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Easy Homemade Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's pie is a classic comfort food dish that combines a perfectly seasoned beef and vegetable filling with a layer of creamy potatoes. It is perfect for cozy nights in.
Course: Dinner, lunch, Snack
Cuisine: American, brittish, irish
Keyword: beef, comfort food, dinner, easy dinner ideas, potatoes, quick weeknight dinner, shepherd's pie, winter meal
Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the Beef Filling:

  • 1 Tablespoon Salted Butter
  • ½ Cup Diced Onions (I used white onions but yellow would be fine as well)
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
  • 2 Pounds Ground Beef, I used 85% lean and organic
  • 2 Teaspoons Dried Rosemary
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
  • ¼ Cup Tomato Paste
  • 1 ¼ Cups Beef Broth (I used Kettle and Fire's Beef Bone Broth)
  • 1 Cup Chopped Carrots
  • 1 Cup Chopped Celery
  • Additional Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Mashed Potato Topping:

  • 3-4 Organic Russet Potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes {about 17 ounces once peeled)
  • ¼ Cup Salted Butter
  • ¼ Cup Half and Half
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese, plus extra for topping
  • 2 Tablespoons Mozzarella Cheese, plus extra for topping

Instructions

  • Beef Filling Instructions:
    In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of salted butter over medium heat. Sauté ½ cup diced onions and 1 tablespoon minced garlic in the melted butter until softened.
    Add 2 lbs lean ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned.
    Stir in 2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
    Sprinkle ¼ cup all-purpose flour over the beef mixture and stir well. Add ¼ cup tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
    Pour in 1 cup of beef broth, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens. Stir in 1 cup each of diced carrots and celery, and add ½ cup corn and ½ cup peas if desired.
    Cover and simmer the filling for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.
  • Mashed Potatoes Instructions:
    Peel and dice the organic russet potatoes. Chop into pieces.  Boil the potatoes until tender, about 20-25 minutes, then drain.
    Mash the potatoes, adding the salted butter, half-and-half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
    Fold in the Parmesan cheese and  mozzarella.
    NOTE: this recipe makes a thinner layer of mashed potatoes for the topping. We enjoy more of a meaty Shepherd's Pie, but if you desire a thicker layer of taters, simple double the recipe and proceed as instructed!
    You can also make the filling and the potatoes at the same time to cut down on wait time.
  • Assemble the Shepherd's Pie:
    Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). 
    Spread the beef filling evenly in a 9x13 baking dish.
    Top the filling with the mashed potatoes, spreading them to cover the entire surface.
    Use a spoon to create decorative swirls in the mashed potato topping if desired for fun! Add a bit of additional cheese to the top before baking {about 2 tablespoon each}.   
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the dish is bubbly and the top is slightly golden brown. 
    Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
    Enjoy your easy homemade shepherd's pie!

Notes

See blog for dietary substations on dairy and gluten.