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–+ servings

Homestyle Shepherd's Pie

BeefGastro-PubOven
Time :1 hour 15 minutes
Yield :6 servings
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The Scoop

This is comfort food with the volume turned all the way up!
Savory beef, carrots, celery, and peas simmer in a rich herb-flecked gravy, then get tucked under creamy mashed potatoes and sharp cheddar before heading to the oven for that golden, cheesy finish.
Hack it:
Swap the beef for ground lamb for a more traditional shepherd’s pie-style flavor.
Add mushrooms, corn, or parsnips to the vegetable mix.
Stir Worcestershire sauce or Dijon mustard into the gravy for extra depth.
Mix roasted garlic, Parmesan, or chives into the mashed potatoes.
Try Gruyère, smoked cheddar, or a cheddar-Parmesan blend on top.
Add a little red pepper flakes or cayenne if you want some heat.
Leftovers:
Crisp slices in a skillet and top with a fried egg for an easy breakfast.
Turn the filling into stuffed peppers topped with mashed potatoes and cheese.
Use the beef mixture as a filling for savory hand pies.
Spoon leftovers over toast and top with a poached or fried egg.
Make individual shepherd’s pies in ramekins and freeze them for another dinner.

Ingredients

For the meat and vegetables:

  • 1 tablespoon oil, neutral-flavored
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 2 sticks celery, finely diced

For the gravy:

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
  • ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons white flour
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup red wine, may substitute with beef broth
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped

For the topping:

  • 4 cups mashed potatoes, prepared
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep skillet.
  • Brown the ground meat in the hot oil, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, the onions, the carrots, and the celery to the browned meat and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the salt, the paprika, the pepper, and the flour over the meat mixture in the pan and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it smells roasted, about 1 minute.
  • Pour in the red wine and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the skillet.
  • Stir in the broth, the peas, the parsley, the thyme, and the rosemary and simmer until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
  • Pour the beef mixture into a 7x11-inch baking dish.
  • Allow the beef mixture to cool.
  • Spread the mashed potatoes over the filling, keeping the layers as separate as possible.
  • Use a fork to create crisscross patterns in the mashed potatoes.
  • Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with the cheese.
  • Bake until golden, about 20 minutes.
  • Serve hot.
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