Shepherd's Pie with Ground Beef
Shepherd's pie with ground beef is one of those dinners that sounds fancy but is actually incredibly simple to pull off. You get a rich, hearty filling loaded with vegetables, herbs, and a little BBQ sauce that adds the most amazing depth of flavor, all topped with the creamiest mashed potatoes and a golden, cheesy crust. I've made this more times than I can count, and it's always a hit!
Equipment
- Dutch Oven (or large pot)
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 tsps Chicken Bouillon Paste
- 2 1/2 lbs Russet Potatoes
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 6 tbsps Salted Butter
- 1/2 cup Whole Milk
- 2 tsps Fresh Rosemary, (diced)
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 clove Garlic, (minced)
Filling
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Carrots, (diced)
- 1 Onion
- 2 Celery sticks
- 1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour, (you can also use cornstarch if GF)
- 6 oz Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary, (diced)
- 1 tbsp Fresh Thyme , (stems removed)
- 2 cups Beef Broth
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup Frozen Corn
- 1 cup Frozen Peas
- 1/4 cup Barbecue Sauce
- 1 Bay leaf
- 3/4 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, (shredded)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add chicken bouillon paste. Wash, peel, and cut potatoes into chunks and to the water. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 17-20 minutes. 2 tsps Chicken Bouillon Paste 2 1/2 lbs Russet Potatoes
- Drain the water and mash the potatoes. Add sour cream, butter, milk, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and garlic. Continue to mash until everything is mixed together and smooth. Set aside. 1/2 cup Sour Cream 6 tbsps Salted Butter 1/2 cup Whole Milk 2 tsps Fresh Rosemary 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 clove Garlic
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Drizzle olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, and celery and cook until browned and slightly softened, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 1 tbsp Olive Oil 2 Carrots 1 Onion 2 Celery sticks
- Add ground beef and continue to cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes, then add garlic, flour, tomato paste, rosemary, and thyme, Cook until all ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. 1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef 1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef 3 cloves Garlic 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour 6 oz Tomato Paste 1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary 1 tbsp Fresh Thyme
- Pour in beef broth, dijon mustard, frozen corn, frozen peas, and bbq sauce. Stir together and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly. 2 cups Beef Broth 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 cup Frozen Corn 1 cup Frozen Peas 1/4 cup Barbecue Sauce 1 Bay leaf
- Carefully smooth the mashed potatoes on top and smooth into an even layer, ensuring all of the ground beef mixture is fully covered. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the top is slightly browned. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. 3/4 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Notes
- Don't skip the bouillon in the potato water. It's a small step, but it seasons the potatoes all the way through. Same thing I do for my beef tips and gravy - building flavor from the very beginning makes all the difference.
- Let the filling simmer. That 10-minute simmer after adding the broth is important. It thickens the sauce and lets the flavors come together so you're not putting a watery filling under your potatoes.
- Spread the mashed potatoes gently. Use a spoon or offset spatula and work from the center out. Going too fast can stir the filling up into the potatoes and make a mess of the layers.
- Use a cast iron skillet if you have one. It goes from stovetop to oven without issue and holds heat evenly so the bottom of the filling stays warm and the top gets golden.
- Rest before serving. Give it 5-10 minutes after it comes out of the oven. The filling will set, making it scoopable instead of runny.
Nutrition
Calories: 590kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 104mg, Sodium: 1267mg, Potassium: 1291mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1038IU, Vitamin C: 25mg, Calcium: 178mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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