Venison Shepherd's Pie

This easy ground venison shepherd’s pie recipe is the ultimate meat and potatoes meal! Ground venison combines with healthy vegetables in a silky and flavorful gravy all topped by a gorgeous crust of parmesan mashed potatoes.

This hearty dinner checks all the important boxes. Loaded with protein? Check. Includes potatoes? Check. Has a generous dose of vegetables? Check.

Shepherd’s Pie has its origins in Ireland. It used to be made with leftover meats and undesirable vegetables all held together with the widely available (and cheap) potato.

While I’m all about building a meal on a foundation of potatoes, I had to give the Irish dish a modern spin. This isn’t a Reuben egg roll recipe, but it has been updated to include ground venison and parmesan cheese. But, the goal of the pie remains the same: to fill and satisfy the workers of the house (aka my husband).

Ingredients you’ll need

• Ground Venison (or beef, if you don’t like or don’t have venison)
• Salt & Pepper
• Onion & Garlic Powder
• Corn Starch
• White Onion
• Minced Garlic
• Beef Stock
• Frozen Peas & Carrots
• Mashed Potatoes
• Parmesan Cheese

How to make Shepherd’s Pie using Ground Venison

1. Brown the venison. With spices and seasonings in a shallow Dutch oven or pan with a lid.
2. Stir in the corn starch. This will help to thicken the gravy later on! Mixing it in now ensures there won’t be any lumps in the gravy.
3. Add in the onions and garlic. Cook ‘em for a bit.
4. Add the beef stock. And reduce it a bit to create a beautifully smooth gravy.
5. Add the frozen peas and carrots. Doing this now prevents the peas from drying out and becoming chalky or overcooked.
6. Top with mashed potatoes. You can use leftovers! Or simultaneously make a batch of my favorite buttery mashed potatoes while you’re prepping the filling for the pie. Whichever you choose, stir in one cup of parmesan cheese.
7. Adjust your seasoning. Always double check the salt levels!
8. Spread the taters. All over the top of the pan. Make a little swirl if you’re feeling it.
9. Bake and then broil. Baking makes everything cohesive, broiling creates a beautifully browned top.

Serving and storing shepherd’s pie

Shepherd’s pie is one of those great meals that has every component in one package. The protein, the carbs, the vegetable. We often serve it in big bowls and call it a day. But! It’s also great with green beans or roasted carrots on the side.

When storing leftover shepherd’s pie it will keep in the fridge for up to four days. If desired, the entire casserole can be made and frozen in a glass baking dish. Wrap it in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze.

To reheat: thaw the dish in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350, remove the plastic wrap and recover the dish with the foil. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes, or until warmed through.

Other great venison recipes

• Cheesy Venison Enchiladas
• Venison Burgers
• Venison Pot Pies
• Grilled Venison Backstrap
• Ground Venison Stroganoff

Print Recipe

4.17 from 24 votes

Easy Ground Venison Shepherd’s Pie

Made with ground venison, hearty vegetables, and parmesan mashed potatoes this Shepherd’s pie recipe is a hearty and filling meal that will satisfy any diner.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Dinner, Venison, Venison Recipe

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 598kcal

Author: Amanda Gajdosik

Equipment

• Shallow Dutch Oven
• Baking Dish

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground venison thawed
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 ½ cups diced white onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 pound frozen pea and carrot blend
• 4 cups prepared mashed potatoes
• 1 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a heavy bottomed shallow Dutch oven (or a large skillet), brown the venison over medium heat. Season with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir in the cornstarch. (If making mashed potatoes from scratch, start the process now in tandem.)
• Add the onion and the garlic and stir to coat. Cook for a minute or two before stirring in beef stock.
• Bring to a boil and cook until beef stock is reduced to a silky gravy, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in frozen peas and carrots (they’ll cook in the dish, don’t worry!).
• Meanwhile, stir 1 cup of parmesan cheese into the prepared mashed potatoes and spread over the top of the filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Then broil on low for 6 minutes (or on high for 3 minutes if you’re brave). Remove dish from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

• If you don’t have a Dutch oven that can go from stovetop to oven to table, you can prepare the filling in a large skillet and pour it into a 9x13 casserole dish before topping with potatoes and proceeding with the recipe as instructed.
• Leftovers can be store in refrigerator for up to four days.
• Make ahead option: Make the recipe as directed above, stopping before broiling. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Next, wrap the cooled shepherd’s pie in plastic wrap and then in tinfoil and freeze for up to two months.
• To reheat frozen shepherd’s pie: thaw the dish in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350, remove the plastic wrap and recover the dish with the foil. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes, or until warmed through and then broil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/12 | Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 777mg | Potassium: 1730mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3667IU | Vitamin C: 98mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 4mg