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A skillet with shepherd's pie with a spoonful missing.

Traditional Shepherd's Pie

Traditional shepherd's pie is a savory meat pie topped with creamy mashed potatoes, a classic comfort food for cold weather months. Great to make with left-over mashed potatoes.
Course: entree
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 4 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons Marsala wine
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 ½ cups beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 carrots (cut into bite size pieces)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 6 cups Mashed Potatoes

Instructions
 

  • Add ground beef to a bowl and add 2 tablespoons water, baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Combine and let sit until onions are cooked.
  • Add olive oil to a 10 inch oven proof skillet, Add onions and mushrooms along with ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook until they are soft. Add ground beef and cook until browned.
  • Add tomato paste and garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add Marsala and cook until it has evaporated.
  • Add chopped carrots, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook until the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Combine cornstarch and a tablespoon of water and pour into the mixture, cook about 1 minute. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
  • Turn the oven to broil and place the oven rack at least 6 inches from the broiler.
  • Top with mashed potatoes and smooth with a spoon. Place under the broiler for about 5 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and the potatoes have turned a golden brown.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
  • You can use ground lamb or chicken instead of beef. If using chicken, use chicken broth instead of beef. 
  • You can leave out the wine and use extra broth.
  • You can add extra vegetables like corn and peas.
  • You can use frozen mashed potatoes, let thaw completely before adding.
  • You can use less mashed potatoes, you will need about 3 cups to cover the meat.
  • If you don't have an oven proof skillet, put the meat mixture in a 9 x 13 baking dish and cover with mashed potatoes.
  • Here is a recipe for Mashed Potatoes along with a video.

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 363mg | Potassium: 869mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2585IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg