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A creamy soup that captures all the flavors of classic shepherd’s pie, combining mashed potatoes, browned ground beef, vegetables, and cheddar cheese in a rich, comforting broth.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large russet potatoes (2 lbs)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 1 lb ground beef, 85% lean
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter, divided
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups half and half
  • ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground sage
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1½ cups mixed frozen vegetables
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Shred the cheddar cheese from a block; measure sour cream and half-and-half and let dairy sit at room temperature.
  2. Brown and crumble ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until fully cooked; drain excess fat and transfer beef to a bowl.
  3. Peel and cut potatoes into chunks; place in a pot, cover with salted water (at least 1 inch above potatoes), and boil until fork-tender (10–15 minutes); drain.
  4. Mash potatoes with sour cream and 1 tablespoon butter until smooth; set aside.
  5. In the same pot, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; add diced onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
  6. Add minced garlic to onions and cook 1 minute.
  7. Sprinkle flour over onions and garlic; whisk/stir continuously for 1 minute to cook out raw flour taste.
  8. Gradually pour in chicken broth while stirring and scraping the pot bottom to deglaze and incorporate browned bits.
  9. Add Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, and sage; slowly stir in half-and-half; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
  10. Stir in mashed potatoes; blend to desired consistency using an immersion blender or carefully in batches with a countertop blender.
  11. Return cooked ground beef and frozen mixed vegetables to pot; heat until warmed through, about 4–6 minutes.
  12. Remove pot from heat; slowly stir in shredded cheddar cheese until smooth and melted, ensuring soup base has cooled slightly to avoid grainy texture.
  13. Taste soup and season with salt and pepper as needed; serve.

Notes

Shred cheese from a block for better melting; pre-shredded cheese may not melt smoothly due to anti-caking additives., Do not add cheese while soup is piping hot to prevent grainy texture; let soup cool slightly before adding cheese., You can substitute half or all potatoes with cooked mashed cauliflower for a lower-carb option., Ground lamb can be used instead of beef for a traditional shepherd’s pie flavor., Vegetable broth and plant-based ground meat or lentils can be used for vegetarian or dairy-free versions., Soup keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezes up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating., Reheat gently on stove over medium-low heat; add broth or milk if soup becomes too thick upon reheating.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mamapantry.com/shepherds-pie-soup/