Simple Recipes for Every Day
Shepherd’s Pie
- Serves: 8
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds 90/10 ground beef or ground lamb
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 1 cup finely chopped fennel
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose or gluten-free flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth or stock
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 cup frozen peas
Method
Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position.
Fill a large pot with water and 3 teaspoons of the salt. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In the same pot, combine the butter and milk over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Using a potato ricer, rice the potatoes over the hot butter mixture. (Alternatively, mash the potatoes directly into the liquid, taking care not to overwork them.) Season with the garlic powder, pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the ground beef and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat and continue cooking until cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Drain any excess grease and transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat under the same skillet to medium and add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, onions, carrots, and fennel. Season with remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 more minutes more.
Add the flour and tomato paste and cook, stirring continuously, until tomato paste has darkened, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in beef stock, pepper, thyme, and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Add the browned beef and any collected juices and frozen peas and simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce has thickened and liquid is mostly absorbed, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the filling to a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread out evenly. Top with mashed potatoes, and smooth out into an even layer using the back of a spoon. Bake until the filling is bubbling and potatoes are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Top with freshly cracked pepper and fresh thyme and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.