Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie
This post may contain paid links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
If you love a delicious, hearty, one-pot meal, then I have the recipe for you! This Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie is delicious and comfort food at its best!
Note: We use referral links for the products we love.
Aunt Lou here.
You know the old saying, “Third times a charm!”? Well, that was the case with this recipe! You see, I adapted this recipe from an oven recipe in Gooseberry Patch’s 101 Homestyle Favorites. What we don’t always share is the fun behind recipe development, but it can be quite a process.
You see, the first time, I made this, I didn’t reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe quite enough, so we had more of a Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie Soup. (We literally put it through a strainer before we ate it!) Not really what I had in mind. The second time I made this, I was on vacation…and I grabbed the wrong cookbook. Ugh. So I did it from memory as best as I could. It turned out pretty good, but took a while to make, so I wanted to try it one more time to see if I could find a shortcut. And whaddya know, it worked! So now you have Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie just for you!
Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Note: Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable version of this recipe.
Ingredients for Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie
- 3 lbs ground beef
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 4-6 Russet Potatoes boiled and mashed with 1 tablespoon of milk (OR 2-4.1oz Idahoan Baby Reds Instant Mashed Potatoes packages, prepared, and 2 tablespoons of butter)
- 2-.87 oz brown gravy mix pkgs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 12 oz frozen sliced carrots not thawed
- 12 oz frozen peas not thawed
- 10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
- Optional: Sprinkling of paprika
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie in a Crock Pot
- Brown your ground beef with your onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, drain
- Boil your potatoes, drain and mash with 1 tablespoon of milk (OR prepare your instant mashed potatoes per package instructions and add additional 2 tablespoons of butter to make them spreadable)
- Mix together your beef mixture, brown gravy mixes, garlic powder, onion powder, carrots, peas and cream of mushroom soup
- Spray your crock pot with cooking spray
- Pour your beef mixture into your crock pot
- Spoon your mashed potatoes on top and spread evenly
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours
Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie Notes:
- I have made this with homemade mashed potatoes and with instant potatoes. We liked it both ways because we have found some instant potatoes that we absolutely love. However, if you hate instant mashed potatoes, go ahead and make your own! It was yummy both ways!
- I made this recipe twice in my Hamilton Beach Intellitime Slow Cooker and once in my Hamilton Beach Multi-Quart Slow Cooker. Both did a great job. You can use your favorite 6-quart crock pot.
- You can adjust this recipe to meet your family’s needs. Don’t like peas, leave ’em out! Love carrots, add some more in! Do note though that as the recipe is, it almost fills a 6-quart crock pot, so adjust the size of your crock pot accordingly if you are adding a ton more veggies.
- As with any of our recipes, calorie counts and nutritional information varies greatly depending on which products you choose to use when cooking this dish.
- All slow cookers cook differently, so cooking times are always a basic guideline and should always be tested first in your own slow cooker and time adjusted as needed.
Printable Recipe for Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie
Crock Pot Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ground beef
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 5 Russet Potatoes boiled and mashed with 1 tablespoon of milk (OR 2-4.1oz Idahoan Baby Reds Instant Mashed Potatoes packages, prepared, and 2 tablespoons of butter)
- 2 oz brown gravy mix (2 – 1 oz envelopes)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 12 oz frozen sliced carrots not thawed
- 12 oz frozen peas not thawed
- 10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
- Optional: Sprinkling of paprika
Instructions
- Brown your ground beef with your onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, drain
- Boil your potatoes, drain and mash with 1 tablespoon of milk (OR prepare your instant mashed potatoes per package instructions and add additional 2 tablespoons of butter to make them spreadable)
- Mix together your beef mixture, brown gravy mixes, garlic powder, onion powder, carrots, peas and cream of mushroom soup
- Spray your crock pot with cooking spray
- Pour your beef mixture into your crock pot
- Spoon your mashed potatoes on top and spread evenly
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours
Notes
- I have made this with homemade mashed potatoes and with instant potatoes. We liked it both ways because we have found some instant potatoes that we absolutely love. However, if you hate instant mashed potatoes, go ahead and make your own! It was yummy both ways!
- I made this recipe twice in myย Hamilton Beach Intellitime Slow Cookerย and once in myย Hamilton Beach Multi-Quart Slow Cooker. Both did a great job. You can use your favorite 6-quart crock pot.
- You can adjust this recipe to meet your family’s needs. Don’t like peas, leave ’em out! Love carrots, add some more in! Do note though that as the recipe is, it almost fills a 6-quart crock pot, so adjust the size of your crock pot accordingly if you are adding a ton more veggies.
- As with any of our recipes, calorie counts and nutritional information varies greatly depending on which products you choose to use when cooking this dish.
- All slow cookers cook differently, so cooking times are always a basic guideline and shouldย always be tested first in your own slow cooker and time adjusted as needed.
- Saucy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice for Two - February 5, 2026
- Crock Pot Cheesy Potato Soup for Two - January 22, 2026
- Crock Pot Taco Hash Browns for Two - January 21, 2026
This is my all time go to recipe!!! So easy, so delicious and so filling!!! I make this several times during the winter months
This was so good and will make it again.
This looks DELICIOUS!! My family loves shepherd’s pie. But our oven went out a few weeks ago. So my crock pot is being used more than usual. I have a question. I always add cheddar cheese to ours. Should it go on top the last hour or so of cooking?
I haven’t tried this with cheese on top, but that sounds good. I think your idea of adding the cheese at the end is a good place to start. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out.
Trying this recipe today with a couple modifications. Using fresh carrots and celery and frozen peas. Also, since my family isn’t a big fan of potatoes, I am adding pillsbury grand biscuits on top for the last 15 minutes or until they are done cooking. I also doubled the recipe. Fingers crossed.
This sounds so yummy! I canโt wait to try it. Could you assemble it the day before, put the crockpot dish in the refrigerator overnight and then pop it in the heating unit in the morning? Our mornings are always so rushed! Thanks!
I haven’t tried assembling this the day before I cooked it. I think it might work. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Thank you so much for this. I love skillet shepherd’s pie, but wanted a slow cooker option. I used it as an opportunity to use up a bunch of things from the garden. Used a whole onion, sweet corn instead of peas, fresh carrots, mashed some red potatoes, and used a country gravy packet because that is what I had. Turned out fantastic.
Wow that was a waste of money and time. Sรบper soupy and no flavor. Very disappointed
I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe. We realize that every recipe won’t be everyone’s cup of tea and hope that you can find a recipe you love in our library of almost 2,000 recipes.
Aunt Lou
I realize this is almost 2 years ago, but I’m wondering if you mixed up the gravy packets as instructed on the packets before you added them, or if you mixed the powders into the beef mixture as instructed in this recipe. Looking at the recipe, I can’t see how it could possibly be soupy. Only the frozen veggies would give off liquid, and that should be absorbed by the powdered gravy mix and the undiluted condensed soup.
I don’t care for peas either, so i used green beans instead, loved it.
Great job making it your own! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Im assuming the cheese is last…
If you want to add cheese, go for it! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
If I wanted to substitute the frozen peas for frozen green beans, would that work too?
I haven’t tried this with frozen green beans, but think it could work! If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
So my question is.If all the ingredients are precooked why does it need so long to cook. 4 hours on high and 8 hours on low seems excessive. Will it dry out? That my concern. Iโm trying it this weekend for a work function.
Hi Valerie!
Much like cooking in the oven, the cooking time gives the flavors time to meld to create the overall flavor. It hasn’t dried out for me when I have made it. I hope you enjoy it!
Aunt Lou
This is such an excellent recipe! I found this recipe over a year ago, and it has become a staple in our house. I make it at least once a month. Instead of using frozen veggies, I use canned veggies (I usually use 2 cans of green beans and 1 can of carrots, draining them all of course). Asides from extra seasonings, I make it the same way as called. I am so glad I ran across this recipe. This is my husband’s favorite dinner that I make. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Jolene!
Thank you so much for letting us know how much you and your husband enjoy this recipe! I love that you have made it your own and that you use this recipe so often! Comments like this make my day!
~Aunt Lou
Looks soooo good! ๐ Love your recipes here in Kentucky!
Thanks so much Kathy! It really is good! Thank you for your kind words! We love it when people speak life around here! Enjoy!
~Aunt Lou
Do I mix the gravy packets with the cup
Of water as suggested on package or just dump the powder in with all these ingredients?
Hi Anna!
Just the powder! Enjoy!
Aunt Lou
Hi Sharon, this was delicious even my 6 year old liked it!
I halved it and it came out perfect! Thanks!
Sorry I don’t know why i addressed you as Sharon. Woops!
Hi Janicke!
I’m so glad that it was a hit at your house! Thanks for letting me know! Hearing that someone enjoyed a recipe as much as we did always makes my day!
Aunt Lou
My husband was just told to go on low salt. Any ideas with this wonderful looking recipe?
Hi Judy!
I don’t have any experience cooking for someone with a low sodium diet. I would check with your doctor or a dietician for the best advice. I would hate to give you advice that is incorrect. You might ask your doctor about the low sodium options available for ingredients like soups, mixes, etc. Let us know how it goes!
Aunt Lou
This sounds wonderful. Except for the cream of mushroom soup. Can you use cream of celery soup instead?
Hi Tanya!
I have not tried it with cream of celery, but if that is the taste you prefer, it would probably work well. Let me know how it goes! Enjoy!
Aunt Lou
Yum! I substituted Campbell’s Golden Mushroom soup for the Cream of Mushroom soup, and added a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Keep up the good work…I always look forward to finding your recipes in my inbox!
Do you have to use Mushroom soup??
Hi Toni!
If you don’t like cream of mushroom soup, you could try our cream soup substitute. I’ll put the link below. Enjoy!
Aunt Lou
http://www.recipesthatcrock.com/cream-soup-substitute-recipes/
Do you think this would work in a crock pot casserole? If do you think I would need to use more potatoes?
Hi Patricia!
I haven’t tried it in my casserole crock yet, but I think it would work well. Yes, you would definitely need more potatoes. Enjoy!
Aunt Lou
Hubby and I both love Shepperd’s Pie. I have never made it in a crock pot, but this one is on my list for dinner this week. Yum
Hi Sharon!
You are gonna love it! I brought it to a friend of mine with a newborn, and her family raved about it as well! Enjoy!
Aunt Lou
Do you think this would work if cut in half?
Hi Deb!
I haven’t tried it, but think it would work. You will need to adjust the size of crock pot you use and watch it closely the first time you make it to see how long it needs to cook. Enjoy!
Aunt Lou
Would this work with regular raw carrots? I’m not a fan of frozen carrots.
Hi Karen!
I haven’t tried it, but I would think it would work. I would suggest slicing the carrots very thin so they will cook easier. Make sure you watch it closely the first time and adjust your cooking time as needed. Enjoy!
Aunt Lou