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This single serving Shepherd’s Pie is a hearty, comforting dish made with ground lamb or beef, vegetables, and a rich gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden. It’s easy to make, full of flavor, and perfectly portioned for one.
This mini Shepherd’s Pie is satisfying on its own, but it pairs well with a slice of French bread, a fresh tomato salad, and a simple apple crisp for dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This classic dish comes together with simple steps.
- Hearty & Satisfying: A warm, comforting meal.
- Meat Options: Works well with lamb or beef.
- Perfectly Portioned: Designed for one but doubles easily to make Shepherd’s Pie for two.
Shepherd’s Pie is a classic dish from the UK made with ground lamb, vegetables, and a savory gravy, topped with mashed potatoes and baked until golden. A similar version, Cottage Pie, is made with ground beef instead.
Our small batch Shepherd’s Pie has all the rich flavors of the traditional dish but is perfectly portioned for one. It’s easy to make, hearty, and satisfying.
Ingredients
If you have any leftover ingredients from this individual Shepherd’s Pie recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder
- Mashed Potatoes: Use my single serving mashed potato recipe or substitute with leftover, instant, or store-bought mashed potatoes.
- Yukon Gold Potato (1 medium): Buttery and smooth, perfect for mashing. Extra potatoes? Use them in our Cottage Pie recipe.
- Milk: Whole milk adds richness, but any milk works. Higher fat = creamier potatoes.
- Garlic (1 clove): Adds flavor depth.
- Butter and Salt: Essential for taste.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin for rich flavor; a lighter olive oil works too.
- Ground Lamb (4 ounces): Traditional and flavorful, lamb gives this Shepherd’s Pie its classic taste. Ground beef can be substituted if preferred.
- Vegetables: A mix of onions, garlic, and 1/4 cup of vegetables. Frozen mixed vegetables are easy and great for single servings. Fresh vegetables work too—just cut them small for even cooking. If using fresh, cook an extra minute or two before baking. Use extra vegetables in Chicken and Biscuits Casserole, Minestrone Soup or Chicken Tortilla Soup.
- Worcestershire Sauce and Salt: Enhance flavor. If reducing sodium, omit salt in the gravy and adjust after baking.
- Beef Broth: Low-sodium recommended for better control. Leftover broth? Use it in Ropa Vieja, Pepper Steak, or Swedish Meatballs.
- Parmesan Cheese (Optional): A cheesy finish when sprinkled on top.
If you have a pound of ground meat, you can make this recipe plus three more meals from my 4 Single Serving Meals from One Pound of Ground Meat guide.
Recipe Variations
- Cheesy Shepherd’s Pie: Stir shredded cheese into the mashed potatoes or sprinkle on top before baking.
- Spicy Version: Add chili flakes to the meat mixture for extra heat.
- Vegetarian: Swap the meat for lentils or a plant-based substitute.
- Herb Infused: Mix in rosemary or thyme for more depth of flavor.
- Sweet Potato Topping: Use mashed sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes for a hint of sweetness.
How To Make Shepherd’s Pie
These photos show how to make a single serving Shepherd’s Pie. For exact measurements and detailed steps, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Make the Mashed Potatoes:
- Chop the potato into quarters and place in a 1-quart saucepan.
- Add milk and garlic. If needed, add a little more milk to almost cover the potatoes.
- Cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Strain the potatoes over a bowl, reserving the milk mixture.
- Return the potatoes to the pan, add 1/4 cup of the reserved milk, and mash with an immersion blender or potato masher. Add more milk as needed for a thick, creamy texture.
- Stir in butter and salt, then set aside.
- Make the Meat Filling
- In a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil.
- Add chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in garlic, ground lamb, salt, and Italian seasoning. Cook for about 4 minutes, until the lamb is browned.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and vegetables, stirring to combine.
- Pour in broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat.
- Assemble and Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Grease a 10-ounce ramekin with butter or cooking spray.
- Spoon the meat mixture into the ramekin and top with mashed potatoes.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then enjoy immediately.
Expert Tips
- Meat Options: Traditional Shepherd’s Pie is made with ground lamb, but ground beef works just as well.
- Cheesy Topping: For extra flavor, sprinkle Parmesan or shredded cheddar over the potatoes before baking for a golden, cheesy crust.
- Mashed Potato Shortcuts: Leftover or instant mashed potatoes are great time-savers and still taste delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, assemble the pie, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
Double all ingredients and bake in a 5×5 inch baking dish or use two 10 ounce ramekins.
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for 15-20 minutes or microwave in 30-second intervals until warm.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serving shepherd’s pie recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Shepherd’s Pie For One
Ingredients
For the Mashed Potatoes
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato scrubbed and quartered (about 7-ounces)
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- 4 ounces ground lamb
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- ¼ cup low-sodium beef broth
Instructions
Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Chop the potato into quarters and place in a 1-quart saucepan. Add milk and garlic. If needed, add a little more milk to almost cover the potatoes. Cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Strain the potatoes over a bowl, reserving the milk mixture.
- Return the potatoes to the pan, add 1/4 cup of the reserved milk, and mash with an immersion blender or potato masher. Add more milk as needed for a thick, creamy texture.
- Stir in butter and salt, then set aside.
Make the Filling
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in garlic, ground lamb, salt, and Italian seasoning. Cook for about 4 minutes, until the lamb is browned.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and vegetables, stirring to combine.
- Pour in broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat.
Assemble and Bake
- Grease a 10-ounce ramekin with butter or cooking spray.
- Spoon the meat mixture into the ramekin and top with mashed potatoes.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Meat Options: Traditional Shepherd’s Pie is made with ground lamb, but ground beef works just as well.
- Cheesy Topping: For extra flavor, sprinkle Parmesan or shredded cheddar over the potatoes before baking for a golden, cheesy crust.
- Mashed Potato Shortcuts: Leftover or instant mashed potatoes are great time-savers and still taste delicious.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This was very good. I live in a small camper so have very limited freezer space which led me to use canned mix vegetables instead of froze
n. Had left over mashed potatoes and doctored them. Yum!
My husband LOVED this recipe! Perfect warm meal for a cold night.
Thanks Joni for an excellent recipe. They’re so adaptable to things we have on hand. And always easy to prepare. I just boiled the potatoes in garlic water and then after draining mash them with sour cream. I had ground beef and use that and added some fresh banana peppers and tomatoes from my garden. Turned out delicious.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it – thank you!
Have you ever tried doing gluten-free dishes for one?
Yes, we have quite a few gluten-free dishes! You can find them all here: https://onedishkitchen.com/gluten-free-recipes/
To search for more gluten-free recipes, use the drop-down menu at the top of each page. Just select “Recipes by Diet” and then choose “Gluten-Free Recipes.”
Loved this dish. I doubled it. I was looking for a small batch Tator Tot casserole, and I can’t find one. Do you have a small batch recipe for it or even a One Dish?
I’d give it 10 stars if I could. Made for supper last night. Halved an 8 oz of ground beef so will cook the other half today and freeze in a baggie. Then all I’ll have to do is a potato for another (almost instant) ready made dinner. I have frozen mashed potatoes before but this way I only have a flat sandwich bag with the meat portion taking up less space in the freezer.
Also noticed another reviewer mentioned using Sweet Potato – Great idea and will have to try that too!