Pork shepherd's pie with a cheesy mashed potato topping. Easy to make on the stovetop and baked in one dish.
I make this pork shepherd's pie all the time when I want a simple, comforting dinner. The sausage meat cooks with onion, carrot, and garlic in a sauce, then gets topped with creamy mashed potatoes and Cheddar. Then you bake the pie. I love using sausage meat, but ground pork works just as well.
It's a classic that works any time of the year, though it's especially fun around St. Patrick's Day if you like a festive twist. For a simple vegetable side, I often pair it with Roasted Savoy Cabbage or Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts.
If you like easy weeknight mains, you might also check out Air Fryer Meatloaf.
Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Ingredients: 14 + oil, salt & pepper | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
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Recipe ingredients
Pork: Good-quality pork sausages work well once you remove the casings, but ground pork is fine too. You can also try beef, lamb, turkey, or a mix of ground meats.
- If you enjoy pork dishes like this, Pork Belly Bites is another delicious recipe.
Potatoes: All-purpose potatoes mash smoothly and hold their shape, making them ideal for the topping.
Cheddar: Cheddar adds a subtle Irish touch, but any good-melting cheese you like will work; think Gouda, Monterey Jack, or Colby.
- For other cheesy dishes, check out Simple Mac and Cheese without Flour.
Vegetables: Onion, carrot, garlic, and frozen peas.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make pork shepherd's pie?
Step #1: Cook, drain, and steam the potatoes for the mash.
Step #2: Mash them with the remaining mash ingredients.
Step #3: Remove the sausage casings and crumble the meat with a fork.
Step #4: Sauté onions and carrots for 5 minutes, add garlic, and stir. Add pork and cook for 5 minutes.
Step #5: Add tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, stock, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Step #6: Add peas and cook for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Step #7: Spread the meat mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar on top.
Step #8: Cover the meat mixture with the mashed potatoes, creating a few shallow peaks or dents to help them brown.
Step #9: Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Step #10: Bake for 25-30 minutes and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
Sausage: remove the casings and break the meat apart. I do that on the cutting board with a fork first, and do it more thoroughly in the pan after it starts cooking; for the pan, I use a wooden spoon, a fork might damage the pan. If using ground pork, cook it the same way.
For the mashed potatoes, letting them steam briefly after draining ensures they stay fluffy and absorb the butter and milk properly.
Store and reheat
Refrigerate: Cool the pie completely before storing. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze the shepherd's pie with pork for up to 2 months; wrap tightly in foil or place in a freezer-safe container.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warmed through, or bake the whole pie at 350°F (180°C) for 20-25 minutes if refrigerated, or 35-40 minutes if frozen. Cover loosely with foil to prevent the topping from browning too quickly.
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📖 Recipe
Pork Shepherd's Pie
Equipment
- Pot for cooking the potatoes
- Skillet for cooking the pork filling
- Baking dish for the pie, about 7.5x9 inches (19x23 cm) or a similar size
Ingredients
Mashed potatoes:
- 2 lbs potatoes Note 1
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup Cheddar grated, divided
- a few gratings of nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pork filling:
- 1 lb pork sausages Notes 2, 3
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 large carrot about 3.5 oz/100 g, chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
- 2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ cup beef stock Note 4
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup frozen peas
Instructions
Potato mash:
- Boil the potatoes: Peel and cube the potatoes. Place them in the pot, cover with cold water, add ½ teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Cook on medium heat until tender, 15-20 minutes depending on cube size. Drain well and return them to the pot. Keep on low heat for about one minute, shaking the pot occasionally to let any remaining water evaporate so the mash stays fluffy.2 lbs potatoes
- Mash the potatoes with a masher, then stir in butter, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and half of the grated Cheddar. Taste and adjust seasoning.potatoes + 2 tablespoons butter + ½ cup milk + ½ cup Cheddar + a few gratings of nutmeg + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pork filling:
- Sausages: Remove the sausage casings and crumble the meat with a fork; set aside.1 lb pork sausages
- Prepare the vegetables: Finely chop the onion and carrot, and set them aside together. Grate or finely mince the garlic and set it aside separately from the rest.1 medium onion + 1 large carrot + 2 large garlic cloves
- Sauté: Heat the oil in the skillet. Add the onion and carrot and cook on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.1 tablespoon vegetable oil + onions + carrots + garlic
- Add the sausage meat and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon until no large pieces remain.
- Simmer: Add tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, stock, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken. 2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste + 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard + 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce + ¾ cup beef stock + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt + ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper +
- Stir in the peas and simmer another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.¾ cup frozen peas
Pork shepherd's pie:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Assemble the dish: Spread the meat mixture in the baking dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top and smooth lightly, creating a few shallow peaks or dents to help them brown. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar on top.½ cup Cheddar
- Bake pork pie for 25-30 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pork: For convenience, use pork sausage with the casings removed. Ground pork works just as well; both taste great.
- Alternative meat: You can use beef, lamb, turkey, or a combination.
- Potatoes: All-purpose potatoes work best for a fluffy mash that holds its shape.
- Stock: Beef, chicken, or vegetable stock are all fine.
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