Description
A classic Beef Shepherd's Pie recipe featuring a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed Yukon gold potatoes. This comforting dish is perfectly baked until golden and bubbling, making it a crowd-pleaser for family dinners.
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 fresh thyme leaves)
- 1-¼ cup beef broth, or more as needed
- ½ cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes: Add peeled and diced potatoes to a medium pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
- Mash the potatoes: Drain potatoes and return them to the pot. Add whole milk, unsalted butter, coarse kosher salt, garlic powder, and ground black pepper. Mash until combined to your desired consistency, adjusting seasoning and milk as needed.
- Preheat the oven: Set oven to 425ºF and place a rack in the upper part of the oven.
- Cook the vegetables: Heat olive oil in an 8-10 inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt, cooking until all liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Add diced onion, carrot, salt, and pepper; cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add and cook beef: Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
- Add flavorings: Stir in minced garlic, potato starch, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Simmer filling: Pour in beef broth, scrape up browned bits, bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in frozen peas.
- Assemble pie: Spoon mashed potatoes evenly over beef filling in skillet or 8-inch baking dish. Use a fork or spoon to create texture on top if desired for crisping.
- Bake: Place on the upper rack of the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes until filling is lightly browned and bubbling.
- Rest and serve: Let the shepherd’s pie sit for 5-10 minutes before serving to set.
Notes
- If ground beef or lamb releases excess fat, drain it, leaving about a tablespoon in the skillet.
- This dish can be made and baked all in one if using an oven-safe skillet; otherwise transfer to an 8" baking dish before baking.
- Recipe can be doubled for larger batches using a 12" cast iron skillet or 9" x 13" baking dish.
- To freeze: bake in freezer-safe dish, cool completely, wrap tightly with plastic and foil. Defrost overnight in fridge before reheating through bake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
