A shepherd’s pie baked potato fuses together everything you love about shepherd’s pie and twice-baked potatoes. The shepherd’s pie filling mimics the brown gravy you’ll find in a traditional shepherd’s pie. Meanwhile, the potato topping is soft and creamy thanks to the addition of butter, heavy cream and sour cream. Monterey Jack, cheddar and Parmesan cheeses give the stuffed baked potatoes a decadent finish.
This shepherd’s pie baked potato recipe is freezer friendly, and it makes six servings at a time, so you can easily make a batch ahead of time. When you’re ready to eat, simply pop a stuffed potato into the oven, and dinner will be ready in a flash.
Ingredients for Baked Potato Shepherd’s Pie
- Russet potatoes: Starchy potatoes (like russet or baking potatoes) are the best potatoes for baked potato recipes. Their thick skins hold together in twice-baked potato shells, and the pulp inside stays light and fluffy.
- Potato topping: Cooked potatoes get mashed with butter, heavy whipping cream, sour cream, and three types of cheeses. This topping tastes just as good as your favorite cheesy mashed potatoes recipe.
- Ground beef: Traditional shepherd’s pie recipes are made with lamb or mutton, so technically this recipe is for cottage pie baked potatoes! Feel free to use ground lamb in this recipe if you like.
- Shepherd’s pie vegetables: Onions, green peppers, sweet red peppers and frozen mixed vegetables add color and variety to this dish. Any frozen vegetable mix works here; the blends that contain carrots, green beans, corn and peas are a classic choice for shepherd’s pie.
- Seasonings: Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and steak seasoning add bold flavor to the meat mixture, creating the essence of the gravy typically used in shepherd’s pie. Paprika adds a slightly smoky flavor, while cayenne gives the dish a slightly spicy kick.
Directions
Step 1: Bake the potatoes
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Scrub the potatoes, and pierce each several times with a fork. Rub the potatoes with oil, and bake until tender, about one hour.
Editor’s Tip: You can bake the potatoes up to four days in advance. Leave them whole, and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make baked potato shepherd’s pie.
Step 2: Prepare the meat mixture
In a large skillet, cook the beef with onion, peppers and garlic over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink, breaking the beef into crumbles as it cooks. Drain the excess grease.
Add the mixed vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, steak seasoning, salt, pepper, cayenne and 1 teaspoon paprika. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender.
Step 3: Prep the baked potatoes
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each one. Discard the tops. Scoop out the potato flesh, and transfer it to a large bowl, leaving thin shells.
Editor’s Tip: Cooled potatoes are much easier to scoop than hot potatoes, and you won’t burn yourself on the hot pulp. When they’re ready, take your time, and be gentle! You’ll want to leave about 1/4 inch of potato flesh inside the shells to help the potatoes hold together later. A large metal spoon is the best tool for scooping, but you could use a melon baller if you have one.
Step 4: Mash the potato mixture
Add the butter to the potatoes in the bowl, and mash together. Add the whipping cream, sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and chives. Mash together until combined.
Step 5: Stuff the potato shells
Spoon 1 cup meat mixture into each potato shell.
Top each with 1/2 cup potato topping. Sprinkle the stuffed potatoes evenly with the remaining 1 teaspoon paprika.
Editor’s Tip: If you end up with extra meat and potato mixtures, layer the components into a greased baking dish, and make a twice-baked cheddar potato casserole.
Step 6: Bake the potatoes
Place the stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle potatoes with cheese, and continue baking until melted, about five minutes longer.
Sprinkle the potatoes with chives and additional paprika. Serve.
Recipe Variations
- Swap in another ground meat: Shepherd’s pie baked potatoes would taste great made with lean ground beef, lamb, turkey or chicken. You can also substitute vegetarian-friendly protein options like tofu, tempeh, quinoa or lentils to make vegetarian shepherd’s pie baked potato.
- Lighten up the potato mixture: Mash the potatoes with milk instead of whipping cream, or use protein-rich Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Can you make baked potato shepherd’s pie ahead of time?
To make baked potato shepherd’s pie ahead of time, stuff the potato shells with the meat mixture and potato topping as directed. Store the unbaked stuffed potatoes in an airtight container overnight. The next day, bake as directed, adjusting the cook time as needed so the potatoes and stuffing heat through.
How to Store Baked Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Store baked potato shepherd’s pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat the leftovers in a 350° oven or the microwave until they reach an internal temperature of 165°.
Can you freeze baked potato shepherd’s pie?
To freeze baked potato shepherd’s pie, stuff the potato shells with the meat mixture and potato topping as directed. Wrap the unbaked stuffed potatoes, and freeze them in a freezer-safe container. Store them in the freezer up to three months. To use, partially thaw the potatoes in the refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed, adding additional time as needed until the potatoes and stuffing reach an internal temperature of 165°.
Baked Potato Shepherd’s Pie Tips
What do you serve with baked potato shepherd’s pie?
These twice-baked potatoes are loaded with meat and vegetables, so they are plenty filling on their own. We like to serve the stuffed potatoes with a simple side salad or a crunchy coleslaw recipe.
Is shepherd’s pie the same as cottage pie?
Shepherd’s pie and cottage pie are very similar dishes, and they share several common elements. Each contains tender vegetables, rich gravy and a creamy mashed potato topping. Technically, shepherd’s pie is made with ground lamb or mutton, whereas cottage pie uses ground beef. So, you could call this recipe a cottage pie baked potato.
