Description
A comforting and hearty Beef Shepherd's Pie featuring savory ground beef and vegetables topped with creamy mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Mashed Potatoes
- 1-½ pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- ⅓ cup whole milk, more as needed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Beef Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces button or crimini mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and diced
- 1 medium onion, diced fine
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced fine
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground beef (or lamb)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves)
- 1-¼ cup beef broth, or more as needed
- ½ cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Add peeled and diced potatoes to a medium pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
- Mash Potatoes: Drain potatoes thoroughly and return to pot. Add milk, butter, kosher salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mash with a potato masher until combined and creamy. Adjust seasoning and milk as needed.
- Preheat Oven: Set oven to 425ºF and position rack in the upper part of the oven.
- Cook Vegetables: Heat olive oil in an 8-10 inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt; cook until all liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Add diced onion, carrot, salt, and pepper; cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Brown Meat: Add ground beef to skillet and cook until no longer pink, breaking up meat as it cooks.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in minced garlic, potato starch, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour beef broth into the skillet, stirring to combine and scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, adjust seasoning, and stir in frozen peas.
- Assemble Pie: Spoon mashed potatoes evenly over the beef mixture. Use a fork or spoon to create texture on the surface for a crispy top if desired. If skillet is not oven-safe, transfer mixture to an 8-inch baking dish before topping with potatoes.
- Bake: Place on the upper rack of the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes until the surface is lightly browned and filling is bubbling.
- Rest and Serve: Let the shepherd's pie sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to set.
Notes
- Drain excess fat from ground beef or lamb, leaving about a tablespoon to enhance flavor without greasiness.
- If you don’t have a cast iron or oven-safe skillet, cook filling in a skillet then transfer to an 8-inch baking dish for baking.
- This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a 9 x 13 inch baking dish for larger servings or leftovers.
- To freeze, bake in a freezer-safe dish, cool completely, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven until hot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
