30 Minute Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Shepherd’s Pie has always been one of my favorite meals. It’s one of those dishes that everyone in the family loves kind of like my Chicken and Dumplings. This is the Shepherds Pie recipe that my mom made growing up with a few tweaks I’ve added over the years! I’ve even updated this with instructions for the Instant Pot.

In fact today when the nieces came over (after they had already eaten their own dinner) they begged for some of my Shepherd’s Pie claiming it was their favorite. I’m happy to report that Teddy and the hubby also gobbled down their servings.

And as a bonus with Pi Day and St. Patrick’s Day coming up this easy 30 minute Shepherd’s Pie recipe will help you be totally festive without any of the stress of some of those more involved recipes.

30 Minute Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Find the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post! 

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. ground beef
• 1 packet brown gravy mix
• 1 carton mushrooms (optional)
• 1/2 C red wine (can substitute beef broth)
• 1/4 onion
• 2-3 medium carrots (optional)
• 3-4 medium potatoes
• 1 tsp garlic chopped
• 1 can corn drained
• 2 C milk warmed
• 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start boiling your potatoes to make the potato layer. You want your potatoes to be fork tender. You can even use your instant pot to do this if you want!

While that get’s going make the beef layer. Brown the ground beef, onions, and carrots and mushrooms if you are using them. Once the beef is cooked add in the gravy mix and milk heat until it thickens. Next add in your read wine and cooked to reduce for a few minutes.

Make your potatoes layer by mashing the cooked potatoes together with heated butter and milk. Then start building your layers. Start by spraying your dish with some spray oil. 

Next add the meat layer. Then top with the drained corn. Next spoon the mashed potatoes in even spaces gently spread being careful not to pull the corn layer up as you go.

Finally sprinkle with parmesan cheese. I didn’t always do this (my mom doesn’t do this) but I love the extra layer of flavor it adds to the recipe and it really helps the top to brown beautifully once you put it under the broiler.

If you’re prepping it all in one go just stick it under the broiler to brown the top. If you want you can finish it with some parsley and it’s good to go. Also a bonus, this reheats and freezes beautifully!

Alternatively you can cover the Shepherd’s Pie with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat it.

I made mine last night and then today baked it at 400F for about 20 minutes just until everything was hot inside and then I broiled it to get the cheese delicious and browned. You don’t need to preheat the over just stick it in there.

I almost always make a double recipe and free one dish once it’s assembled, before the broiling step.

It’s a perfect dish to keep in the freezer for those nights you just don’t feel like doing anything or the next time a friend is sick or has a new baby in the house.

How to Make Instant Pot Shepherd’s Pie

I love using my Instant Pot. It saves on cleaning and heating the oven. You definitely can make shepherd’s pie in the pressure cooker! You’ll use the same basics. I’ve done it loads of times and it’s actually my favorite way to do it!

1. Brown the beef gravy mixture on sautéed in the pot. Add in mushrooms if you are doing that.
2. Pour into your serving dish. If you want to brown it the Instant Pot with the crisping lid be sure to use a round dish that fits in your pot alternatively you can put it under the broiler.
3. Top with corn.
4. Add 1 C water to your instant pot (no need to clean it) on a rack cooke your cut up potatoes for 8 minutes and quick release. Drain the water.
5. Continue making the mashed potato layer as instructed in the recipe above using the sautéed mode in the instant pot.
6. Scoop potatoes out and finish layering according to there recipe.
7. Broil or place back in the Instant Pot underneath a crisping lid!

So easy right!?

30 Minute Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Course Main Course

The best shepherd's pie recipe. So quick and easy. Great addition for St. Patrick's Day and Pi Day celebrations.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 1 lbs. ground beef
• 1 packet brown gravy mix
• 1 carton mushrooms optional
• 1/2 C red wine can substitute beef broth
• 1/4 onion
• 2-3 medium carrots optional
• 3-4 medium potatoes
• 1 tsp garlic chopped
• 1 can corn drained
• 2 C milk warmed
• 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cut the potatoes into cubes and boil until tender to a fork.
• In a separate skillet while the potatoes are cooking chop the carrots (if using) and onions into bite sized pieces and cook with the ground beef until beef is almost browned.
• Quarter the mushrooms and add into the beef mixure if using.
• Add in gravy packet and 1 C milk. Still over heat until thickened.
• Add red wine and cook the alcohol off (this is optional but I like the extra depth of flavor it adds) If you don't do alcohol or don't have any on hand feel free to omit or substitute with beef broth.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Once the potatoes are cooked drain and set aside.
• In the pot the potatoes were cooked in melt butter, add garlic and milk to heat.
• Add potatoes back in and mash and stir.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour your beef mixture into an greased oven proof dish (I like to use a 8×8 glass casserole dish or a bread pan).
• Next pour your corn on top of the beef layer.
• Spoon your potatoes on top of the corn.
• Finally sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese.
• Broil until the cheese layer is golden brown. Serve with pride.

Notes

• This can be made ahead. Either save it in the refrigerator and cook later (about 20 minutes at 400 F or until heated through). It can also be frozen for a later date. 
• If you have leftover mashed potatoes from a different meal free free to use those or use your own favorite mashed potatoes recipe for the potato layer.
• I always use corn in mine but I often will leave out the carrots and mushroom just depending on who I'm feeding and how I feel. When I do that I do not add anything else in.
• This recipe  makes 4 adult servings but can easily be doubled to serve more. Or divided to make less although instead of making less I'd probably portion out into containers to freeze for a later date!

Make it in the Instant Pot

You'll use the same basics. I've done it loads of times and it's actually my favorite way to do it!

1. Brown the beef gravy mixture on sautéed in the pot. Add in mushrooms if you are doing that.
2. Pour into your serving dish. If you want to brown it the Instant Pot with the crisping lid be sure to use a round dish that fits in your pot alternatively you can put it under the broiler.
3. Top with corn.
4. Add 1 C water to your instant pot (no need to clean it) on a rack cooke your cut up potatoes for 8 minutes and quick release. Drain the water.
5. Continue making the mashed potato layer as instructed in the recipe above using the sautéed mode in the instant pot.
6. Scoop potatoes out and finish layering according to there recipe.
7. Broil or place back in the Instant Pot underneath a crisping lid!

So easy right!?

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