, but did add the cheese. They turned out GREAT. With the carrots, I did boil them for the time suggested, but I did not mash them. I will make this again...and my picky husband actually liked this. He hates casseroles of all kinds. Next time I make it though, I will NOT add the worsteshire sauce and maybe not even the ketchup. I did NOT like the sweet flavor that those two ingredients gave the beef. Next time, for the beef, I will just sautee garlic and onions in butter, like before, then when the beef is browned, add the flour...but will try only using the brown gravy mix with water...I also had to add more water to the gravy mix, so next time I will go with 1.5 cups and increase it to 2 if needed. This is a good recipe with the modifications made.

Very good and relatively easy. I used the frozen mashed potatoes, which made it a little easier. I would increase the liquid just a little, so it is a little more moist. The last few minutes I turned on the broiler to make the top nice & crispy.

I changed it up a bit based on what I had handy...one carrot instead of 5, a bag of peas, no ketchup. Sauteed carrot and onion in pan with a little chopped celery/celery leaves and 3 cloves garlic in olive oil, added garlic, then added Laura's lean ground beef and browned. Added worchestire (about 20 shakes), 1/2-3/4 cup red wine. powdered beef boullion, water, and a half packet powdered mushroom gravy mix. Black pepper. Put in casserole and topped with Country Crock premade garlic mashed potatoes (in refrig. section) and mexican blend chees (cheddar and some white cheeses. Omitted the chopped onion topping. OMG, it was so good!!!!!!!! Seriously out of this world, and EASY!

Great recipe! Made it for dinner last night and it was a hit! I added a bit of chopped fresh garlic to my potatoes and a tablespoon of Worcestershire to the beef mixture. To simplify I used a bag of frozen mixed veges - partially thawed.

Very good meal. I used fresh peas and carrots from my garden. I also made beef gravy with a little butter, flour and beef stock. I added it to the beef-veggie mix! So good that everyone in my family had seconds!

I've searched and made so many others and they were always a liquidy mess! But this recipe is perfect!! I took other's suggestions and used frozen peas & carrots, so much easier! I just poured them evenly over the meat leaving them frozen. It gave the dish a bang of flavor and color, then, i didn't have worceshiere sauce, so i used about a tsp of A1 steak sauce, perfect!! This will become a weekly meal. Thank you!!

This was a BIG hit!! I love the carrots, rather than creamed corn.

My men went nuts over this and there wasn't a drop left! I added 1/4 C worchestershire (which was a little too much IMHO) and some steak seasoning to the beef before cooking. Otherwise, used as is.

I make shepherds pie often and this is officially my new recipe. I altered the recipe some by taking advise from SCIOTA and adding 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce and using brown gravy mix and water in place of the beef broth. I replaced the carrots with corn and added more onion and cheese to the potatoes(cause whats better than potatoes with cheese)! YUM

This for me is the epitome of comfort food. I won't be making it any other way from now on- thanks!

Loved this recipe! It is economical, satisfying and perfect for a cool fall evening. On the recommendations of others, I made a few slight changes. I diced and boiled the carrots, but didn't mash them afterwards. I added 3 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce to the hamburger before cooking and used 2 tbsp of ketchup. Finally, I sprinkled paprika on the completed dish before baking. Other than that, I followed the recipe and it was superb.

This is a five-star recipe in my house. My husband (the pickiest eater ever) loves it and so does everyone that I've made it for. I tweak the original recipe slightly to make mine. I always double the recipe. I use instant potatoes instead of boiling my own for time, add a handful of shredded cheddar and set to the side. Then I brown onions and add the meat when they're nearly carmelized. I add worcestershire sauce while the meat is cooking (enough that you can easily smell it). Then I add three tablespoons of ketchup and four tablespoons of flour. When incorporated, add two packets of brown gravy mix and two cups cold water. Makes a nice rich gravy for the potatoes. Pour the meat into a baking dish, top with canned corn and peas, potatoes on top of that and a nice sprinkling of cheddar on top. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. It is absolutely delish!

This is the first shepherd's pie that I've tried to make and it was great! I followed the directions exactly but instead of the mashed carrots I used (thawed) frozen mixed veggies, and instead of the cheddar cheese I used a 5 cheese Italian blend because it's all I had on hand. This all worked out really well, although I'm sure the cheddar would have made it even better. :) I will definitely make this again and when I do I think I'll try using tomato paste in exchange for the ketchup because the bf and I both agreed that the ketchup lent a little too much sweetness to the dish. Overall, this was great, easy, tasty, home-y, and filling!

I decided to make this because I had 1 1b of ground beef and I wanted to try something different. I picked this shepherds pie because it had no canned ingredients and a reviewer said it tasted the most authentic. I have never made shepherds pie. I thought the components separately had a good taste, especially the potato mixture. I might even make the potato topping alone as a side dish. But, after it was all baked, together in the oven, it tasted some what "bland," and the ingredients almost seemed like 3 separate components. It might be because of the lack of a gravy or sauce in this dish. However, one of the people I served it to seemed to really like it, and said it was way better tasting than any he had eaten before.

this shepherd's pie is time consuming but the results are very tasty! i used farm fresh potatoes, carrots & garlic (1 tsp. chopped & sauteed) which was a nice touch. i also put a shot of worchestershire sauce in with the beef broth & catsup. next time i'll increase the gravy mixture & flour by 50% to make it juicier. thank you for the yummy recipe, jacquie!

fantastic recipe! I typicaly dont like this type of combonaton of food but it turned out very tasty and i will make it again...The secret is the homemade mashed potatoes with the onions and cheese in it...

Followed the suggestions for using a packet of brown gravy. We added frozen peas, fresh mushrooms, 1/4 cup of red wine, and about 1 Tbsp dried parsley. Amazing! One of our favorite family meals!

Love the addition of the layer of mashed carrots. It gave this old favourite dish such a unique flavour. I've tried a number of different Shepherd's Pie recipies, but this is by far my favourite. A definite keeper. Many thanks for sharing!

This recipe in its description talks about carrots yet there are none in the recipe. What's with that?

This was pretty good. Just thought the gravy was a little bland, but it was a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving potatoes.

Great recipe, except I did change it up a bit (used tips from other reviewers). Added worchestershire, A1, garlic powder and onion powder to ground beef. I also added more flour and more beef broth to make it 'creamier', which worked. I didn't use any ketchup, I didn't think it needed it. I omitted the carrots, because we don't like them, and used canned corn instead, which was just fine. I also made the potatoes creamier by adding more butter and some milk before whipping. Overall this is a wonderful recipe and my husband remarked on how much he liked it compared to the "boring" shepards pie that we usually try. I'll make this one again and again!

Pretty darn good shepherd's pie (IMHO). It could have been more flavorful, but b/c it is so filling & simple to prepare, it's being added to my "keeper" file. Made this for dinner last night. My bf liked it, but he too had some suggestions for adding flavor. Here's what I did & what I'd recommend changing: a) followed reviewer Nicole's recommendation to add 2 T flour / katsup / worcestershire sauce, 1 pkg. beef gravy mix & 1 c. beef broth to the beef / onion mix. & simmered for 10 min., b) instead of sauteeing my onions in oil prior to adding the beef, I just threw them in with the meat, d) prepared a pkg. of instant garlic mashed potatoes (didn't have enough time to do it the 'ol fashion way), e) added approx. 2 T finely chopped onion & 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese to the potatoes & f) subbed 8 oz. frozen peas & carrots for the mashed carrot called for. To improve the outcome next time I'd a) saute the onionis in oil BEFORE adding to the meat (the onions need to saute in the oil to soften - they were a bit crunchy!), b) allow my meat mix. come to a boil first (or simmer longer to thicken more - my pie was a bit runny), c) maybe use 2 pkg. instant potatoes (there was too much meat vs. potato) and d) broil the casserole for a few min. to brown the cheesy top - YUM! Served w/ Buttered Biscuits (by Debbie Rowe) and a cold glass of milk. Thx. for sharing!

This is a great starter. The second time I made it I "improved" it for our tastes and what I had on hand. I browned the meat with onions and a little Worchestershire sauce. I heated up frozen green beans, carrots and corn to add for the layer between meat and potatoes. My husband HATES peas so none of those! I took some others advice and added a packet of brown gravy mix to the browned meat after the flour and added 3/4 c. water. I also added some diced onion and mushrooms. I did the real potatoes but also added an instant package of cheddar and sour cream potatoes. That was delicious!! I have 2 teenage boys and between them and my husband there were NO leftovers!! They loved it! This is a great recipe to play with and SO filling!! Much better than the one my mom used to make! This is a keeper!

AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved all of it except the cheese on top and it was really simple! I totally recomend this!

My kids LOVED this!!This was really good, even tho we had to do a few substitutes. I found I only had two small carrots after I already started, so instead I grabbed two cans of kernel corn, drained (not mashed!)and used instead of carrots. I forgot to add the onion in with the mashed potatoes, and my 'lil helpers' ate all the grated cheese as I was mashing the potatoes, so we went with out cheese. But over-all, it was really good! I was surprised, and I don't think i will add the onions in with the potatoes next time we try this, and we will stick with the corn too. This is a kid friendly meal!

Delicious! Although I add a can of corn and peas to the ground beef mixture! Thank you very much!

The best shepards pie I have ever tried in restraunts or making. Worth the time it took making

Solid addition to the weekly dinner selection. Leftovers are easy and delicious the next day. One point I found is that the 50 minute prep to table time is way off, add about 30 minutes for the average chef and another 20 if you've limited pots and pans.

It was really good but I'm thinking it took longer than 30 minutes to prepare. But I may be a little slower than some. I had to add milk to the mashed potatoes because there was no way they were going on top the way it called for in the recipe, they were way too stiff. I am anxious to try this again, however the next time I am going to add some chives to the mashed potatoes and corn, peas, worcestershire, garlic and maybe a splash or two of hot sauce. Don't get me wrong it was a good recipe however I think it could be a great recipe with a few adjustments.

OK, well my husband licked his plate! I made this with some adaptations others have suggested as well as my own. I used a package of gravy mix, Worcestershire sauce, a bit of soy sauce, thyme, and oregano. I used the flour as well as the gravy mix and found I had to add more water. Next time no flour.

Although Shepherd's Pie was originated in England, it is a very common dish made by Brazilian housekeepers. The carrots and beef brouilon add quite a delicious touch to this recipe. My mashed potato recipe was used instead: 4 large potatoes, smashed. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, a little less than 1 cup sour cream, salt to taste, and 2 tablespoons finely diced purple onion. To assemble the pie like Brazilians do, put half of the mashed potatoes on the bottom of the casserole pot, then the meat mixture, than the smashed carrots, then the remaining mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. NOTE: you may want to add 1-2 more teaspoons of powdered beef brouilon to the meat mixture.

If I could I would give this no stars. It was very bland tasting, and the amount salt we had to add to it to give it some flavor was enough to give us all heart attacks. I had such high hopes for this recipe, what a let down.

I made this for dinner last week. Compared to another Shepherd's Pie version I made from this site in the past. The one I made last week was a huge improvement, and tantalizing to the taste buds. Since I'm not big on carrots I substituted the carrots for frozen corn. Let me tell you this recipe when it was finished cooking, was to die for. Since I like to gorge myself on the rare occasion that I actually cook, I doubled the ground beef to 4 pounds, and added more potatoes to mash, I also added some Lawry's salt seasoning to the ground beef while it was cooking on the stove. Wish I would of added some worcestershire sauce to the meat while it was cooking. I think that would of added some nice flavor to the meat. Definitely next time. Overall this recipe was great. I'm definitely going to make this again.

OMG I have made this RECIPE almost seventy times, LITERALLY! It tastes 100% almost exactly like what you would get at an Irish Pub. Wifey-poo loves it when I make this, and when the innies (it's what we call the in-laws) come for a visit I make sure to make a double batch to ensure enough grub for all!!!! LOL!!! I've changed this 5-STAR RECIPE a little bit to make it worth 5-stars. First, instead of beef I use ground lamb (c'mon, if it was beef, it'd be COTTAGE PIE, LOL!!) I like to do a brown butter mashed potato/parsnip mixture instead of the straight ahead 'tatos. Simmer the butter on low-med for 15 or so minutes AND THEN ADD the BOILED potatoes and parsnips to the mix. Make's 'em so much more tasty. Instead of ketchup, I reduce tomato paste with Guinness and worchesterchisire sauce and add that to the lamb mix. And I don't do the carrot mash, instead adding FROZEN corn. BUT I DO ADD FRESH THYME TO BOTH THE POTATOES AND THE MEAT MIXTURE Also instead of beef I use turkey. I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!

yummy! This was incredibly simple to make and really delicious and saucy! i added a little more flour, ketchup and broth since I love it nice and saucy, and it came out awesome. I also did one can of creamed corn and 2 ears of shucked fresh corn (mixed together in a bowl) and used that as the veggies instead of carrot and it had a great sweet flavor. Total fall staple!

I really have to comment on this. It's delicious, easy and so what if it is called cottage pie in some places? It doesn't detract from the original if you add something that your family enjoys or if you don't like ketchup in it. This is a recipe sharing site, not a chef critique. If you make enough changes and think they are better, then post your own recipe instead of disparaging the original poster. Well done, Jacquie. I did change a few things because of what I had on hand, but it was a great inspiration for a cold winter night dinner. Good on ya. :>)

This is a great healthy recipe why add all those processed ingredients which add so much more unwanted salt. Beef broth and ketchup is fine if you like more gravy like then put 1tbs of flour when you cook the onions and meat. I boil my potatoes with yams all the time. I usually make two since it freezes so well. Make both, eat one, the other in the fridge overnight, then cut it in portions and freeze it.. great for college kids(have two of those hungry animals) and they love it...enjoy..

this was good, but i prefer more vegetables in my shepherd's pie. i added corn and peas and left the carrots unmashed. it was good this way!

I think this might literally be the best recipe I have made from this site, ever. I was looking for weeknight comfort food on a budget, and for that, it's hard to top this! I did change the recipe slightly. I used 2 deep dish 9 inch pie crusts instead of a casserole dish. I added a bag of frozen peas (steamed) to mix with the carrots. I also doubled the shredded cheese. This is truly delicious and heartwarming, and easy! Highly recommend.

People seem more likely to give this 5 stars if they follow the recipe exactly so that's what I tried to do. Serve your peas or corn on the side just to be safe. But I had no flour so I used some sour cream to thicken the meat like I do with stroganoff, and it was divine. A huge hit with those who are not fans of traditional Shepherd's pie as well as those who are.

Very good. I added cream of mushroom soup to the beef.

This really is a great starter recipe for Shepherd's Pie. I made it on St. Patty's and have had it requested by friends and family a couple of times since. I followed a couple of the other reviews, adding 1/4 c Worcestershire to the meat while it cooked, tossing a package of brown gravy mix in after the flour, and substituting a package (8 or 12 oz) of frozen peas and carrots for the laborious boiling and mashing of the carrots. I added 4 cloves of garlic to the onions while they sauteed, added 2 tsp each of savory and thyme to the meat after it had browned, and substituted a cup of Guinness for the beef broth. I added a can of drained corn to the vegetables before layering them in the pie. Edit: Make sure to cook it long enough for the peas and carrots to have no more than the desired amount of tooth. If you like them both soft, you might par-cook them in a bowl in the microwave before adding them to the pie.

To the ground turkey I added dry onion soup mix 2 tbl of ketchup, 2 tbls. flour and 1/4 cup Worcestershire and spices. Then added a packet of brown gravy mix with 1 cup of water. 10 minutes before its done added cheddar cheese to the to....hint if adding carrots cook them a little first

Added worchestershire to beef after draining to add flavor, and before adding the broth & ketchup. Oh, and added cooked sliced carrots and sweet peas instead of mashed carrots. Veryyyyy good!

Great recipe. Definite comfort food. Took some suggestions of other reviewers. I also used 1/4 c worschestire sauce in the meat. Sauteed meat with 1/4 c onions and 2 pressed garlic cloves. Mixed in separate bowl one packet brown gravy mix and 1 c water. Added gravy mix and 2 tbl ketchup to meat/onion/garlic. Boiled potatoes and carrots in same pot to save time. Didnt mash carrots. Mashed potatoes with 1/4c sour cream and about 3 tbl milk. Layered in pie dish meat mixture on bottom, sliced carrots, mashed potatoes, and then topped with cheese. Great flavor and made the house smell great. Fiance loved it and insists I make it often. :-)

Delicious! I added some mushrooms and seasonings for my tastes and it turned out great! Will definitely add to my repertoire.