I love this stove top Shepherd’s pie! It’s extra saucy, cheesy and complete comfort food heaven! Plus, it’s easy to make and can all be done in one pot, from the stove top, no oven required. I make this in a large enameled cast iron pan, it can also be made in any large pot or it can be transferred to a baking pan if desired.
I grew up with Shepherd’s pie being a regular dinner and I always loved it! It’s the perfect combination of potatoes, veggies, meat, sauce and cheese that I loved as a child and still can’t get enough of today. I still crave Shepherd’s pie whenever it’s chilly outside, it’s the perfect way to warm you up and it’s so comforting!
This version is fairly easy to make and it is a one pot recipe! I am all about less dishes to wash so this recipe is a great one for an easier clean up.
Me and my husband have renovated 3 kitchens in our marriage and I have gone a whole year without a functioning kitchen so I love a good stovetop recipe that can be made on a burner or in an instant pot if needed, I will add instructions for that method below.
When we didn’t have a functioning kitchen my electric pressure cooker (same as an instant pot), crockpot, griddle, toaster and little stove top roaster oven were how we survived and still ate homecooked meals almost daily. I’ve also washed dishes in the bathtub and tried to get by with as little dishes as possible. It’s amazing what you can adapt and it has made me so very grateful for a functioning kitchen and modern technology!
What you need to make stove top shepherd’s pie: (printable recipe is below)
Serves 4-6 – 4 hungry adults or 6 moderately hungry adults or 2 adults and 4 kids
For potatoes:
- 4 medium potatoes – yellow or russet – peeled and chunked
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 tablespoons milk
- pinch of salt
For filling:
- 1 small onion – diced
- 5 carrots – peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 yellow squash – diced, optional
- 2 stalks celery – diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic – minced
- 1 cup green beans – chopped, optional
- 14.5 ounces tomatoes – diced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 3 tablespoons fresh – chopped
- 1 teaspoons salt
- dash black pepper
- dash cayenne pepper
- optional herbs – 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon
- 14 ounces beef broth or beef stock
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
For topping:
- 1 cup shredded cheese – cheddar or cheddar blend
Instructions
- Peel and chop potatoes and add them to warm salted water in your pot.
- Bring to a boil and boil until potatoes are tender – roughly 15 minutes.
- Drain water, add potatoes to bowl or mixer and mash with salted butter, milk and salt until smooth. Set aside.
- In the same pot you cooked your potatoes in, no need to wash it, add olive oil, diced onions, carrots, beef, squash (optional), celery and garlic and sauté until onions start to soften and beef starts to brown.
- Add green beans, diced tomatoes, parsley, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, optional herbs, beef broth or stock, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and onion powder and bring mixture to a boil then simmer for about 15 minutes so all the vegetables can soften fully, stir occasionally.
- Once vegetables are sufficiently softened, mix together the cornstarch and water and whisk into the mixture to thicken it slightly.
- Scoop your mashed potatoes on top of mixture and smooth across the top, the mixture will bubble through from beneath, but it’s supposed to.
- Sprinkle the top with cheese and place a lid on the pot then remove from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes or until your cheese is melted.
- Spoon out a scoop with the potatoes, filling and cheese and enjoy!
For instant pot:
- Cook potatoes in salted water for 4 minutes, blend with milk, butter and salt and set aside.
- Add olive oil, onion, carrot, beef, squash (optional), celery, garlic, green beans, tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, herbs, beef broth or stock, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and onion powder to instant pot and cook for 7 minutes on high pressure with a quick pressure release.
- Whisk in cornstarch and water and cook on sauté until sauce thickens slightly.
- Spoon on your mashed potato mixture on top and cover with cheese.
- Place lid on for 5 minutes while on keep warm setting or until cheese melts.
- Serve and enjoy!
Here are a few other comfort food recipes you may love (click the picture for recipe)
Stove Top Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- For potatoes:
- 4 medium potatoes – yellow or russet – peeled and chunked
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 tablespoons milk
- pinch of salt
- For topping:
- 1 cup shredded cheese – cheddar or cheddar blend
- For filling:
- 1 small onion – diced
- 5 carrots – peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 yellow squash – optional
- 2 stalks celery – diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic – minced
- 1 cup green beans – optional
- 14.5 ounces tomatoes – diced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 3 tablespoons fresh – chopped
- 1 teaspoons salt
- dash black pepper
- dash cayenne pepper
- optional herbs – 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon
- 14 ounces beef broth or beef stock
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Peel and chop potatoes and add them to warm salted water in your pot.
- Bring to a boil and boil until potatoes are tender – roughly 15 minutes.
- Drain water, add potatoes to bowl or mixer and mash with salted butter, milk and salt until smooth. Set aside.
- In the same pot you cooked your potatoes in, no need to wash it, add olive oil, diced onions, carrots, beef, squash (optional), celery and garlic and sauté until onions start to soften and beef starts to brown.
- Add green beans, diced tomatoes, parsley, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, optional herbs, beef broth or stock, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and onion powder and bring mixture to a boil then simmer for about 15 minutes so all the vegetables can soften fully, stir occasionally.
- Once vegetables are sufficiently softened, mix together the cornstarch and water and whisk into the mixture to thicken it slightly.
- Scoop your mashed potatoes on top of mixture and smooth across the top, the mixture will bubble through from beneath, but it’s supposed to.
- Sprinkle the top with cheese and place a lid on the pot then remove from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes or until your cheese is melted.
- Spoon out a scoop with the potatoes, filling and cheese and enjoy!
- For instant pot:
- Cook potatoes in salted water for 4 minutes, blend with milk, butter and salt and set aside.
- Add olive oil, onion, carrot, beef, squash (optional), celery, garlic, green beans, tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, herbs, beef broth or stock, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and onion powder to instant pot and cook for 7 minutes on high pressure with a quick pressure release.
- Whisk in cornstarch and water and cook on sauté until sauce thickens slightly.
- Spoon on your mashed potato mixture on top and cover with cheese.
- Place lid on for 5 minutes while on keep warm setting or until cheese melts.
- Serve and enjoy!