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Shepherd’s Pie Casserole

This shepherd’s pie casserole recipe is a delightful twist on a cozy cold weather classic. Made with spiced ground beef, veggies, cheese, and soft baked yams, this easy 45-minute dinner is comfort food at its finest.

A casserole dish behind a deep plate with asparagus and the yam covered meat pie

This fun version of cottage pie is not only delicious, but the combination of all the ingredients, make for a comfort meal that is nutritious and has a taste that is out of this world. It’s the ultimate comfort food.

I had shepherd’s pie casserole years ago and I didn’t like it. I think it was because it felt like a big plate of mush.

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I love the ingredients of what goes in a pie but I guess I didn’t like it mixed together.

Years later, at an overnight at my sister-in-law’s house, she shared a home cooked gourmet meal with us. It is shepherd’s pie casserole.

I am a good guest though so I dutifully take a bite.

WHAT?

Surprisingly, I am loving it. Between bites, I am also asking questions about it.

She didn’t know the recipe as her friend cooks for her once a week. So, I decide I’m going to just try to replicate it.

Ingredients and substitutes

  • Olive oil – extra virgin.
  • Ground beef – grass-fed.
  • Onion – large. I use the vidalia variety but you can use yellow onion if you prefer.
  • Beef broth – if you don’t have any on hand, you can use chicken broth.
  • Yams – I enjoy yams on top but if you prefer mashed potatoes, feel free to substitute them.
  • Cumin – ground.
  • Oregano – ground. You can use either thyme, basil, or even rosemary.
  • Salt – sea salt.
  • Black pepper – ground.
  • Garlic – I use paste, but you can use the equal amount of garlic cloves.
  • Kale – optional.
  • Cheddar cheese – shredded. I shred it myself but you can buy it pre-shredded.

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Helpful tips

  • I wanted to keep the yams as ‘whole’ as I could, so I chose not to peel them or mash them, but if you prefer mashed potatoes yams on top, then go for it.
  • Bake the yams before you start the meal. I bake mine in my toaster oven.
  • Here’s how to bake the yams: The yams take 45 minutes to bake. I won’t add the time to the recipe card. With a sharp knife, slice into the yam at least 6 times and cover with foil.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.  You can bake the yams a few hours before you make the shepherd’s pie.
  • You can use fresh corn if you prefer. I use frozen, that way I can eat this year round.
  • You can substitute the kale with spinach if you prefer.
  • Even though I use corn, kale, and onion as the main vegetables. You can add carrots, or peas.
  • For this recipe I use white cheddar cheese but you can use orange cheese if you prefer.
A blue deep dish filled with ground beef, corn, and other vegetables and cooked yam on top
Photo Credit: Dishes Delish.

How to make a shepherd’s pie casserole

Pre-step

Bake two yams for 45 minutes or until soft.

Also get a casserole dish and a deep sauté pan.

Step one

Gather the ingredients – grass-fed beef, a large onion, beef broth, and two freshly baked yams. (A)

Step two

Chop the onion in medium sized pieces.

Step three

Heat the deep pan on medium heat and once that heats up, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

Step four

Add the ground beef, salt, cumin, oregano, and garlic paste and continue to sauté for 5 minutes. (B) Use a metal spatula to break up the ground beef while it cooks.

You want the beef on the rare side.

Onion, beef, yams and broth on the left and on the right, sautéed onion and beef in a pan

Step five

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step six

Cut the freshly cooked yams in thin slices and get the corn out of the freezer. (C)

Start layering

Step seven

Add broth to the meat mixture and bring to a simmer. Stir in the corn and simmer for 2 minutes.

Step eight

Pour meat mixture into the baking dish and take out the kale. (D)

Sliced yam and corn on the left and on the right, the meat mixture in the baking dish with kale in the background

Step nine

Take a few handfuls of kale and place them on top of the meat mixture. (E)

Step ten

Layer the yams on the kale and shred cheddar cheese on top. (F)

On the left, kale layered in the baking dish and on the right, yam and cheese in the baking dish

Step eleven

Bake for 25 minutes.

A casserole dish with the cooked shepherds pie and a salad in the back

So delicious!

A blue plate with the piece of meat pie on it with asparagus

I hope you enjoyed this Shepherd’s Pie Casserole recipe! Christopher and I certainly enjoy this meal.

Other casserole recipes

And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below.  I love hearing from you!  You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST  to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

Close up of a blue bowl with the shepherds pie and asparagus in it - square

Shepherds Pie Casserole

This shepherd's pie casserole recipe is a delightful twist on a cozy cold weather classic. Made with spiced ground beef, veggies, cheese, and soft baked yams, this easy 45-minute dinner is comfort food at its finest.
5 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: shepherd’s pie casserole
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 331kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 pound ground beef grass-fed
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic paste or 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup corn fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup kale a few handfuls
  • 2 baked yams cut into thin slices, lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

  • You can bake the yams a few hours before starting the recipe, or you can start baking them a half hour before starting the recipe. – see notes on how.
  • Heat up your sauté pan on medium heat and once that heats up, add oil.
    1 tablespoons olive oil
  • Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
    1 onion
  • Add beef, salt, cumin, oregano and garlic paste and sauté for 5 more minutes.
    1 pound ground beef, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons oregano, 2 teaspoons garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Add broth and let it come to a simmer, add corn and cook for 2 minutes.
    1 cup beef broth, 1 cup corn
  • Pour meat mixture in baking dish.
  • Spread kale over meat mixture.
    1 cup kale
  • Place yam slices over kale covering it completely and sprinkle cheddar over the yams.
    2 baked yams, 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
  • Bake for 25 minutes
  • Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into the shepherd’s pie
  • Plate with a veggie
  • Eat
  • Sigh
  • Enjoy
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Notes

The yams take 45 minutes to bake. I won’t add the time.  You can slice into the yam with a sharp knife at least 6 times and cover with foil.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.  You can bake the yams a few hours before you make the shepherd’s pie.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 333mg | Potassium: 1137mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1080IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 2mg
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From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to food journalist, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.

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58 Comments

  1. This looks absolutely delicious! Shepherd’s pie is one of my favourite meals and your version looks fantastic, especially with that gorgeous yam topping!

  2. I just heard someone talking about how traditionally shepherd’s pie is made with lamb.. so maybe the version you didn’t like had lamb! I love that you swapped out the potatoes for yams- yum!

  3. This looks and sounds fantastic! I especially like the addition of the kale, which I have never included in Shepherd’s Pie before! Yum!

  4. I love shepherd’s pie. Topping it with yams is such a delicious change of pace. Will have to remember this for next time I need to whip up this casserole.

  5. Like you I too was not a fan of shepherds pie at first but now it has grown on me! Love the step by step photos in this post!

  6. Awesome unique twist on the traditional! I love the use of yams (great color), kale, and spice combo in this.

  7. I shepherds pie in my youth while living at school in England and I didn’t much care for it at the time. If they had served one like yours I would have loved it! Thanks for sharing a great recipe.

  8. I, for one, ADORE shepherd’s pie, but I’ve had a really bad one before: I can imagine how that would have turned me off very early on had that been my first encounter with the dish. I love that you use baked yam slices in place of the traditional mashed potatoes: combined with the kale, this is a very healthy version of the classic!

  9. I think it’s great to take an old idea and add something new to it. Now I know that yams are sweet potatoes I will definitely be making this as I prefer them to mashed potato anyway!

  10. That looks so good Lainey, doubly so because you used yams instead of potatoes, love it and will try your way asap! 🙂

  11. I have to admit that I also didn’t like shepherds pie in the past but it’s one of those things that I’ve grown to love over the past few years. I love the way you’ve prepared this one – sounds so tasty!

  12. I love anything that finds a way to swap potatoes for the more nutritious yams and sweet potatoes! Brilliant!

  13. I’m always looking for this kind of family oven dishes, and I’m pretty sure my kids will love this one too. Thanks!

  14. This is such a British classic and always reminds me of being a kid. We try to have it every couple of weeks.

  15. I love this updated and healthier twist on shepherd’s pie! I have a Paleo personal chef client who I think would really love this so am going to give it a try. Well, I’d have to delete the corn, but everything else is perfect!

  16. Shepherds pie with a twist? Yes please ! I am not a fan of traditional shepherds pies, even though I madly love mashed potatoes… really curious of the taste of yours!

    1. Tatiana! Thanks. I love mashed potatoes too but not on shepherds pie. The yams are perfect because they aren’t mashed with anything!

  17. So I’m like you…I dont like Shepard’s Pie….like at all but this….THIS looks and sounds amazing! I just printed this off and I cant wait to try it this week!!

  18. Love Shepherd’s Pie around this time of year! So cozy, hearty, and delicious. Definitely hope to make it soon!

  19. You clever girl, I never had kale but the sweet potatoes sounds a good option. I don’t make shepherds pie because my family do not love mashed potatoes, but this version might go win them over.

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