My easy shepherd's pie recipe is 100% from scratch and SO flavorful. Simply sauté ground beef and veggies in a homemade gravy, top with mashed potatoes, and bake!Recipe includes a how-to video!
⅛teaspoonground black pepperplus additional to taste
½cup(40g)grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F (205C).
Add butter and oil to a 10” (25cm) oven-safe skillet (see note) and cook over medium/high heat until butter is melted and skillet is hot.
1 Tablespoon butter, 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Add onions and carrots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
1 medium yellow onion, 3 large carrots
Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
Add ground beef and cook, crumbling as you go, until meat is browned. Drain excess grease if/as needed.
1 lb ground lamb or ground beef
Once beef is mostly cooked, add tomato paste, vinegar, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley and cook, stirring, until beef is completely browned.
1 ½ Tablespoons tomato paste, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried parsley
Sprinkle flour overtop and cook, stirring, until flour is completely absorbed and then cook another 30 seconds while stirring.
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
While stirring, slowly drizzle in beef broth until combined (make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan!).
1 cup beef broth
Add worcestershire and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Taste-test sauce and add salt/pepper if needed.
2 ½ Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
Stir in peas. Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the potatoes.
½ cup frozen peas
Mashed Potatoes
Place potatoes in a large pot of cool water and add salt. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
2 lbs russet or gold potatoes
Drain potatoes and return to pot. Let them sit in the pot for a minute (to allow the water to evaporate), stirring once or twice, before proceeding.
Add butter, milk, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese and use a potato masher to mash until smooth. Taste-test and add more salt/pepper as needed.
⅓ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup milk, ¼ heaping teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Top the meat layer with an even layer of potatoes. If desired, rake a fork across the surface (helps promote browning).
Transfer skillet to center of 400F (205C) oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes on top are beginning to brown. If you’re worried about your skillet being too full, place a foil lined baking sheet beneath it to catch any possible spills. For deep browning on top of the potatoes, broil for 1-2 minutes before removing from oven.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Skillet
If you do not have a sufficient 10” oven-safe skillet, you can prepare the meat in a skillet and then transfer it to a 10” pie plate or a casserole dish instead before layering with potatoes and then baking.
Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leftovers may also be frozen in an airtight container for several months.