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This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
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4.84 from 6 votes

Easy Shepherd's Pie - An Old Fashioned Shepherd's Pie Recipe

This family-favorite meal uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy shepherd's pie, ground beef shepherd's pie, old fashioned shepherd's pie, shepherd's pie with ground beef, shepherd's pie with instant potatoes
Servings: 6
Author: Megan

Ingredients

  • 22 to 24 oz. mashed potatoes real, refrigerated, frozen, dried - your choice
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 small onion chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 cup carrots sliced (we use baby carrots)
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt divided (may omit salt in potatoes if using pre-cooked mashed potatoes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper divided
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 large egg slightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup 2 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
  • Garnish: chopped parsley optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Cook potatoes according to package directions; set aside.
  • Brown beef and onion (optional) in a skillet on medium-high heat.
    This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
  • Drain and put back in skillet with carrots over medium-high heat.
  • Stir in flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
    This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
  • Add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
    This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
  • Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11 x 7-inch (or 9 x 9 inch) glass backing dish.
    This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine mashed potatoes, egg, 1 teaspoon salt (optional) and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. If using pre-cooked mashed potatoes, you may want to taste potatoes before adding the egg to see how they are seasoned. If they are already salted appropriately, you can omit the salt.
    This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
  • Spoon over beef mixture and smooth evenly across the dish.
    This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
  • Bake for 25 minutes.
    This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
  • Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes.
    This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.
  • Let sit for 10 minutes to thicken before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
    This old fashioned shepherd's pie recipe uses ground beef and your favorite vegetables. To make it fast and simple, use pre-cooked mashed potatoes to quickly whip up this Easy Shepherd's Pie for a dinner that your entire family will love.

Notes

  • If using the 4-5 oz. dried mashed potato packets, you may want to use 2 packages for a thick covering.
  • If you don't have an 11 x 7 baking dish, use any 2 or 3 quart baking dish. Or separate into smaller baking dishes.
  • This recipe is easy to double or triple.  If doubling the recipe, use a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. 
  • Try our French Onion Shepherd Pie if you want a new version to try. 
  • Looking for more ground beef recipes? Try our Spaghetti Pie and Easy Taco Salad.