Shepherd's Pie

The first food my daughter fell in love with was Shepherd’s Pie.  Hearty ground beef, sweet peas and carrots with herbs and spices then covered in rich, creamy mashed potatoes.  Yum! And it is a well balanced meal so my husband and I were good with it. However, I wasn’t making it then… at that time we were living in the NYC area and most of our groceries were delivered by Fresh Direct (love them!).  They offer a wide range of heat and eat meals. Shepherd’s Pie was one of them. My daughter couldn’t get enough of it! She didn’t know a lot of words then, but “pie” was one of them and she said it often. Now that we can’t get Fresh Direct, I figured it was time to make a gluten free and optional dairy free version.  The whole family is loving this one!

Layer One

The ground beef and onions cook together until most of the pink is gone from the meat.  The carrots and garlic go in next and are heated through, but not cooked entirely. Then the spices, broth and cornstarch are added.  Once that thickens, turn off the heat and add the peas and parsley. Pour it into your casserole dish until the potatoes are ready.

Layer Two

I like my mashed potatoes dirty. Sounds scandalous, doesn't it? But really, it just means that I leave the skins on. If you don’t like your taters that way, feel free to skin them.  Otherwise the process is the same. Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain, add the yummy butter, milk (or dairy free alternatives) and seasonings. Whip them up and done!

Build & Bake

Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture.  If dairy is your friend, feel free to sprinkle some shredded Irish Cheddar on top.  No worries if not, it will still taste great. Pop it in the oven until the potatoes are browned.  

Companions

Classic Irish Soda Bread and Irish Soda Bread with Cheddar and Bacon would be awesome for mopping up your plate of Shepherd’s Pie.  Kicked up Kale Salad, Peggy's Salad or Kim’s Salad would be a nice light side. If you want to stick with the Irish theme, check out Irish Coffee Cupcakes for dessert!

Recipe

Shepherd's Pie

5 from 6 votes

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Servings: 10 servings

Calories:

Ingredients  

2x3x4x

For the Beef Mixture:

• 1 ¼-1 ½ Lbs ground beef
• 1 medium sweet onion - peeled and diced
• 2 large carrots - peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic - chopped finely
• 1 cup chicken or beef broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon sage
• ⅛ teaspoon dried rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoon flat leaf parsley - roughly chopped

For the Potatoes:

• 2 Lbs gold potatoes
• 8 tablespoon butter or dairy free alternative
• 1 cup cream or half & half, or dairy free creamer
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded Irish Cheddar - optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Scrub and cut potatoes into evenly sized pieces. Place in a large pot with water about halfway up the height of the potatoes. Turn heat to high until it boils, then turn heat to low and let simmer, covered until the potatoes are fork tender. While the potatoes are cooking, begin the beef mixture.
• Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain the water. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl (or leave in the same pot if it is not a non-stick pan or otherwise coated) Add the butter, cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to the potatoes. Using a mixer, combine well and whip for a minute or so until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Be careful not to over mix, as they may turn sticky. Set aside until beef mixture is done.
• Cook the ground beef and onions over a medium heat until almost all of the pink is gone from the meat. Then add the carrots and garlic. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Combine about ¼ cup of the chicken or beef broth with the cornstarch until no lumps remain. Add the remaining broth to the pan with the beef mixture, then add the cornstarch slurry and vinegar. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, sage, rosemary and garlic powder. Stir to combine and let cook until the sauce has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the peas and parsley, stir to combine.
• Pour the beef mixture into a large casserole dish or a 9 x 13 pan. Top with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle cheese on top of the mashed potatoes (optional). Place in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. If it isn’t browned enough, place under a high broiler for 3 minutes, watching closely. Remove and enjoy! Sprinkle with additional chopped parsley for serving if you wish.