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You can 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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4.75 from 4 votes

Easy Shepherd's Pie

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, shepherd's pie with ground beef
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.
  • Drain and put back in skillet with carrots over medium-high heat.
  • Stir in flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
  • Add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  • Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11 x 7-inch glass backing dish.
  • 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.
  • Spoon over beef mixture and smooth evenly across the dish.
  • Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes.
  • Garnish with parsley if desired.

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.
  • 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.