Easy Shepherds Pie (Printable)
Hearty beef and vegetable filling topped with buttery mashed potatoes, baked until golden and bubbling.
# Ingredient List:
→ For the Filling
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 1 cup frozen peas
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 cup beef broth
08 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper
12 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ For the Mashed Potato Topping
13 - 2 lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
14 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
15 - ½ cup milk
16 - ½ tsp salt
17 - ¼ tsp black pepper
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Place potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well.
03 - While potatoes cook, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrots, sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened.
04 - Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned and no longer pink.
05 - Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in peas, cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Mash the drained potatoes with butter, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
07 - Spread the beef mixture evenly in a 2-quart baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes, spreading to cover the filling completely.
08 - Use a fork to create ridges on the surface. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and filling is bubbling.
09 - Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Its one of those rare dinners that actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for lazy lunches
- The contrast between that creamy potato topping and the savory beef underneath is absolute comfort food magic
02 -
- Letting the beef mixture cool slightly before topping with potatoes prevents the layers from mixing together, a mistake I made my first time
- The filling needs to be thick enough to hold up under the potatoes, so do not skip that simmer time or you will end up with a soupy mess
03 -
- Roughing up the potato surface with your fork creates more crispy bits, which everyone fights over at the table
- Letting the dish rest for 5 minutes after baking helps the layers set so you get clean, picture perfect scoops