The trick behind this one-pot shepherd’s pie soup

London Lea, formerly London Brazil, founder of Evolving Table in her home kitchen.

Shepherd’s pie is one of my FAVORITE cozy dishes. But it can be such a hassle to make the filling, mashed potatoes, and then BAKE it all in the oven.

So instead of slaving away for over an hour and then having to clean up a bunch of dishes, I took my tried and true shepherd’s pie recipe (tested 5 different times for my Weeknight Winners cookbook!) and turned it into this Shepherd’s Pie Soup.

It has all the classic flavors you love made in about half the time and in just one pot.

But what about that fluffy potato topping?! Sure, you do have to sacrifice a little bit, but my potato masher trick helps the loss not seem so drastic. (It gives it the best texture!)

The first time I tested it, the soup was too brothy and didn’t have that mashed potato-like texture. Mashing a few of the potatoes right in the pot did the trick, and it didn’t need any cream or cheese.

Why you’ll love this shepherd’s pie soup

It’s filling enough to actually feel like a hearty dinner.
It’s made with a bunch of pantry staples.
It freezes great.
A hint of Worcestershire- my secret ingredient for that extra bit of umami.

A ladle scoops up a big serving of shepherd's pie soup with ground beef, potatoes, corn, peas, and carrots.

A big bowl of ground beef shepherd's pie soup with potatoes and mixed vegetables in a savory broth.

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.

Ground beef, Yukon gold potatoes, tomato paste, celery, onion, beef broth, and frozen mixed vegetables are the main ingredients for this easy shepherd's pie soup.

Ground beef: I use 85/15 for this one. You can use 90/10, but you’ll need to add a little more oil to the pot.
Tomato paste: The canned kind works great. But the double and triple concentrated kind in the tube has incredible flavor. (I love Mutti’s!)
All-purpose flour: You can sub in a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend if you need to.
Worcestershire sauce: This one’s a must!
Beef broth: A carton of beef broth is all you need. My favorite swap is a spoonful of Better Than Bouillon stirred into hot water, since the jar keeps for ages in the fridge and you never waste a half-used carton.
Yukon gold potatoes: Red potatoes can be used too. Avoid russets, since they break down in the soup. Peel and dice them into ½-inch cubes so they all cook at the same speed.
Frozen mixed vegetables: Grab a bag that has carrots in it. They go in straight from the freezer (no thawing needed!).

Step-by-step Instructions

Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.

Cook the veggies.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot, then cook the onion and celery until they’re tender. Stir in the garlic and give it about 30 seconds, just until it smells amazing.

Diced onion and celery cook in a Dutch oven for shepherd's pie soup.

It saves SO much time!

Since it’s super important to get the garlic pretty small for this recipe, a garlic press like this one is a lifesaver!

It’s easy to use, finely minces the garlic, and does it in a fraction of the time as chopping it up by hand.

Get the PRESS!

Brown the beef.

Push the veggies over to one side of the pot and add the ground beef to the open space. Break it apart as it cooks until it’s no longer pink.

Pro Tip: A potato masher is my favorite way to break up ground beef. (And you’ll need it again in a few minutes anyway!)

Ground beef is browned next to the onion and celery for shepherd's pie soup.

Stir in the flavor.

Add the tomato paste, flour, Worcestershire, and seasonings. Mix until everything is well combined.

Tomato paste, flour, and seasonings are stirred into the ground beef for shepherd's pie soup.

Simmer the potatoes.

Pour in the beef broth, add the potatoes, and bring it all to a boil. Turn the heat down and let it simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Diced Yukon gold potatoes are added to the beef broth for shepherd's pie soup.

Mash a few potatoes.

Use your potato masher (or the back of a wooden spoon) to lightly mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot. You only need enough to thicken the broth, so leave most of them in pieces.

Pro Tip: Mash 3 or 4 times, then give it a stir and check the consistency. Keep going if you like a thicker soup.

A potato masher lightly mashes potatoes in the pot to thicken shepherd's pie soup.

Add the frozen veggies.

Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables and cook for a few more minutes until they’re heated through. Taste, add more salt and pepper if it needs it, and serve with fresh parsley on top.

Frozen carrots, corn, and peas are stirred into a pot of shepherd's pie soup.

A ladle is scooping up some shepherd's pie soup with ground beef from a Dutch oven for dinner.

Oops! What did I do wrong?

My soup is too brothy.
Mash a few more potatoes right in the pot and give it a good stir. Let it simmer for another couple of minutes and it’ll thicken right up.

My soup is too thick.
Stir in a splash of beef broth or water until it loosens back up.

There’s a layer of grease on top.
Skim it off the top with a big spoon. Next time, spoon off any extra fat after the beef browns, before the tomato paste goes in.

It tastes a little flat.
Add another pinch of salt first, then taste again. If it’s still missing something, a small splash of Worcestershire usually does it.

What to serve with shepherd’s pie soup

This soup is hearty enough to be dinner all on its own, so the sides can stay simple. Something to dunk is always a good idea, like a batch of Copycat Red Lobster Biscuits or Mini Cornbread Muffins.

If you’ve got a loaf of crusty bread on the counter, slather it with Homemade Garlic Herb Butter. (SO good dipped in the broth!)

For something fresh on the side, a Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries can be made ahead while the soup simmers. Honey Roasted Broccoli with Garlic is another easy one if you want more veggies on the table.