Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes Recipe (2024)

Modified: by Stefanie Fauquet · This post may contain affiliate links · 27 Comments

Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes Recipe (1)Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes Recipe (2)

With football season here now, and the holidays right around the corner, there will no doubt be a ton of entertaining in our home. My absolute favorite part of get-togethers, whether they be formal or casual, is the food. I love to get creative with snack foods that can be served as either appetizers or as entrees if needed.

One of the ways that I mix up our usual spread is to use Kraft Fresh Take. The blend of seasoned breadcrumbs and fresh cheese can take almost any dish to the next level when added to chicken, pork, fish or beef.

For awhile now my husband has been craving Shepherd's Pie— I've racked my brain a bit on how to make this dish without spending hours in the kitchen. Then it hit me! I can make a mini Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes with Kraft Fresh Take, ground beef, frozen veggies and biscuits! The recipe came out better than I imagined and I will now be serving these on Game Days and other occasions that call for yummy finger foods.

Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes Recipe (3)

I started by shopping at Walmart for all of my ingredients. You can check out my Google+ album to see my entire shopping trip. Also, don't forget to print a coupon for$0.99 off 1 package of Kraft Fresh Take athttp://coupons.walmart.com.

Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes Recipe

Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes Recipe (4)

Ingredients (makes 16 Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes):

  • 1 Package Kraft Fresh Take Cheddar Jack & Bacon
  • 1 Pound Ground Beef
  • 1 ½ Cups Frozen Mixed Vegetables
  • 4 Cups Mashed Potatoes (I used Ore-Ida Steam n' Mash)
  • 1 Can Buttermilk Biscuits (Grands-style cut in half lengthwise to make 16 biscuits)
  • 2 Tablespoons Milk

Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes Recipe (5)

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
  2. In a large saucepan, cook 1 pound ground beef at medium-high heat until browned. Drain if necessary. Lower heat to medium-low and add 1.5 cups frozen mixed vegetables, ¾ of the breadcrumbs from the package Cheddar Jack & Bacon Kraft Fresh Take and 2 Tablespoons milk. Stir until the breadcrumbs and veggies are even throughout and cook until meat is well done.
  3. Mold biscuits into the shape of each cup in cupcake pan.
  4. Sprinkle a little cheese from the package of Kraft Fresh Take into the bottom of the molded biscuit.
  5. Add ground beef mixture into each cup until it is level with the pan (don't overfill).
  6. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes until biscuits are browned.
  7. Add mashed potatoes to a gallon sized bag with a corner cut off and pipe approximately ¼ cup mashed potatoes on the top of each "cupcake".
  8. Sprinkle each cupcake with extra cheese and breadcrumbs from Kraft Fresh Take.

My husband and daughter RAVED about my new version of Shepherd's Pie— the whole batch was gone in no time. We ended up eating the cupcakes for dinner, but I can't wait to make them again as snacks for a crowd!

Using Kraft Fresh Take is not only easy to use, but it saved me time and added a different flavor element to the Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes. I decided to go with Kraft Fresh Take Cheddar Jack & Bacon because everyone in my family loves the smokey bacon flavor. Though, I think any of #FreshTakevarieties could be used with great results.

Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes Recipe (6)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Penelope (NYC Blogger)

    Wow, that is unique, love it!

    Reply

  2. Donna

    Wow, how cute and tasty looking! I will definitely try this!

    Reply

  3. HilLesha

    My husband would probably love this!

    Reply

  4. Angela

    These look yummy! The size would help with portion control too.

    Reply

  5. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell

    Those are TOTALLY something I would make and eat and make and eat again!

    Reply

  6. Tammy

    I love the very little mini versions of this!

    Reply

  7. Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins

    Mmmm, those look really delicious! I might try t make this over the weekend!

    Reply

  8. Lolo

    Little bitty shepherds pies! What a great idea. Looks yummy.

    Reply

  9. Marcie W.

    I've made something similar with chicken pot pie and can not wait to try your version!

    Reply

  10. Toni

    I have all the stuff to make Shephards Pie actually and was going to do it next week but I might need to try it like this instead of the regular way.

    Reply

  11. Theresa

    These look so cute and yummy!

    Reply

  12. courtney

    My hubby would love these too! I really love the little portions 🙂

    Reply

  13. Jenn- The Rebel Chick

    Oh my gosh, this is such a great idea! I love shepards pie but hate slaving over the stove making it. I am saving this recipe so I can make these next weekend.

    Reply

  14. Rachel @ Following In My Shoes

    so CUTE! My kiddos would love these.

    Reply

  15. Shell Feis

    I've actually never had shepherd's pie, but these look like something I'd love for sure!

    Reply

  16. Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy.com

    I've made those before. Yours turned out really good. They look delicious.

    Reply

  17. Jenn

    How cute! Pinning to make for later.

    Reply

  18. Leilani

    I need to try these! I've never had shepherd's pie before. My husband keeps telling me my MIL makes awesome Shepherd's pie and I keep asking her to make it, but she never does.

    Reply

  19. Kelsey Apley

    These look SO good, and cute!! I think I am gonna have to try these out, we love sheperds pie, but never made it like this!

    Reply

  20. Heather Rode

    These look picture-perfect and yummy ! I can't wait try them out for myself.

    Reply

  21. Mickey

    I love the tiny little cups! Not sure if my kids would eat shepherds pie, but I could substitute something else in the little cups. 🙂

    Reply

  22. Vanessa: thequeenofswag

    This looks super simple to make and delish!

    Reply

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Shepherd's Pie Cupcakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make shepherd's pie not runny? ›

Thicken the filling

The concentrated tomatoes disperse and lightly thicken the beef stock. The flour is stirred with the meat and then swells and reduces as the liquid simmers. These add body to the dish, so it's not runny when served.

Why is flour used in shepherds pie? ›

This shepherd's pie recipe uses 2 tablespoons of flour to thicken the gravy but if you feel like the meat mixture is too watery, add in another tablespoon and stir to combine. You may also try simmering the mince mixture for longer so that the stock reduces down and thickens.

Does Ina Garten have a recipe for shepherd's pie? ›

I decided to try making Ina Garten's recipe for shepherd's pie, which calls for ingredients like carrots, celery, white button mushrooms, ground turkey, and homemade mashed potatoes. I started by peeling my Yukon gold potatoes.

How do you thicken shepherd's pie without cornstarch? ›

Arrowroot Powder – If you're following the Paleo Diet then Arrowroot Powder is a great alternative to using cornstarch to thicken gravies and sauces.

Why did my pie filling is too runny? ›

If you slice the pie too soon , it just won't set. Why did my blueberry pie turn out runny? Without knowing your method or ingredients its hard to say. My best guess is you didn't use enough thickener( flour or cornstarch) in the filling, or you didnt cook long enough, or you cut it before cooling sufficiently.

How can I make my meat pie filling thicker? ›

Thicken your pie filling (optional).
  1. Mix two tsp. of flour with 1/4 cup cold water or 1 tbsp. cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water before stirring it into your mixture.
  2. Thicken with flour. For each cup of filling, use about 2 tbsp. of flour. ...
  3. Thicken with cornstarch. For each cup of sauce, use 1 tbsp. of cornstarch.

Why is my shepherd's pie soggy? ›

Classic shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb, gravy, mashed potatoes, and veggies like peas, corn, celery, and carrots. Why is my shepherd's pie soggy? Avoid a soggy pie by simmering the meat mixture for at least 8 minutes. Be sure to cook down the mixture to remove excess moisture.

What is traditional shepherd's pie made of? ›

Classic Shepherd's Pie is a comforting casserole that consists of ground lamb, carrots, and peas simmered with Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs and topped with a cheesy mashed potato layer that's baked until golden and crisp.

Can I substitute cornstarch for flour in shepherd's pie? ›

It's easy to substitute cornstarch for flour when your recipe calls for a thickener (as in gravy, sauce or pie) or a coating for fried foods.

What is duch*ess pie? ›

duch*ess Pie: sour cream custard studded with. blackberries, topped with oat crumble. Creamy, tart, sweet, crunchy... perfect.

What is a shepherds pie called when it is made from beef? ›

The two English terms have been used interchangeably since they came into use in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, although some writers insist that a shepherd's pie should contain lamb or mutton, and a cottage pie, beef.

Why is shepherds pie called chinese pie? ›

Most workers ate their meat, potatoes and corn separately but workers of mainly Asian origins, combined their rations to create shepherd's pie, a more communal dish. The French-Canadian railway workers liked this new concoction, adopted the dish, and called it “pâté chinois”, which loosely translates to Chinese pie.

What ethnicity is shepherd's pie? ›

The dish originates from the British Isles, but some might argue that it is an Irish dish by origin. The name "Shepherd's Pie" was first recorded in an 1877 cookbook. In this same cookbook, it was noted that the dish was of Scottish origin. During the period between the 18th and 19th centuries, money was very tight.

What happens if you put too much cornstarch in pie? ›

Cornstarch as Pie Filling Thickener

Just like the name suggests, cornstarch is derived from corn. Cornstarch is faster-acting than flour and forms a smooth, relatively clear filling. Just be aware that too much cornstarch can create a slimy texture.

Is shepherds pie bland? ›

Most of the time, I find shepherd's pie to be a little on the bland side. It's your simple mirepoix with ground lamb and mashed potatoes on top. And yes, that does sound comforting, but I like to use a few additional ingredients to amp this dish up to a whole new level.

How do you firm up pie filling? ›

Types of Pie Thickeners
  1. All-Purpose Flour. Flour is a popular thickener for sauces and soups, and it can be used to add body to your fruit filling. ...
  2. Cornstarch. ...
  3. Arrowroot. ...
  4. Quick-Cooking Tapioca. ...
  5. Instant ClearJel.
Oct 29, 2018

Why didn't my pie filling thicken? ›

Maybe bring the filling to a boil before you fill it in the pie, because starch/semonila might need 3 seconds of boiling to unfold their binding features. Add a bit of flour (1-2 T), and make sure you cook it long enough. Flour needs to be heated before it will thicken (think about making a roux).

How do you thicken meat pie gravy? ›

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

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