Ground Beef Shepherd's Pie
Hearty, cozy, and meaty, this recipe for shepherd's pie made with ground beef and mushrooms is also full of vegetables for an all-around perfect dinner. Plus: Learn the secret for a perfect potato crust.
Servings: 4 to 6 people
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 bunch scallions, green and light green parts only, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 Yellow onion, chopped
- 3 Carrots, peeled and large diced
- 4 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 Garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup red wine (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups unsalted chicken broth or beef stock
- 1 pound 93% lean ground beef
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Kosher salt
- Fresh-ground pepper
Instructions
- For the Mashed Potato Topping
- Put a large pot of well-salted water on to boil. Cook the potatoes at a nice simmer until fork tender. Drain. Return to the pot and allow any excess water to evaporate. Add the butter, milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and a few turns of black pepper. Mash the potatoes until soft. Stir in the sliced scallions. Taste for seasoning; you may want a little more salt. Set aside.
- For the Ground Beef Filling and to Finish
- While the potatoes are boiling, heat a large, oven-proof skillet with the oil over medium- to medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the carrots, onion, thyme, bay leaves, mushrooms, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly brown. Add the tomato paste and stir until coated.
- Deglaze the skillet with the Worcestershire and red wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to the skillet. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer and add the ground beef in tablespoon-sized chunks. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir a couple times as the meat cooks to turn the meat and break the beef chunks up a bit.TIP: This may be a good time to see if the potatoes are done.
- Use a fork and a small bowl to whisk the cornstarch with a tablespoon of water to make a slurry. Make a well in the beef and vegetable mix. Add the cornstarch slurry and continue to simmer for another minute or two, stirring. The mixture should become thick and stewy, more gravy than soup. If it seems liquid-y, continue to cook for another minute or two.
- Turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems.
- Preheat the broiler and set the rack to the upper third. Spoon the mashed potatoes into a gallon bag. Snip one corner and twist the top opening shut. This is your piping bag. Pipe the potatoes evenly over the potatoes. Smooth with a spatula, then use a fork to rake the top of the mashed potatoes.
- Broil for around 5 minutes (check often), until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbling.
- Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
If you want to beef up your pie (literally), use 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef. You may need a little more stock.
Make sure your ground beef is very lean. I use 93% lean. Otherwise, the shepherd's pie will be greasy.
If you do not want to use ground beef, you can substitute ground bison, venison, or lamb.
I put the skillet directly in the oven, but you can also transfer the veggie and meat mixture to a casserole or baking dish, then top with the mashed potatoes before broiling.
This shepherd's pie freezes well. Cool fully in the refrigerator, covered, and transfer to the freezer. Reheat at 400 degrees F, covered with foil, until bubbling.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.
