Argentine Shepherd’s Pie

Pastel de papas is a winter classic of Argentine cuisine, combining a smooth, creamy mashed potato with a seasoned beef filling, gratinated with cheese until golden on top.

It’s a great dish for using up leftover meat or potatoes, and a foolproof recipe for cold nights, with a layer of mash on top and bottom wrapping the filling.

Argentine Shepherd’s Pie

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• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Argentine

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

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Nutrition

• Calories: 360

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg of potatoes, peeled (about 2.6 lb)
• 50 g of butter (about 1.75 oz)
• 1/2 cup of milk
• to taste of salt and pepper (for the mash)
• 500 g of ground beef (about 1.1 lb)
• 1 of onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 of bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
• to taste of cumin, salt, and pepper (for the filling)
• 2 of hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
• 100 g of grated cheese (about 3.5 oz)

Instructions

1. Make the mash, boil the peeled potatoes until soft, drain, and mash them. Mix with the butter, milk, salt, and pepper until creamy.
2. Cook the vegetables, in a skillet with a little oil, cook the onion, garlic, and bell pepper until soft.
3. Add the beef, stir in the ground beef and season with paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook until juicy and fully cooked.
4. Assemble the pie, in a baking dish, spread a layer of mashed potato on the bottom.
5. Add the filling, spread the beef filling on top, and add the chopped hard-boiled egg if using.
6. Cover with mash, cover the filling with the remaining mashed potato, smoothing the surface.
7. Broil, sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (355°F) for about 40 minutes, until the surface is golden.

Tips for getting it right

• Mash the potatoes while still hot for a smoother, lump-free mash.
• Cook the beef until juicy but without excess liquid, so the pie doesn’t come out watery.
• Chopped hard-boiled egg is optional, but adds a very traditional extra texture to the filling.
• You can score the top of the mash with a fork before broiling for a more golden, crisp surface.

Traditional variations

• Some families replace ground beef with knife-cut beef, similar to an empanada filling.
• It’s also made with squash or sweet potato purée instead of potato, for a sweeter version.

How to serve

Pastel de papas is served hot, fresh out of the oven, as a main dish.

It’s great paired with a simple salad to balance the dish.

Recommended sides

• Simple salad
• Salsa criolla
• Crusty bread

Did you know?

Pastel de papas is one of the most comforting dishes in Argentine home cooking, perfect for cold winter nights.

It’s a very versatile recipe that many families use to make the most of leftover mash or cooked beef from previous days.