Shepherd’s Pie Bites are the mini versions of the classic comfort food! They are perfect for entertaining, and with their hearty filling and buttery mashed potato topping, they’re sure to be a hit with everyone at your party! You only need 1 hour and a handful of ingredients to make these bite-sized delights!
Shepherd’s Pie has always been one of my favorite meals, and it’s always in our weekly meal rotation. Try our full-sized Cottage Pie for an even bigger taste!
I love shepherd’s pie because of how comforting and filling it is! These Shepherd’s Pie Bites are perfect for when you want that classic taste of shepherd’s pie but without filling up super quickly!
These bites are small but mighty- pie crust bases are topped with seasoned ground beef mixed with vegetables and a layer of fluffy mashed potatoes before sliding in the oven to bake until golden!
Shepherd’s Pie Bites Ingredients
- Pre-made pie crust
- Yellow onion
- Minced garlic
- Olive oil
- Ground beef
- Worcestershire sauce
- Frozen vegetables
- Flour
- Butter
- Beef broth
- Mashed potatoes
- Paprika
How Do You Make Shepherd’s Pie Bites?
Step One: Preheat the oven and grease a muffin tin. Flour your surface and unroll your pie crusts. Cut out circles from each pie crust.
Step Two: Gently push each circle into the muffin tin. Bake in oven, then remove and set the oven to broiler.
Step Three: Add olive oil, garlic, and onion to a skillet and sauté. Add ground beef and brown. Drain the grease, then add Worcestershire sauce and frozen vegetables.
Step Four: Move the meat and vegetables to one side of your skillet, and add butter and flour to the empty side of the skillet. Mix the butter and flour until it becomes a slightly thickened sauce, then combine with the meat mixture. Add the beef broth and let simmer.
Step Five: Add a small amount of the meat mixture to each mini pie crust. Top the meat with mashed potatoes, then a sprinkle of paprika. Place muffin in in the oven and broil.
Step Six: Remove from oven, garnish, and serve!
Recipe Tips
- Swap out the vegetables! This recipe calls for mixed vegetables, but you can swap them out for just corn, peas and carrots, or even mushrooms!
- Use a thick mashed potato! This recipe won’t turn out with runny mashed potatoes that pour out over the edges of your mini pies.
- Change the meats! Shepherd’s Pie is typically made with ground lamb, but this recipe calls for ground beef. You can also try it with ground chicken, ground turkey, or lentils for a vegetarian option!
- Add some cheese! Grate some cheese on top before baking to add some extra flavor!
Can Shepherd’s Pie Bites Be Prepped Ahead Of Time?
Yes! You can prep these bites up until step 10 in the recipe, then store them in the fridge. Resume and broil in the oven right before you’re ready to serve! I recommend serving these fresh out of the oven for the best taste.
Why I Love Shepherd’s Pie Bites
Taste– Meat and potatoes were meant to be together- and this recipe is the perfect example of why! Hamburger is cooked in a pan with sautéed onion and garlic before combining with vegetables and Worcestershire sauce, then topped with mashed potatoes! The best part about this recipe is you can season your mashed potatoes however you want!
Texture- Tender meat is surrounded by vegetables and topped with fluffy mashed potatoes, then baked until lightly golden on top, providing a nice crisp! The pie crust is baked first by itself to hold everything together without becoming mushy!
Time- This quick snack or appetizer is made in under an hour, making it so easy to prep ahead for gatherings and get-togethers! You can prep ahead and store in the fridge until you’re ready to bake and serve!
Storage Instructions
Store these Shepherd’s Pie Bites in the fridge in an air-tight container for 4-5 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, pop them in the microwave, oven, or air fryer until heated all the way through.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts
- 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus additional for pie crusts
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups prepared mashed potatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
- Fresh parsley chopped (optional garnish)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Flour a clean, flat surface and place the 2 thawed-out pie crusts down. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out 6 circles from each pie crust (you will end up with 12 circles total).
- Gently push each pie crust circle into the muffin tin and use your finger to smooth out the edges.
- Bake the pie crusts for about 6-8 minutes. Then remove the pie crusts from the oven and turn the broiler on.
- Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add in the ground beef and brown for about 5 minutes. Drain the fat and return the pan to the stove.
- Add in the Worcestershire sauce and frozen vegetables and combine.
- Move the beef mixture to one side and add butter and flour. Mix the butter and flour until it becomes a slightly thickened sauce. Combine with the beef mixture.
- Add the beef broth and mix it into the beef mixture. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp of beef mixture to each mini pie crust (I like to use a small cookie scoop to do this). Top the beef mixture with 1-2 tablespoons of mashed potatoes, then sprinkle a dash of paprika onto each pie.
- Broil the pies for 5-7 minutes in the oven.
- Once finished, garnish the pies with freshly chopped parsley and serve warm. Enjoy!
