No Bake Shepherd's Pie is one of my favorite comfort foods. This no bake version of traditional Shepherd's Pie is made in a skillet on a stovetop so you'll never even have to turn on your oven. It is a quick and easy family meal that can be made ahead or frozen for later.
Shepherd's Pie is made up of a beef or lamb mixture with diced vegetables. It is then topped with creamy mashed potatoes. It is served warm and does not contain any pie crust or pastry.
Why you’ll love this No Bake Shepherd's Pie Recipe
- The No Bake Shepherd's Pie is so easy to make since you'll use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables instead of spending time cleaning and preparing the corn, green beans, peas, and carrots.
- The recipe is very simple and requires easy-to-find ingredients that most people keep in their pantry or refrigerator.
- The No Bake Shepherd's Pie recipe is cooked in a skillet or Dutch oven on your stovetop so you don't even have to turn on your oven.
Recipe Ingredients
- Onion
- Olive oil
- Ground beef
- Frozen mixed vegetables
- Worcestershire sauce
- Water or beef broth
- Sour cream
- Mashed potatoes
- Cheddar cheese
Ingredient Notes
Onion: A yellow or white onion works best for this No Bake Shepherd's Pie recipe. You can even use a cup of frozen onion if you don't feel like dicing a fresh one.
Olive oil: The olive oil is used to saute the onion. Butter or another oil alternative could also be used.
Ground beef: Shepherd's Pie is technically made with minced lamb, but this No Bake Shepherd's Pie recipe uses ground beef since it tends to be cheaper and easier to find.
Frozen mixed vegetables: Using a bag of frozen mixed vegetables makes this one of the easiest No Bake Shepherd's Pie recipes. You don't even have to wash or cut the vegetables.
Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a special sauce that adds a lot of flavor to this recipe.
Water or beef broth: Water or beef broth can be used. The beef broth would add some additional flavor, but I've used water when I didn't have beef broth on hand and it still tastes great.
Sour cream: The sour cream adds some additional flavor and it also helps the beef mixture stick together.
Mashed potatoes: You'll use prepared mashed potatoes to add on top of the beef mixture. Leftover mashed potatoes can be used or you can even try instant mashed potatoes if you don't have a lot of time to make mashed potatoes from scratch.
Cheddar cheese: The mashed potatoes will be topped with cheese to add additional flavor.
How to Make No Bake Shepherd's Pie: Step by Step Instructions
I love this No Bake Shepherd's Pie because it is so quick and easy. I try to make everything I can from scratch, but sometimes I don't have a lot of time to spend prepping items in the kitchen. This No Bake Shepherd's Pie recipe is one of the best since you'll use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables instead of spending time cleaning and prepping all of the vegetables. You'll never even turn on your oven since you'll cook it in a skillet on a stovetop.
Step 1: Dice the onion. Heat a large pan, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Let the oil heat for about 1-2 minutes. Add the diced onion to the pan and saute until the onions are lightly browned and translucent (about 3-5 minutes).
Step 2: Add the ground beef to the pot with the onions. Brown the ground beef until it is fully cooked and no longer pink.
Step 3: Empty the bag of frozen vegetables into the beef mixture. Let the vegetables cook until heated through. Alternatively, follow the package instructions to heat the frozen vegetables in the microwave before adding them to the pot.
Step 4: Add the Worcestershire sauce and broth or water to the pot. Mix in the sour cream.
Step 5: Turn the burner down to low. Top the beef mixture with prepared mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the mashed potatoes with the cheese before securing the lid. There should be enough heat to melt the cheese after about 10 minutes. Make sure that the beef and vegetables do not burn by making sure the burner is not too high and that there is just enough liquid at the bottom of the pan.
📖 Recipe
No Bake Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 bag (12 oz) frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, and corn mix)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup water or beef broth
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 4 cups prepared mashed potatoes
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Dice the onion. Heat a large pan, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Let the oil heat for about 1-2 minutes. Add the diced onion to the pan and saute until the onions are lightly browned and translucent (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add the ground beef to the pot with the onions. Brown the ground beef until it is fully cooked and no longer pink.
- Empty the bag of frozen vegetables into the beef mixture. Let the vegetables cook until heated through. Alternatively, follow the package instructions to heat the frozen vegetables in the microwave before adding them to the pot.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and broth or water to the pot. Mix in the sour cream.
- Turn the burner down to low. Top the beef mixture with prepared mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the mashed potatoes with the cheese before securing the lid. There should be enough heat to melt the cheese after about 10 minutes. Make sure that the beef and vegetables do not burn by making sure the burner is not too high and that there is just enough liquid at the bottom of the pan.
Notes
- Save even more prep time by using one cup of frozen chopped onions rather than dicing a fresh onion. Most large grocery stores carry bags of frozen chopped onions.
- Drain excess liquid from the meat mixture before topping it with mashed potatoes.
- This recipe is an easy way to used leftover mashed potatoes. If you don't have time to make homemade mashed potatoes though, an alternative is to make instant mashed potatoes.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Save even more prep time by using one cup of frozen chopped onions rather than dicing a fresh onion. Most large grocery stores carry bags of frozen chopped onions.
- Drain excess liquid from the meat mixture before topping it with mashed potatoes. No one likes a soupy Shepherd's Pie!
- This recipe is an easy way to used leftover mashed potatoes. If you don't have time to make homemade mashed potatoes though, an alternative is to make instant mashed potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shepherd's Pie supposed to be soupy?
No, Shepherd's Pie should not be soupy. The meat base should have a firm and stable texture. If your Shepherd's Pie is too soupy, that means there is too much excessive liquid in the meat base. It is important to drain off any extra liquid from the meat and vegetable mixture before topping it with mashed potatoes.
Is Shepherd's Pie Irish or German?
Shepherd's Pie is Irish and originated in Ireland in the 1700's. However, some people argue it is just as much a British dish as it is an Irish dish. So what is the difference between Irish and British Shepherd's Pie? Traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie is made with minced lamb. It is the pie that is famous in Ireland. The British alternative is referred to as Cottage Pie and contains ground beef rather than ground lamb.
What is the difference between Shepherd's Pie and Cottage Pie?
Shepherd's Pie is traditionally made with ground lamb (you can remember that since Shepherd's herd sheep). Cottage Pie is traditionally made with ground beef. However, Americans in particular associate Shepherd's Pie with ground beef instead of lamb. Fun fact: Some people even incorrectly spell it Shepards Pie.
To make this No Bake Shepherd's Pie recipe you will first saute a diced onion in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Next, you'll brown ground beef until cooked through. Then you will mix in frozen mixed vegetables, water or brother, Worcestershire sauce, and sour cream. Finally, you'll top the beef mixture with mashed potatoes and cheese.
Storage & Reheating:
- Storage: Store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: No Bake Shepherd's Pie can be reheated in the oven, stove, or microwave.
- Freezing: Shepherd's Pie is an easy freezer meal. It freezes great and reheats nicely. Before you top the beef mixture with mashed potatoes, you will transfer the meat mixture to a 9x13 disposable foil tray or a 9x13 glass dish. Spread the meat mixture on the bottom. Let it cool and then add the mashed potatoes on the top. Seal it so it is air-tight and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to use it, let it thaw in the refrigerator before baking it in the oven. Bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through.
Additions and Substitutions
A variety of additions or substitutions can be made depending on your dietary needs and preferences.
- Use lentils or chickpeas instead of meat to make the recipe a Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie.
- Instead of making regular mashed potatoes, use mashed sweet potatoes.
- Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
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