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Shepherds pie with a couple bites taken out.
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Easy to make Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie is like the cozy blanket of comfort food – warm, familiar, and always satisfying.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

Beef Filling Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground lamb or beef Chuck Roast is excellent
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 whole carrots diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 TBS tomato paste
  • 2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 2 TBS all-purpose flour
  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Mashed Potatoe Ingredients

  • 5 large Russet potatoes peeled and cubed Yukon golds are excellent as well
  • 8 TBS butter
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

Optionally

  • ½ cup Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

Beef Filling

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the meat browning on all sides.
  • Remove meat from pot and set aside
  • Sautee onions until soft and slightly brown.
  • Combine garlic, carrots, celery and cook for 2-3 minutes until the carrots and celery are softened.
  • Add the meat back to the pot and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the top and continue to cook. 
  • Stir in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce coating the mixture.
  • Slowly pour in the beef stock along with the thyme and rosemary, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a gravy-like consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  
  • Simmer the beef filling for about 10-15 minutes until the flavors meld together and the mixture thickens slightly.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Mashed Potatoes

  • Place the peeled and cubed potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.
  • Thoroughly drain the cooked potatoes and return them to the pot with the heat on low.  This will help evaporate some of the excess water.  Water is the enemy of great mashed potatoes.
  • Add the butter and heavy cream to the pot.
  • Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Shepherd's Pie

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)
  • Transfer the prepared beef filling into a 9x13 inch baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
  • Spoon the mashed potatoes over the beef filling, spreading them out with a spatula to cover the entire surface.
  • Use a fork to roughen the surface of the mashed potatoes.  This will aide in browning the surface.  Optionally sprinkle the ½ cup of shredded sharp cheddar over the top.
  • Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the mashed potatoes are gold brown on top.
  • Once baked, remove the Shepherd’s Pie from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. 
  • Sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley on top and enjoy!

Notes