Shepherd's Pie
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
35 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
6
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Shepherd's Pie
Description
Shepherd's Pie combines a robust meat and vegetable base with a creamy mashed potato topping. The filling starts with ground beef sautéed alongside diced onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, which build a fragrant foundation. Tomato paste and all-purpose flour thicken the mixture, while fresh minced rosemary and thyme add herbaceous notes. A splash of red wine or beef broth, along with Worcestershire sauce and parsley, layers in umami and complexity. Frozen peas provide bursts of sweetness.
The mashed potatoes are prepared separately by boiling peeled potatoes until tender, ricing them for a smooth texture, then stirring in butter, half and half, and sour cream for richness. Seasoned simply with salt and pepper, the potatoes blanket the filling before baking. The pie is finished under the broiler, optionally sprinkled with Parmesan for a lightly browned top.
It serves as a satisfying, all-in-one dish offering a harmonious blend of meaty, herbal, and creamy elements. It can be customized with additional vegetables or piping techniques for presentation. This recipe is ideal for home cooks looking for a hearty, layered casserole showcasing classic ingredients and comforting textures.
You can mash the potatoes manually instead of ricing, though the texture won't be as smooth.Instead of spooning, piping the mashed potatoes with a star tip creates a decorative finish.Additional vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini can be added; brown the beef separately and use a baking dish to accommodate the larger volume.Sprinkling Parmesan on the potato topping before broiling adds extra flavor.Replacing half and half with heavy cream in the mashed potatoes results in a richer topping.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs russet potato peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 6 Tbsp butter divided
- 1/3 cup half and half or cream, then a little more if needed
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped (1 1/4 cups
- 2 medium carrot diced (1 cup
- 1 large celery thinly diced (1/2 cup, rib
- 3 garlic minced (1 Tbsp, cloves
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef 85 - 93% lean), or ground lamb, lean
- 2 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp rosemary minced fresh
- 2 tsp thyme minced fresh
- 1/2 cup red wine or more beef broth, dry
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth low-sodium
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp parsley plus more for garnish, chopped, fresh
- 1 cup peas frozen
Instructions
To Make Mashed Potatoes
- Add potatoes to pot with water: Place potatoes in a medium pot or large saucepan. Cover with water by 1-inch and season water with salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook potatoes until tender: Let gently boil until potatoes are fully tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 - 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under hot water for about 5 seconds to remove excess starches (which can make potatoes gluey).
- Rice Potatoes: Drain potatoes then pass through a food mill or potato ricer into same pot*.
- Stir with liquid ingredients: Melt 5 Tbsp butter and add to potatoes along with half and half and sour cream. Stir just to combine while seasoning with salt to taste and adding an extra 1 -2 Tbsp half and half to thin if needed. Cover and set aside if filling isn't yet complete.
To Make Beef Filling (prepare while potatoes cook)
- Saute veggies: Melt remaining 1 Tbsp butter in a 12-inch (and deep) cast iron skillet. Add onion, carrots, celery and saute until nearly soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.
- Cook beef: Add ground beef in chunks and cook and break up beef until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. If you find there's lots of excess fat then dab some up using balled up paper towels held by tongs (leave 1 - 2 Tbsp rendered fat).
- Add thickeners: Add flour and tomato paste and saute 1 minute.
- Pour in liquids, let reduce: Pour in red wine, beef broth, Worcestershire, thyme and rosemary. Bring to a simmer stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until reduced by about 2/3 (and alcohol scent has cooked off), about 8 - 10 minutes.
- Add remaining greens: Stir in peas and parsley and heat through, about 1 minute. Season filling with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble shepard's pie: Spread beef filling into an even layer. Dollop spoonfuls of mashed potatoes evenly over top then spread into an even layer**.
- Decorate: Run a fork along top to create a pattern of wavy rows.
- Bake: Move oven rack about 5-inches below broiler and preheat broiler to high. Transfer to oven and let broil until golden brown on top about 4 - 6 minutes (keep a close on it as every oven varies).
- Rest: Let rest a few minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can mash the potatoes manually if you don't have a ricer; expect a slightly coarser texture.
- Piping the mashed potatoes with a piping bag and star tip creates an attractive crust.
- Include extra vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini by preparing the beef filling separately and baking in a larger dish.
- Add Parmesan cheese on top of the mashed potatoes before broiling for added flavor and color.
- For creamier mashed potatoes, replace half and half with heavy cream.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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