A Lazy Man’s Shepherd’s Pie is a dinner that I created years ago. Without having a real plan for what to make for dinner, I threw a few things together and this dish was born! Don’t you love dinners like that? Sometimes they become favorites and they are usually really easy to make which is a huge bonus. That evening, I browned some hamburg, mixed in some frozen veggies and some seasoning, then served over mashed potatoes with some gravy. It took under 20 minutes to pull this meal together and guess what? It was AWESOME! I wasn’t sure what to call it, but it resembled shepherd’s pie. Since it was so easy, I named it Lazy Man’s Shepherd’s Pie because, well, it’s an easy way to get that taste without the hassle.
This lazy man’s shepherd’s pie is a yummy dinner that is super easy to make. It will be a family favorite in your home. Not only will your family enjoy eating it, you won’t mind cooking this quick dinner during the week, even on crazy nights! You can make this more extravagant if you wanted to, but seriously, why bother? This simple recipe is delicious as is, there is no need to create unnecessary work for you. If you want to spend extra time in the kitchen making something yummy, make yourself a well deserved martini like a Chocolate Banana Creme Martini!
Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie is a well known dinner consisting of ground beef cooked in a savory sauce with onions and vegetables, typically peas and carrots, and then topped with a crust of mashed potatoes.
This shepherd’s pie recipe originated as a way of creating a new dish out of leftover meat. The leftover meat was spiced up with seasonings and veggies and cooked with potatoes. Nowadays, we don’t typically make this dinner with leftovers, we cook this dish as our primary dinner and hope that we have leftovers for lunch the next day!
Lazy Man’s Version
My version of Shepherd’s Pie skips the step of baking the mashed potatoes on top which saves time. Rather, I serve the meat and veggie mixture OVER the mashed potatoes. Therefore, the time saved is 20-30 minutes of time! Meaning, there is less time waiting for dinner to be served and more time for other things…like making a yummy martini for you! Or possibly making a delicious dessert. Or just starting your kids’ bedtime routine sooner – and THEN enjoying that yummy martini!
Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
You don’t need to be a skilled chef to make this delicious lazy man’s shepherd’s pie. If you can brown ground beef, you can easily make this meal. You will need:
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Ground Beef
- 16 oz Frozen Mixed Vegetables
- 1 pkg Onion Soup Mix Dry soup
- 1 pkg Brown Gravy Packet I prefer McCormick
- Mashed Potatoes Store bought or Homemade
That’s all you need to make this! And if you are like me, you will opt for the ready-made mashed potatoes that your local grocery store sells. My personal favorite are the Traditional Mashed Potatoes by Simply Potatoes. They taste like homemade and they take less than 5 minutes to prepare. Homemade mashed potatoes are always the best choice, but they take close to an hour to cook. Plus, all the peeling and chopping. Yuck. Therefore, I opt for the shortcut mashed potatoes most nights!
Making Shepherd’s Pie – Lazy Man Style
- Brown the ground beef then drain grease.
- Add frozen veggies and onion soup package to ground beef, stir well and cook until frozen veggies are done (approx 10 minutes).
- Prepare brown gravy and mashed potatoes.
- Serve hamburg/veggie mixture over mashed potatoes and top with brown gravy.
Comfort Food Rocks
If you are looking for a very traditional version of the classic Irish recipe, this Lazy Man’s Shepherd’s Pie is not exactly that. However, it is very similar and so much easier to make. Plus, the overall taste is very comparable, making it the perfect alternative to the traditional casserole. I like to think of this lazy man’s shepherd’s pie as a knock off to the original. Perhaps, I should have named this Easy Man’s Shepherd’s Pie, but it doesn’t have quite the same effect.
Your family will devour this tasty supper. It’s pure comfort food that is delightful on your lips and fills up your belly. Although you might not have leftovers, this meal reheats well. The taste will be the same from the microwave as it was when you first whipped it up. So add this to your meal plan for this week or next – you won’t be sorry!
More Easy Dinners
If you are short on time or just don’t enjoy cooking, you need to check out the following easy recipes. These taste delicious and will be a pleasant addition to your dinner rotation.
Must Make Martinis
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Lazy Man’s Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Ground Beef
- 16 oz Frozen Mixed Vegetables
- 1 pkg Onion Soup Mix Dry soup
- 1 pkg Brown Gravy Packet I prefer McCormick
- Mashed Potatoes Store bought or Homemade
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef then drain grease.
- Add frozen veggies and onion soup package to ground beef, stir well and cook until frozen veggies are done (approx 10 minutes).
- Prepare brown gravy and mashed potatoes.
- Serve hamburg/veggie mixture over mashed potatoes and top with brown gravy.
- ENJOY!
