Shepherd's Pie
Ground beef and vegetables in rich gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden. This is the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out. Look, I know that technically it's cottage pie when made with beef (shepherd's pie uses lamb), but nobody cares what you call it when it tastes this good. Great for using up leftover mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ½ cup milk
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ lbs ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Make mashed potatoes: Boil cubed potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, add milk and butter, mash until smooth. Season with salt. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat.
- Add diced onion and carrots to the beef. Cook for 5-7 minutes until vegetables soften. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Sprinkle flour over the beef mixture and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the beef mixture. Use a fork to create texture on top (this helps it brown). Sprinkle with cheddar cheese if using.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until potatoes are golden brown and filling is bubbling. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.