My first bite of Shepherd's Pie was at an Irish Pub in New York City (served by a red-haired, blue-eyed Irish woman with a thick accent, too!). It is about as comforting as comfort food gets.
I won't claim that my recipe is anywhere near as good as that one was, but it's still a favorite in our house in the winter months, especially on St. Paddy's Day!
Simple Shepherd's Pie
- 2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 2 teaspoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons flour or cornstarch (if needed)
- 16 oz. package frozen peas and carrots
- 3-4 cups prepared mashed potatoes
Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes; drain the grease.
Stir in broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in flour or cornstarch, if needed, to thicken the sauce.
Stir in peas and carrots and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Spoon the beef mixture into a glass casserole dish. Top with prepared potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then bake for 30 minutes at 350℉ or until hot.
PRO TIP: I use sour cream instead of milk for a creamier texture and richer flavor when making homemade mashed potatoes. For the truly ambitious, you can pipe the mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture for an attractive presentation. I'm rarely that ambitious, and my family eats it up too quickly to notice anyway.
