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This easy shepherd’s pie soup recipe is inspired by the comforting flavors of the namesake dish! It has ground beef, vegetables, and potatoes simmered in a rich broth.
Try my Easy Meatloaf or Chicken Pot Pie Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
My Shepherd’s Pie recipe is a reader favorite, so I decided to use those tasty flavors in a cozy soup! No, there’s not mashed potatoes, but we’ve got similar vibes with diced potatoes. This potato soup uses everyday ingredients, and it’s a simple way to eat your vegetables.
This shepherd’s pie soup is a hearty one that will keep you full. It’s truly a complete meal! I simplified it even further by using inexpensive frozen mixed vegetables for convenience. That cuts down prep time in this irresistible ground beef and potato soup.
What you’ll need
- Ground beef – you can use lamb if you prefer
- Butter – for sautéing
- Onion and garlic – I like sweet onions like Vidalia, Walla Walla, etc.
- Italian seasoning – my go-to blend of dried herbs
- Tomato paste – for deeper savory flavor and a hint of tomato
- Chicken/beef broth – the base of the soup
- Worcestershire sauce – it adds so much richness to the broth!
- Heavy cream – for that luxurious taste and silky texture
- Potatoes – we’re dicing up russets
- Cornstarch – to thicken it up
- Vegetables – no chopping needed; just grab a bag of frozen mixed veggies. Mine has carrots, peas, corn, and green beans.
Pro tip
Did you know that historically shepherd’s pie was synonymous with cottage pie and could use either ground beef or lamb? (Or any meat, really. It was the 1800s, after all!) The Oxford English Dictionary disagrees with purists who say that shepherd’s pie must have lamb. The more you know!
How to make shepherd’s pie soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Brown the ground beef in a soup pot, breaking it up as you go along. One cooked, transfer it to a plate. Discard most of the fat. Sauté the butter and onions until softened.
Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato paste and stir until fragrant, followed by the broth, Worcestershire sauce, cream, potatoes, and beef. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently until the potatoes are tender. Mash a little if desired, or leave them intact.
Make a cornstarch slurry, then add it to the soup along with the frozen veggies. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the veggies are cooked, stirring occasionally. Season generously with seasoning salt (e.g. Lawry’s) and pepper.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Store leftovers in these silicone Souper cubes for the freezer.
- Here is my Staub Dutch oven and handy potato peeler.
- I recommend this garlic press for ease, and my trusty ladle makes for fewer spills.
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream because the soup could curdle due to the tomatoes and high heat it’s cooked at.
- If you happen to have leftover Mashed Potatoes, you could add them to this soup instead of the diced potatoes. I’d add them in towards the end of cooking time to warm through, and you could skip steps 6-7.
- Add in some fresh baby spinach towards the end of cooking time for more veggies and a pop of color.
What to serve with shepherd’s pie soup
- Pair this hearty soup with my Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread or a slice of fresh crusty bread, sourdough, etc.
- A salad makes a nice final touch. Make a Caesar salad with my easy 10-Minute Caesar Dressing and Garlic Parmesan Croutons! Delicious.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover shepherd’s pie soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat on the stove or in short intervals in the microwave until warmed through.
- There’s a chance that the soup broth may slightly change texture due to the dairy, but you can freeze it for up to 3 months. It’ll still taste good!
More cozy soup recipes
If you made this shepherd’s pie soup from scratch, please leave a star rating and review below! I’d love to hear from you. Or tag me on Instagram.
Shepherd’s Pie Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or lamb
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 2 medium-to-large Russet potatoes peeled & diced
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables see note
- Seasoning salt & pepper to taste, see note
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Cook until browned, breaking the meat up as you go along (about 8-10 minutes).
- Once the beef has browned, take it out of the pot and transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Discard most of the fat from the pot.
- Add the butter and onions to the pot, and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato paste, and cook for about a minute, stirring nearly constantly.
- Add in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, cream, potatoes, and cooked beef. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer so it's gently boiling.
- Cook, with the lid slightly open, until the potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). Stir occasionally.
- I like to take my potato masher and mash the potatoes a little bit right in the pot, but if you want to leave the potatoes as-is, that's fine too.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the soup, along with the frozen mixed vegetables, and give it a good stir.
- Increase the heat to high to get it going again, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the veggies are tender, the broth has thickened up a bit, and the potatoes have a fall-apart texture. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Give the soup a taste and season with seasoning salt & pepper as needed (I am generous with both!).
Notes
- Frozen mixed vegetables are par-cooked, so they will become tender faster than using fresh.
- I love using Lawry’s seasoning salt in this soup! You can definitely use your preferred brand/type of salt, however.
- I do not recommend subbing the cream for milk or half-and-half as the high heat may curdle the soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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