The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›Bog & Barley Irish Pub›Beef Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Beef Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Name: Bog & Barley Irish Pubs BEEF SHEPHERD'S PIE Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1 cup onion, finely chopped; 1 cup carrots, diced (about 1/2-inch); 0.5 cup parsnip, diced (about 1/2-inch); 0.5 cup celery, diced; 0.75 cup frozen peas, thawed; 2 tsp garlic, minced; 1 tbs tomato paste; 1 cup beef broth; 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbs fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried); 1 tsp soy sauce (or salt); 1 tbs all-purpose flour; 1 tbs olive oil or vegetable oil; 1 tbs butter; 0.75 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1.5 lb russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces; 3 tbs milk; 2 tbs heavy cream or half-and-half; 3 tbs butter; 0.75 cup cheddar cheese, shredded; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 0.125 tsp nutmeg (optional); 0.25 cup extra cheddar for topping (optional); 1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Inspired by Bog & Barley Irish Pub

Time1h 15m

Serves4

Root Vegetables, Peas, Cheddar, Mashed Potatoes

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Filling

1 lb ground beef

1 cup Onion, finely chopped

1 cup carrots, diced (about 1/2-inch)

1/2 cup parsnip, diced (about 1/2-inch)

1/2 cup Celery, diced

3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 tsp Garlic, minced

1 tbs tomato paste

1 cup beef broth

1 tbs Original Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbs fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1 tsp soy sauce (or salt)

1 tbs 00 bread flour

1 tbs olive oil or vegetable oil

1 tbs Butter

3/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Mashed Potato Topping

1 1/2 lb russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces

3 tbs Milk

2 tbs heavy cream or half-and-half

3 tbs Butter

3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg (optional)

Finishing

1/4 cup extra cheddar for topping (optional)

1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Method

Filling

Prepare and brown beef

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer beef to a bowl and drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.

Sauté vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the same skillet with the reserved fat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, parsnip, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build the sauce

Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and cook 1 minute to remove raw flavor. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Return the browned beef to the skillet. Pour in 1 cup beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Add thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 5–7 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Stir in the thawed peas and remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Assemble filling in baking dish

Transfer the beef-root vegetable mixture to a 9-inch (or similar capacity ~2-quart) ovenproof dish and spread into an even layer. If the filling seems very runny, simmer 1–2 more minutes to thicken before transferring.

Mashed Potato Topping

Cook potatoes

Place peeled and cut potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain well.

Mash and season

Return drained potatoes to the hot pot over low heat for 1 minute to dry out excess moisture. Mash with a potato masher. Stir in 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons milk, 2 tablespoons cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (if using) until smooth and creamy. Fold in 3/4 cup shredded cheddar, reserving 1/4 cup for topping. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Top the filling

Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the beef filling using a spoon or offset spatula. Make shallow ridges with a fork for texture and better browning, if desired. Sprinkle the reserved 1/4 cup shredded cheddar over the potato surface.

Finish & Serve

Bake

Place the assembled shepherd's pie in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven. Bake until the potato topping is golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges, about 20–25 minutes. For extra browning, switch to broil for 1–2 minutes while watching carefully so it doesn't burn.

Rest and garnish

Remove from oven and let rest 5–10 minutes to set. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top, if using. Serve hot.