My mom's easy Shepherd's Pie recipe is really an easy one dish recipe to make. It contains a good blend of carbo, protein and veggies. Shepherd's Pie is also commonly referred to as Cottage Pie, depending on which part of the world you're in.

In England, Shepherd's Pie is traditionally cooked with ground lamb, whereas in the US, Australia and New Zealand, it is more commonly known as Cottage Pie and is usually cooked with ground beef. Whatever the name, the common factor in the dish is the use of baked mash potatoes as the "crust" on top of the meat filling.

This easy Shepherd's Pie recipe uses ground beef and is our family favorite easy one dish meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

1 1/2 lb ground topside beef
1 large onion, chopped up
2 lbs potatoes (5 large)
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup canned champignons, sliced or quartered
1/4 C milk
1/2 C water
3 Tbs butter
3 Tbs vegetable oil
5 black pepper corns
2 cloves
Salt, pepper
1 tsp dark soy sauce

HOW TO MAKE IT:

Making the Mashed Potato:
Peel and quarter the potatoes.
Boil in water for about 20 - 25 minutes, until you are able to poke through the potato easily with a fork.
Remove from water and allow potatoes to cool.
Mash potatoes in a large bowl with a potato masher or a fork.
Add the milk and butter in gradually.
Blend in until the mash becomes a smooth consistency.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Making the Meat Filling:
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan.
Saute the clove and black pepper corns for a few minutes.
Next, add the onions and carrots.
Saute till the onions and carrots are soft.
Add the ground beef.
Stir fry till beef turns light brown.
Add the dark soy sauce for color.
Add the green peas and champignons.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add water and allow to simmer for about 10 mins.
Add more water if needed so that there is some gravy and the beef does not dry out.

Making the Pie:
Transfer the meat filling to a baking dish and level it out so that the filling covers the entire base of the dish.
Next, add the mash on top of the meat filling and spread it out with the back of a spoon (do not press the mash down into the filling otherwise too much gravy will seep into the mash).
Use a fork to rough up the surface of the mash. (You can even carve your initial on the surface of the mash to "personalize" your dish).
Baste the mash with a little butter and sprinkle the bread crumbs on top.
Bake in oven on max heat for about 15 mins or until the potato crust turns golden brown and slightly crispy.


This easy Shepherd's Pie recipe is a good dish to start with if you're a beginner cook. It looks like an impressive dish so your guests will be delighted, yet this is really a simple dish to make even if this is your first time cooking. Looks can be deceiving! :)

The good thing about Shepherd's Pie is that it is also a great dish to keep for a leftover meal. All you need to do is just pop it back into a toaster oven for 10 minutes or microwave it for a few minutes before having it again. 

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