Cast-Iron Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

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Delicious cast-iron shepherd’s pie: a savory layer of ground meat and vegetables topped with cheesy mashed potatoes, then baked in the skillet. Classic comfort food at its best.

The cast-iron skillet shepherd’s pie is a complete meal cooked in a skillet: meat, gravy, and mashed potatoes layered together to produce the most comforting and flavorful dish possible. This an easy recipe that your whole family will love!

Try more of our comforting casseroles, for instance, Healthy Broccoli Potato Casserole, Mushroom Polenta Casserole (with Cheese), Meatball Potato Casserole, or Ground Beef Cauliflower Casserole.

What is shepherd’s pie?

A savory pie made with minced lamb and topped with mashed potatoes. While a traditional shepherd’s pie recipe is made with lamb, cottage pie is pretty much the same dish made with minced beef.

You have the choice here; you can make this recipe with lamb and call it shepherd’s pie or with beef and call it cottage pie.

My favorite version is the one made with lamb. However, I often make the beef version as ground lamb is not as easily available as ground beef.

What is the best about this recipe?

You will only need one cast-iron skillet to make the meat filling and one pot for boiling and mashing the potatoes. There is no need for an extra casserole dish to transfer the filling to it. So no extra dish to clean after the meal.

Recipe ingredients

• Ground lamb or ground beef, the choice is yours. The nutrition is calculated for the lamb version.
  • Ground turkey, chicken, pork, or venison are also great if you prefer them. Not genuine, but tasty, and should you choose poultry, also lower in calories.

• Vegetables: One large or two medium onions, two medium carrots, three fresh garlic cloves, and frozen peas.

• Beef stock or broth: You can use chicken stock or vegetable broth instead; made from a cube is fine. The needed amount is small, so I am not particular about what I use.

• Other ingredients for the meat filling: Vegetable or olive oil, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, dried herbs, Worcestershire sauce, fine sea salt, and ground black pepper.

• Potatoes: Preferably starchy (floury) potatoes, like Yukon gold and russet potatoes (in the US), Kind Edward and Maris Piper (in the UK), or Coliban and Desiree (in Australia). Starchy potatoes become soft and fluffy when cooked, and unlike waxy potatoes, they won’t turn gluey when mashed.
  • Semi-starchy or all-purpose potatoes are also fine.

• Milk: Preferably whole milk or half-and-half.
• Butter: Salted or unsalted butter; adjust the salt accordingly.
• Spices: Grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

• Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Substitute it with freshly grated Cheddar cheese if you like, I’ve tried it, and it’s delicious. Or replace the cheese with about two tablespoons of cream cheese or sour cream.

How to make shepherd’s pie in the cast-iron skillet?

• Start with the potatoes. Cook the cubes in a large pot of salted water until fork tender, drain potatoes well in a colander, and let them steam in the same hot pot for about one minute before mashing.

• In the meantime, make the sauce for the cast-iron skillet shepherd’s pie.

• Saute onions and carrots with a pinch of salt in a large hot skillet on medium heat (1). Add garlic, then meat. Brown the minced meat, and add herbs, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, broth, salt, and pepper, breaking the meat as it cooks.
• Simmer the browned ground beef or lamb for about 15 minutes (2), add peas and cook for 5 more minutes. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper (3).
• In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C.

• Mashed potato topping: Mash potatoes with hot milk, butter, and spices using a potato masher. Add cheese, mix, and adjust the taste (4,5).

• Assemble: Evenly spread the potato mash on top of the lamb or beef mixture in the skillet (use the back of a spoon) (6,7). Carefully (the skillet is hot and heavy) transfer to the oven.

• Bake the skillet shepherd’s pie for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden (8). Let the pie rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Expert Tips

• Skillet: Use a large cast-iron skillet (12-inch/30 cm diameter) (Amazon affiliate link). If your skillet is slightly smaller and very full after assembling the pie, place it on a baking sheet in the oven to avoid the filling bubbling over into your oven.
  • The skillet will be very hot and very heavy when you transfer it to the oven. Use kitchen mittens and handle it with care to avoid burns.

• Time management: Start with the potatoes; the water will need a while to start boiling, and you can already start making the meat filling during this time.

• Mashed potatoes: Use hot milk for the mash. The potatoes will absorb it more easily, and you will not be tempted to overmix. The butter should be at room temperature for the same reason.
  • Don’t overmix the potato mash, or it will turn gluey.

• Use freshly grated cheese; it tastes and melts better in the hot potato mash. The additives contained in the already-grated cheese prevent it from melting nicely.

Recipe FAQ

What to serve with shepherd’s pie?

You will not need starchy sides to serve with the cast iron skillet shepherd’s pie; the potato topping is enough.

Roasted or steamed vegetables: Try our Simple Whole Roasted Carrots, Roasted Frozen Cauliflower, The Best Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, or French-Style Green Beans.

Salad: Make a simple green salad with Yogurt Dressing or vinaigrette. Try it with Shopska Salad, Broccoli Pea Salad, or a Simple White Cabbage Salad.

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