Mexican Shepherd’s Pie
Mexican Shepherd’s Pie is a delicious twist with mashed potatoes, cheese, and veggies over a creamy layer of meat and black beans. Make this Mexican cottage pie as a family dinner or make ahead and bring for a potluck. Leftovers reheat well and this recipe is very flexible to suit your tastes.
Don’t you love it when you create something you’ve never made before and it’s delicious AND you used only ingredients you found in your pantry and fridge? This is one of those recipes. My daughter licked her plate clean. This is that good.
What is Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie means different things in different places, but in the US we generally mean it to be a homey, filling comfort food dinner with meat and veggies (such as peas and carrots) in gravy under a layer of mashed potatoes. Also in the US, shepherd’s pie is synonymous with cottage pie, but in Europe shepherd’s pie traditionally uses lamb and cottage pie uses beef.
Why this recipe works
This recipe works because it is easy, fun, and TASTY. Weeknight meals can get so boring and I’m so over it. I throw this recipe out there for my family every once in a while to shake things up, they love it, and there is always leftovers so I don’t have to cook the next day either.
About the ingredients
All off the ingredients below are pantry staples and items usually kept on hand anyway, with the exception of the bit of fresh herb, cilantro or parsley. Dried herb may be substituted, but in that case use half as much.
- 1 pie crust
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 carrot finely shredded
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley plus more for garnish
- 3 tsp chili powder plus additional for dusting top
- 1 cup cooked black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup whole kernal corn thawed if frozen
- 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 2 ½ cups mashed potatoes
If you are not up for making the pie crust or mashed potatoes, store-bought can be used. This is all about keeping things easy.
How to make Mexican Shepherd’s Pie
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Brown the meat with the onion until beef is no longer pink and drain. Add the carrot and cook 1 minute.
- Add the condensed soup, salt, oregano, cilantro, chili powder, and black beans and mix it all up.
- Roll out the pie crust and line a large pie plate fluting the edges. Add the meat mixture and press flat into the pie shell. Layer the corn, bell pepper, and cheese, pressing a bit to get it to fit. Top with the smashed potatoes. Dust more chili powder on top.
- Bake at 375°F for 1 hour until crust is cooked through. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Each step is so easy and totally forgiving. The real key to this recipe is to make sure to cook long enough that the crust on the bottom cooks. No one likes raw pie dough.
FAQs
Yes. shepherd’s pie is often made without pie crust anyway, and this recipe can be made that way too.
Yes, and I have used both with great success.
This Mexican Shepherd’s Pie is a delicious family-approved dinner that reheats really well too. For another suggestion (easy dinner, reheats beautifully, checks all the boxes..), I also recommend my Taco Macaroni and Beef Bake.
Mexican Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 carrot finely shredded
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley plus more for garnish
- 3 tsp chili powder plus additional for dusting top
- 1 cup cooked black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup whole kernal corn thawed if frozen
- 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 2 ½ cups mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- In a large nonstick skillet, brown the meat with the onion until beef is no longer pink. Drain the juice. Add the carrot and cook 1 minute.
- Add the condensed soup, salt, oregano, cilantro, chili powder, and black beans. Combine.
- On a floured surface, roll out the pie crust and line a large pie plate fluting the edges. Add the meat mixture and press flat into the pie shell. Layer the corn, bell pepper, and cheese, pressing a bit to get it to fit. Top with the smashed potatoes. Dust more chili powder on top.
- Bake at 375°F for 1 hour until crust is cooked through. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.
Nutrition
