Description
A hearty classic Beef Shepherd's Pie featuring a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, baked to golden perfection for a comforting and satisfying meal.
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 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves)
- 1-¼ cup beef broth, or more as needed
- ½ cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Boil Potatoes: Add peeled and diced Yukon Gold potatoes to a medium pot filled with enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
- Mash Potatoes: Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add whole milk, unsalted butter, coarse kosher salt, garlic powder, and ground black pepper. Mash until combined and creamy. Adjust seasoning and add more milk if needed.
- Preheat Oven: Set oven temperature to 425ºF and place an oven 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, cooking until all liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Add onion, carrot, salt, and pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Cook Beef: Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Add Seasonings and Thicken: Stir in minced garlic, potato starch or cornstarch, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Simmer Filling: Pour in beef broth, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, adjust seasoning, and stir in frozen peas.
- Assemble Pie: Spoon mashed potatoes evenly over the beef mixture, spreading carefully to cover the filling. Optionally, run a fork or spoon over the potatoes to create textured peaks for crisping.
- Bake: Place the skillet in the preheated oven on the upper rack and bake for 15 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling.
- Rest and Serve: Let the shepherd's pie sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow it to set.
Notes
- If excess fat is released from the ground beef or lamb during cooking, drain it leaving about one tablespoon for flavor.
- Use a cast iron or any oven-safe skillet to bake the dish all in one pan; otherwise, transfer the filling to an 8-inch baking dish before adding mashed potatoes and baking.
- This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a 9x13 inch baking dish for larger servings.
- To freeze: bake the pie fully in a freezer-safe dish, cool completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
