Funeral Potatoes Shepherds Pie (Print Version)

A comforting layered casserole featuring creamy potatoes, seasoned meat, veggies, and a crunchy cheddar topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Potato Topping

01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 3/4 cup sour cream
04 - 1/3 cup whole milk
05 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Meat and Vegetable Base

09 - 1 lb ground beef or lamb
10 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
15 - 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Crunchy Topping

19 - 2 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
20 - 2 tablespoons melted butter
21 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, approximately 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly and mash with butter, sour cream, milk, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
03 - In a large skillet, cook ground beef or lamb over medium heat until fully browned, breaking meat into small pieces. Drain excess fat from skillet.
04 - Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté until softened, approximately 3 minutes.
05 - Stir in frozen vegetables, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, broth, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Spread the meat and vegetable mixture evenly across the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
07 - Top with the mashed potato mixture, spreading carefully to cover the meat filling completely and seal to the edges.
08 - Combine crushed cornflakes with melted butter in a bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the potato layer and top with remaining shredded cheddar cheese.
09 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling bubbles at the edges of the dish.
10 - Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the casserole to set slightly.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The creamy potato topping mixed with sour cream stays cloud-soft instead of turning gluey, which honestly changed my mashed potato game forever.
  • One dish, three textures—you get the fluffy, the savory-rich, and the crackly cornflake crunch all at once.
02 -
  • If your potato topping looks thin when you spread it, resist the urge to add more milk—let it chill for 5 minutes and it'll firm up enough to spread properly and look intentional instead of sloppy.
  • The filling must be spread all the way to the edges of the dish, or those spots will stay slightly watery because the potatoes won't seal them.
03 -
  • Make the filling and potatoes ahead, assemble the casserole that morning, then bake it fresh that evening—it takes all the stress out of timing.
  • If the top is browning too fast before the filling heats through, drape foil loosely over it for the first 15 minutes, then uncover to finish browning.
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