Easy Shepherd's Pie
Easy Shepherd's Pie with seasoned ground beef (or sub ground lamb), vegetables and rich gravy blanketed with creamy mashed potatoes baked until golden.
Servings: 4
Calories:
Equipment
- large oven proof skillet OR casserole dish
Ingredients
MASHED POTATO TOPPING:
- 2 pounds yukon potatoed (can use russet) peeled and cut in chunks
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk or more to desired consistency
- salt
MEAT AND VEGETABLE FILLING:
- 1 pound ground beef can sub lamb
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 small onion peeled and diced
- 1 cup combination frozen peas and carrots
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cups beef stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme removed from stem and minced
optional garnish:
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley diced
Instructions
MASHED POTATO TOPPING:
- Add peeled, cubed potatoes to a large pot of generously salted water.
- Cover with cold water, bring to a boil and cook until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes well. Add milk, butter, sour cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mash using a potato masher. Splash in a little more milk as needed for desired consistency. Set aside.
MEAT FILLING:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Add ground beef to a large skillet. Season with salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Cook 5-7 minutes or until the meat is browned, breaking up the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon. Drain any excess grease.
- Add tomato paste, stirring to combine. Cook 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the top of the meat. Stir and cook 1 minute.
- Pour in beef stock, Worcestershire and minced thyme scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 5-7 minutes letting the sauce thicken.
- Add frozen peas and carrots. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper, then remove from the heat.
ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
- Transfer the beef and veggie mixture to a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Note: if your skillet is oven safe you can finish the dish in the skillet instead.
- Spread mashed potatoes over the meat mixture in an even layer. Use a fork to make shallow swirls into the potatoes then bake 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Optional: broil for darker golden color.
- emove from the oven and serve right away.
Notes
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating!
Subs and variations:
Potatoes: russet potatoes or sweet potatoes for sweet potato shepherd’s pie or my Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes or even tater tots instead of mashed potatoes.
- Use 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme instead of fresh
- For authentic Irish flavor, swap ground lamb for beef - or a beef-lamb combination or try other meat like ground turkey or chicken.
- Leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken or even leftover roast beef would be delicious.
- Swap or add vegetables: corn, zucchini, mushroom or green beans.
- Sprinkle cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese or crispy bacon over the potatoes
- Add red wine or Guinness stout (not both) just before the stock - be sure to let is reduce to about half.