Shepherd’s Pie Soup turns the flavors of shepherd’s pie into a creamy stovetop soup: lean ground beef, onion and garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning, simmered with diced potatoes in beef broth, then finished with half and half, frozen mixed vegetables and shredded cheddar. It’s ready in about 35 minutes, all in one pot, and serves 6.
How to make it: Brown the beef until it reaches 160°F, then soften the onion and garlic in butter in the same pot. Stir in the flour for a minute, add the tomato paste and seasonings, and whisk in the broth. Simmer the potatoes until tender, then stir in the half and half, vegetables and cheddar and simmer 5 minutes more.
Why You’ll Love It
- Weeknight friendly: 15 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking.
- One pot: no oven and no separate pot of mashed potatoes.
- Freezer vegetables: a bag of frozen mixed vegetables means no extra chopping.
- Creamy and cheesy: half and half and two cups of cheddar in every pot.
What Is Shepherd’s Pie Soup?
It’s a soup made from the ingredients of a shepherd’s pie: ground meat, potatoes, vegetables and cheese, simmered together in a rich, seasoned broth instead of being baked under a layer of mashed potatoes. The tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning give it the savory base you’d find in the filling of the baked dish.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: 1 pound of lean ground beef.
Butter, onion and garlic: 3 tablespoons of butter, 1 medium onion, diced, and 4 cloves of garlic, minced.
Flour: 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour thickens the broth.
Seasonings: 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, plus salt and pepper to taste.
Beef broth: 4 cups.
Potatoes: 2 cups, diced. Russets are a good choice.
Half and half: 2 cups, stirred in at the end.
Frozen mixed vegetables: 2 cups, straight from the freezer.
Cheddar: 2 cups, shredded. Shredding it yourself from a block helps it melt smoothly.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups potatoes, diced
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie Soup
1. Brown the beef. Set a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling it, until it is no longer pink and a food thermometer reads 160°F.
2. Soften the onion and garlic. Add the butter, onion and garlic to the same pot with the beef. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion softens and begins to turn translucent.
3. Cook the flour. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and onion and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
4. Add the flavor. Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until everything is combined.
5. Simmer the potatoes. Slowly whisk in the beef broth and add the diced potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
6. Finish with cream and cheese. Stir in the half and half, frozen vegetables and cheddar. Let the soup simmer 5 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked and the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.
How to Keep It Thick and the Cheese Smooth
A creamy soup can go thin or grainy if you rush it. These tips help:
- Cook out the flour. Stir the flour with the beef and onion for a full minute before the broth goes in, and whisk the broth in slowly so no lumps form.
- Mash some potatoes. For a thicker soup, press some of the cooked potatoes against the side of the pot with a potato masher before adding the dairy. For a smoother base, you can blend part of the potatoes into the broth with an immersion blender.
- Shred your own cheddar. Pre-shredded cheese in a bag doesn’t melt as well as cheese shredded from a block.
- Keep the heat gentle. If the soup is boiling hard when the cheese goes in, the fat can separate and make it grainy. For the smoothest result, simmer the half and half and vegetables for 5 minutes first, then take the pot off the heat and sprinkle in the cheese a little at a time.
- Give it time. The soup keeps thickening as it sits.
Want it even thicker? Mix 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir it in with the vegetables, then simmer until the broth thickens a bit.
Can I Use Lamb or Another Meat?
Yes. Ground lamb works in place of the beef, and ground chicken, turkey or pork, or a mix, will also work. Cook ground beef, pork or lamb to 160°F, and ground chicken or turkey to 165°F.
Variations
- Heavy cream: use 1 cup of heavy cream in place of the half and half for a richer soup.
- Chicken broth: use chicken broth instead of beef broth.
- More seasoning: add 1/2 teaspoon of mustard powder and 1/4 teaspoon of ground sage with the Worcestershire sauce.
- Cauliflower: swap all or half of the potatoes for cauliflower.
- Sweet potatoes: use white sweet potatoes in place of russets.
- Toppings: extra cheddar, chopped parsley or sliced green onions.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if the room is above 90°F). Divide a big pot into shallow covered containers so it cools quickly. It keeps 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Cream soups can separate a little after thawing; stir well as it reheats. Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water in a leak-proof bag, or in the microwave, or reheat it straight from frozen in a saucepan.
Reheating: Reheat covered until the soup comes to a rolling boil (165°F). Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with warm biscuits or rolls. Try butter biscuits or 3-ingredient cheddar biscuit bites.
More beef and potato soups: for a slow cooker version with Velveeta, make creamy potato and hamburger soup. For more ideas, try baked potato soup, beef and barley soup or unstuffed cabbage roll soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is shepherd’s pie soup?
A creamy soup made with the ingredients of shepherd’s pie: ground beef, potatoes, mixed vegetables and cheese, simmered in a seasoned beef broth with half and half.
Can I use lamb or another meat?
Yes. Ground lamb, chicken, turkey or pork all work. Cook ground lamb or pork to 160°F and ground poultry to 165°F.
How do I keep the cheese smooth and the soup thick?
Shred the cheddar from a block, add it off the heat or at a gentle simmer, and mash some of the potatoes into the broth.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, for up to 3 months. The cream may separate a little, so stir well while reheating to a rolling boil.
Final Notes
All the comfort of shepherd’s pie in a bowl, ready in about half an hour. If you try it with lamb, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Shepherd's Pie Soup
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups potatoes diced
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Set a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling it, until it is no longer pink and a food thermometer reads 160°F.
- Add the butter, onion and garlic to the same pot with the beef. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion softens and begins to turn translucent.
- Sprinkle the flour over the beef and onion and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until everything is combined.
- Slowly whisk in the beef broth and add the diced potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the half and half, frozen vegetables and cheddar. Let the soup simmer 5 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked and the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.
