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BBQ Chili Shepherd’s Pie

written by Ashley Fehr

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5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings

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Last updated on June 3, 2020

This BBQ Chili Shepherd’s Pie is a fun twist on an old favorite! Classic chili with peas and carrots is topped with creamy mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese — it’s easy to make ahead! Includes how to recipe video

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overhead image of bbq chili shepherd's pie in white casserole dish

One of my favourite ways to create new recipes is to think of classic recipes that we all know and love, and come up with different ways to reinvent them.

I thought about how I incorporated a BBQ chili flavour in this lasagna, and the BBQ, beef and mashed potato thing that was going on in this Twice-Baked Potato Pie (<– an oldie!), and I wanted to incorporate the same flavours in a Shepherd’s Pie (since you know we’re big fans of Shepherd’s Pie!)

blue plate with bbq chili shepherd's pie with melted cheddar cheese and fresh parsley

You can pack so many veggies into this dish — you could even add more than what is listed (mushrooms, kale, spinach, etc.), and the BBQ chili flavour masks them completely.

I do this for my own good.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a big fan of vegetables — you will often see me hiding them in my own food.

square image of a blue plate of bbq chili shepherd's pie with fork on the side

But if you combine them with barbecue sauce and top with mashed potatoes and cheese, there’s a pretty good chance I’m going to eat them anyway. My toddler, on the other hand, would pick out the vegetables because she wanted to eat only the veg.

Another thing I love about this dish is that it’s so easy to make ahead: you can prepare everything up to the point of baking, cover it and stick it in the fridge for a day or two until you’re ready for dinner. This is perfect for busy weeknights or entertaining on the weekend when you just want to actually relax with your guests!

Substitutions:

  • The recipe is naturally gluten free — but be sure to check all of the labels on all of your ingredients to be sure.
  • The recipe can easily be made vegetarian, if you skip the beef and substitute with mushrooms or additional veggies of your choice.
  • The recipe can easily be made dairy free if you skip the cheese or use a dairy free cheese option and mash only with vegetable broth or dairy free milk.
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BBQ Chili Shepherd’s Pie

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 2 votes
A new twist on an old favourite — sweet and savory bbq beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes and cheese.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 6 servings
Calories 505cal

Ingredients

For the mashed potatoes

  • 6 large potatoes diced small
  • 1/2-3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp chicken bouillon

For the beef mixture

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2 medium onion
  • 1 cup very finely diced carrots or shredded
  • 1 stalk celery very finely diced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • a pinch of pepper
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 546 ml can kidney beans rinsed
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce
  • 2-3 tbsp brown sugar optional and to taste
  • ½ -1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Start potatoes boiling in a large pot of salted water.
  • Meanwhile, combine beef, onion, carrots, celery, salt, garlic, pepper, chili powder in a large pan and brown over medium-high heat. Once browned, cover and cook over medium heat (stirring occasionally), for 10-15 minutes until veg are cooked.
  • Drain potatoes and mash with milk, garlic and bouillon (I use the food processor for this so they’re nice and smooth). Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (*if baking right away)
  • To the beef, add peas, corn kidney beans, barbecue sauce and brown sugar (optional). Cook another 5 minutes until vegetables are warmed through.
  • To a 3qt casserole dish or a 9×13″ pan, add the beef mixture. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Top with cheese and broil 2-3 minutes, watching closely, until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Notes

*If storing in the fridge and baking later, you may have to bake the casserole 40 minutes to 1 hour until it is hot all the way through. Be sure to cover with an oven-safe lid or tin foil sprayed with non-stick spray.
*Nutrition information is estimated and will vary depending on exact serving size, types and brands of products used.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 505cal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 12g | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 25g

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Meredith Brooks says

    Hello! I just got this meal all ready for dinner tonight. It looks so good & gluten free! Thanks for posting this recipe. Love from Texas♡

    Reply

  2. Christina Hoffman says

    How do you think ground turkey would work? Anybody have any ideas!! Anyway I’m going to make it this way because it DOES look super yummy! Thank you!!

    Reply

  9. Kirsten says

    I’m sorry to be picky, but just fyi, shepherd’s pie is actually made with ground lamb. Ground beef is used in cottage pie 🙂

    Reply

  12. Sherri@The Well Floured Kitchen says

    Love this variation on shepherds pie! It looks delicious- and such a cute serving dish too 🙂

    Reply

  14. Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says

    Oh Ashley I wish this was going to be on my dinner table when I get home from work today! I love the bbq spin on shepherds pie, and I always need more veg in my life so I’m super happy to see them incorporated. 😀 Pinning!

    Reply

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