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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.
Featured Comment
“Excellent recipe. My dinner was delish”
– Monica P
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 for one, 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.
This mini Shepherd’s Pie is satisfying on its own, but it pairs well with a slice of small loaf French bread, a fresh tomato salad for one, and a simple apple crisp for one for dessert.
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 single serving cottage pie or small batch potatoes O’Brien.
- 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. One small fresh carrot can also be used, cook it for an extra minute or two. Use extra vegetables in small chicken and biscuits casserole, minestrone soup for one or chicken tortilla soup for one.
- 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 slow cooker ropa vieja, pepper steak for one, or swedish meatballs for one.
- 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.
- Creamy Version: For a richer version, spoon a little béchamel sauce into the meat mixture before topping with mashed potatoes.
- 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 or ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup frozen mixed vegetables or use 1 small chopped carrot
- 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.
Hi Joanie,
I made this on Sunday (February 1) and it was AWESOME!! I used ground beef instead of lamb (so I guess that’s COTTAGE PIE). I made 2 of them using your ramekins. They looked so pretty, I almost didn’t want to stick the spoon into them!! The only changes I made was that I used vegetable broth instead of beef broth because that’s what I had handy. I also used fresh carrot, canned corn and the frozen peas. Also, because I didn’t have milk, I cooked the potatoes in half and half (I figured that CAN’T be bad!). OMG! It was DELICIOUS!!! I always post recipes I try out with the link to the recipe on my Facebook – I thought I tagged the photos but I may have done it incorrectly. I’ll check that because I’d love for you to see the photos! Thank you for fantastic recipes!! I really would like to make the Shrimp Etouffee, as around this time, I LOVE doing Mardi Gras and New Orleans’ recipes. Will definitely make this again!!
I love hearing this. Your version sounds wonderful, and I’m so glad it turned out so well for you. Using what you had on hand is exactly how these recipes are meant to be enjoyed. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and for posting about it on Facebook. I really appreciate your kind words.
Oh yum!!! I made it for 2 and am looking forward to eating the rest. Great flavor. Will make again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and that the flavor worked well for you. Thank you for sharing, and I’m happy to hear you’ll be making it again.
I’m wondering about a substitute.
I have rump toast left over from Christmas dinner, and would like to use that instead of the burger. Just wondering how to get it all together, and would the mushroom gravy work in it?
Thanks in advance, and maybe you’ll have a new recipe for the new year!
Connie
You can absolutely substitute your cooked rump roast for the ground meat. I’d suggest chopping it into small pieces so it mixes well with the vegetables. Since the meat is already cooked, just warm it through rather than cooking it again.
This Shepherd’s Pie doesn’t use mushroom gravy, so I’m not sure if you’re thinking of another recipe or planning to use mushroom gravy you already have. You can use a mushroom gravy if you’d like, just use enough to lightly coat the meat and vegetables without making the filling too wet.
It’s a flexible recipe, so feel free to adjust based on what you have on hand. And I love the idea of turning holiday leftovers into something new.
This was easy and absolutely delicious. I did make more of everything since we are two eaters. It was so good. Thank you!
An absolute hit with my hubby, thank you.
Delicious! I am a vegetarian so made a few substitutions (pea protein crumbles in place of ground meat, plant milk, plant butter, vegie broth).
The flavor was outstanding, and you can bet, this meal will be made again!
Did not fit the 10 ounce ramekin. Too much food and overflowed. Four ounces of ground lamb plus veggies didn’t leave room for mashed potato. I think it might have fit better in a 5×5 casserole dish.
Thank you for your comment. This recipe has been carefully tested and the ingredient amounts are scaled to fit a 10-ounce ramekin, which we show clearly in the photos. There should be plenty of room for the filling and the mashed potatoes without overflowing. If it did overflow, it might have been due to slightly larger measurements or compacting the ingredients differently. I appreciate you trying the recipe and hope this helps clarify.
Excellent recipe. My dinner was delish 🙂
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!
I made this using ground beef, and baked it in my small air fryer for 15 minutes @ 300. It was delicious, and a wonderful alternative to heating up the oven (and the house) on a summer evening. I ate it with warm homemade bread. Perfect!
I love shepards pie! I have to admit though, I cheat, lol. I use canned mixed veggies and instant potatoes. I also put cheddar cheese under the potatoes, this helps speed up the melting process and I really only need to slightly brown my potatoes. Comes out perfectly for two meals. Thanks!
Made this recipe today and it was delicious. Substituted instant mashed potatoes as I didn’t have any regular potatoes on hand.
Joanie I made this for dinner. I used Ground Sirloin and traded out White potato for Sweet Potato. It turned out fantastic! Definitely a keeper. No Left overs! Perfect portion.
c
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Joanie I made this tonight for dinner. I used ground sirloin and traded out
Made this for dinner tonight. I must not have let my sauce cook down enough because my casserole was soupy. Still delicious tho!
I am interested to know if you could use chunks of beef, like you use for beef stew could be used. And if so, how would the cooking time or other ingredients be affected.
I have not tested this recipe using cubes of beef so I don’t know how long you will have to cook it and what ingredients will be affected.
Doubled! Cook once eat twice. Good recipe!
Terrific recipe.
Step 7 above says bake for:20 munutes, however above here you say bake time is 50 minutes. Would you please clarify? Thinking thatg in such a small ramekin.
Thanks
Hi Susan, I counted the cooking time of the mashed potatoes and the cooking time of the stew into the total cooking time. The shepherd’s pie bakes for 20 minutes. 50 minutes is the total cooking time