Shepherd's Pie
An easy recipe for hearty and delicious shepherd's pie
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 24 oz prepared mashed potatoes
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Brown the ground beef in a frying pan. Break up the larger pieces to be sure everything is cooked through.
- Pour off any fat from the cooked beef.
- Lower the heat to medium.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and mix.
- Drain the diced tomatoes and add them to the browned ground beef.
- Add the frozen peas to the beef and tomatoes. Cook gently until everything is heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- While the beef and veggies cook, heat the packaged mashed potatoes following the directions.
- Lightly spray a glass pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Transfer the meat and veggies to the pie plate.
- Spread the cooked mashed potatoes over the meat. You can use a spatula for this. Try not to mix the potatoes into the meat. Instead, handle the potatoes like you are frosting a cake.
- Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with the shredded cheese.
- Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet. This will keep your oven clean in case of a spill.
- Bake until the cheese is melted and the edges of the potatoes are golden, about thirty minutes.
- Let the shepherd's pie sit for about ten minutes to make it easier to cut neatly.
Notes
Tips:
I used 1/4 cup of frozen peas in my recipe because my husband isn't a huge fan.
You can certainly use homemade mashed potatoes on this, but I chose the quicker way. I also used sour cream and chive mashed potatoes for extra yum.
When seasoning with salt and pepper, start out light, take a little taste, and adjust accordingly. You can always add more, but you can't take out too much!
You can use a glass 8 or 9 inch baking dish if you don't have a glass pie pan - it just won't be pie shape.
I always put "pie" things on a rimmed baking sheet so I don't make a mess if something spills over.
Never pour liquid fat from heated ground beef down your drain. Eventually, it will cause a clog. Instead, find a heat safe container to catch the drippings.