Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 45 mins | Total time: 1 hr 15 mins | Servings: 6
Shepherd’s Pie is my favorite comfort food. This can easily be doubled, and freeze the other batch for an easy meal later.
Ingredients
Meat & vegetables:
1 lb. ground beef
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely diced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
Gravy/to finish filling:
1 c. frozen peas
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp tomato paste
¼ tsp ground paprika
2 tbsp white flour
½ tsp finely chopped thyme
1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
⅓ c. red wine OR more broth if not using alcohol
1 c. beef broth
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
ground black pepper to taste
Topping:
½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 c. mashed potatoes
How to make Homemade Shepherd’s Pie
Step 1: In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground meat and cook until browned. Then, add the chopped veggies and continue to cook until tender.
Step 2: To the pan, sprinkle salt, paprika, pepper, and flour. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste. Continue to cook while stirring constantly for about a minute until it smells roasted. Add the wine (or more beef broth), scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Step 3: Next, add the broth, herbs, and peas. Stir and let everything simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a 7 x 11-inch baking dish and allow it to cool.
Step 4: Meanwhile, prepare the mashed potatoes. In this recipe, you need around 4 cups of mash to place on top of the casserole.
Step 5: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 400 degrees F or 200 degrees C.
Step 6: Over the cold filling, carefully spread the mashed potatoes, making sure not to spread the filling and the mashed potatoes. For the presentation and crispy edges, criss-cross using a fork. Then, sprinkle the cheese on top.
Step 7: Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.
Notes:
In place of beef, you can use ground lamb for a more authentic version. After browning the lamb, drain it if you prefer less grease.
To make ahead, assemble the casserole as instructed up to the baking step. Tent the casserole and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 400 degrees or until the filling is bubbly and the top is golden.
To freeze, prepare as instructed up to the final baking step. Wrap the casserole well with foil, then aluminum foil. Put a label on the casserole and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When ready to serve, reheat (without defrosting). Take off both foils and replace the aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour at 400 degrees F. Uncover and continue baking for 10 minutes more until browned.
For the most intense flavor, brown the meat and veggies well.
To prevent mixing the layers, make sure to let the filling cool before topping it with mashed potatoes.
If tomato paste is not available, use ketchup instead.
In place of flour, use cornstarch for a gluten-free version.
You can use chopped green beans instead of peas.
For a low-carb version, use mashed cauliflower whisked with 1 egg yolk instead of mashed potatoes.
To make this vegetarian, use 2 cups of cooked, brown lentils instead of ground beef. And use vegetable broth in place of beef broth.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 377 kcal Carbohydrates: 45g Protein: 24g Saturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 56mg Sodium: 562mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 6g
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