Oven-Baked Shepherd’s Pie with Savory Ground Beef and Mashed Potatoes

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-09 · Updated 2026-05-09

A comforting layered casserole featuring a rich ground beef and vegetable filling topped with fluffy mashed potatoes baked to golden perfection. This british-inspired beef ready in about 70 minutes layers ground beef, medium, diced onion, medium, diced carrot into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 2 medium, diced carrot
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 lbs, peeled and cubed potatoes
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp, divided salt
• 1/2 tsp, divided black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 2 lbs peeled and cubed potatoes into a large pot of salted water (1/2 tsp salt) and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes until fork-tender, then drain.
2. Step 2: While potatoes cook, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced medium onion and 2 diced medium carrots, sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 lb ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes until browned and no longer pink. Sprinkle 2 tbsp all-purpose flour over the beef mixture and stir to combine, cooking for 1 minute.
4. Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 cup beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup frozen peas, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the beef and vegetables.
5. Step 5: Mash drained potatoes with 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup milk, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until smooth and creamy.
6. Step 6: Transfer beef mixture to a 9x9-inch baking dish, spreading evenly. Dollop mashed potatoes on top and smooth with a spatula.
7. Step 7: Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the potato topping is golden and slightly crisp on edges. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.