No-Bake Shepherd's Pie

A no-bake take on a classic casserole, this Shepherd's Pie recipe comes together quickly and easily thanks to frozen vegetables and a stovetop cooking method. The rich, veggie packed ground meat filling is topped with creamy mashed potatoes for a wholesome and flavorful St. Patrick's Day or weeknight dinner.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Leftovers and Storage
• Make it Your Own
• Serving Ideas
• Tips for the Best No Bake Shepherd's Pie
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Recipe Card
• Comments

Growing up, Shepherd's Pie was one of the dinners I most looked forward to my mom making.

I mean, what's not to love? A scrumptious meat filling topped with a thick layer of mashed potatoes (I could live off of mashed potatoes!).

While what we had was actually "Cottage Pie", we tended to use the two names interchangeably.

The difference between Cottage and Shepherd's Pie is the type of meat used. Traditionally, cottage is made with ground beef while shepherd's is ground lamb.

But since you can find recipes for this meat pie made with ground turkey, chicken and even lentils as well as topped with sweet potatoes, I think it is safe to say that there are a lot of twists to the traditional version.

Today's twist uses lean ground beef (though you can use lamb or even turkey as I have many times), is packed with some extra vegetables (including some hidden cauliflower in the filling) and includes my secret ingredient for an extra flavor packed sauce- balsamic vinegar.

The other thing that makes this a bit different is that it is cooked completely on the stove- which saves some time and is great for days when you don't want to turn on the oven.

So let's get to making some skillet Shepherd's pie, shall we?

The Ingredients

• Russet Potatoes- If you'd like to use a different type of potato, you can but I find that Russets turn into the fluffiest mashed potatoes. Yukon golds would be my second choice.
• Cauliflower- I love adding some cauliflower to mashed potatoes for an extra serving of vegetables (that often goes unnoticed by pickier eaters). I often add it to the potatoes in Swedish meatballs as well.
  • If you prefer, you can replace them with a extra potatoes.
  • Or, for a lower carb option, you can replace all of the potatoes with mashed cauliflower.
• Butter- Butter adds great flavor to mashed potatoes. If you would prefer to make it without butter you can use Greek yogurt like I do in these mashed potatoes or sub good quality extra virgin olive oil for dairy free.
• Lean Ground Beef- I highly recommend using extra lean ground beef for this recipe so that your filling doesn't end up being too greasy. If you prefer, you can use ground lamb or ground turkey.
• Yellow Onion- You can use white onion instead.
• Garlic- If needed, you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder in place of fresh garlic cloves.
• Mixed Vegetables- For ease, I like to use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. Carrots, corn and peas would be most typical but sometimes I add green beans, zucchini or even mushrooms too. If you'd like to use fresh, chopped vegetables, that will work as well.
• Thyme- If you have fresh, you can use 1 tablespoon (about 2 sprigs) chopped instead.
• Tomato Paste- A little bit of tomato paste adds richness to the filling.
• Balsamic Vinegar- Several recipes for Shepherd's pie call for Worcestershire sauce, but I prefer to use balsamic vinegar for depth of flavor. If you prefer, you can use Worcestershire sauce instead or red wine vinegar.
• Sea Salt- Table or kosher salt will work as well- adjust to taste.
• Black Pepper
• Water- Just a little in the filling makes it more saucy and gravy-like. For extra flavor, you can use beef broth.

The Method

1. Make Potatoes. Add the potatoes and cauliflower to a large pot and fill with enough water to cover them by 1 inch.

Cover and bring to a boil, remove the lid and then reduce the heat to keep it at a low simmer so that they don't boil over. Cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender.

Reserve 1 cup of the potato water and then drain the rest of the water off.

Use a hand masher and mash the potato chunks until nearly smooth. Then add in the butter, salt, pepper and ¼ cup of the reserved potato water.

Mix and add additional potato water as needed and then set aside.

2. Brown Meat. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring and crumbling, until cooked through. Drain excess grease if needed.

3. Sauté Aromatics. Add the onion to the pan with the meat and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the tomato paste, vinegar, seasonings and vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes.

4. Top with Potatoes. Spread the meat mixture out evenly in the skillet. Scoop the mashed potato mixture over top and spread into an even layer.

5. Simmer. Cover with a lid (or a baking sheet if you don't have a lid that fits), reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 10-15 minutes until the filling is bubbling up into the potatoes and everything is heated through.

6. Serve.

Leftovers and Storage

To Store: Store leftover no-bake shepherd's pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To Freeze: Leftover cottage pie can also be frozen for up to 3 months. However, note that freezing does slightly impact the texture of the mashed potatoes.

To Reheat: If assembled in an oven-safe skillet, the whole pie can be covered with tin foil and then reheated in the oven at 350 F for 30-40 minutes. Individual portions can also be heated in the oven (for about 15-20 minutes) or rewarmed in the microwave.

Make it Your Own

• Make it Cheesy- If you'd like to include cheese, you can mix 1 cup of shredded cheese into the mashed potatoes. I like white cheddar best. You can also add ¼ cup of grated parmesan.
• Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie- Take a note from this cottage pie recipe and use sweet potatoes in place of the potatoes (and cauliflower).
• Swap the Vegetables- While carrots, peas and corn are classic, you can make this with whatever you want. Some other veggies I like including are:
  • Green Beans
  • Zucchini
  • Bell Peppers
  • Mushrooms
• Use a Different Meat- While the recipe is written with ground beef (technically cottage pie), you can use ground lamb for a more classic Shepherd's pie or even ground turkey or chicken.

Serving Ideas

No-bake Shepherd's pie is a great all in one meal on it's own (just like Skillet Chicken and Potatoes) but if you'd like to serve it with a side, here are some great options!

• Vegetables: Sautéed Green Beans and Butternut Squash are both delicious.
• Salad: Such as a simple Spinach Salad.
• Bread: A slice of Honey Oat Bread or Sourdough Garlic Toast would be scrumptious.
• Dessert: Finish off your comfort food meal with a classic dessert such as Apple Crumble or Butter Tart Bars.

Tips for the Best No Bake Shepherd's Pie

• Don't Overmash the Potatoes- Mash the potatoes until light and fluffy and then stop. If you mash them too much, they will turn gummy which no one wants.
• Use Extra Lean Ground Beef- Avoid an overly greasy meat pie by using lean meat and draining excess grease if needed.
• Save Time with Frozen Veggies- Use frozen veggies for both the filling and the cauliflower (in the potatoes) mixture to save chopping. No need to thaw first.
• Add Balsamic Vinegar- This is my secret ingredient in the sauce- just a little bit adds so much flavor.

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And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• Buffalo Chicken and Potato Casserole
• Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
• Turkey Shepherd's Pie

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