Description
A classic homemade Shepherd’s Pie featuring a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes and melted cheddar cheese, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
Seasonings and Sauces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons white flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅓ cup red wine or beef broth
- 1 cup beef broth
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
Topping
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Chop all vegetables finely and prepare the mashed potatoes to have ready for assembly.
- Brown the Beef: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef, cooking until browned and cooked through.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add chopped garlic, onions, carrots, and celery to the skillet with the beef and cook until the vegetables are softened.
- Season Meat Mixture: Season with salt, ground paprika, and black pepper to taste, stirring well to combine.
- Add Flour and Tomato Paste: Stir in the white flour and tomato paste, mixing thoroughly to combine and coat the ingredients.
- Deglaze: Pour in the red wine or beef broth and allow the mixture to simmer briefly to release flavors and reduce slightly.
- Simmer with Broth: Add the cup of beef broth and continue cooking until the mixture thickens to a hearty filling consistency.
- Add Peas and Herbs: Stir in the frozen peas along with chopped parsley, thyme, and rosemary to enhance flavor.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Spoon the meat and vegetable filling evenly into a baking dish, spreading it out smoothly.
- Top with Mashed Potatoes: Spread the prepared mashed potatoes evenly over the meat filling, covering it completely.
- Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the mashed potatoes for a creamy, golden crust.
- Bake: Place the assembled Shepherd’s Pie in a preheated oven and bake until the top is golden brown and bubbling hot, about 20-25 minutes.
Notes
- Red wine can be substituted with beef broth to keep the dish family-friendly or non-alcoholic.
- For a richer flavor, use homemade mashed potatoes with butter and cream.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like corn or mushrooms to the filling as desired.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven.
