This recipe is simple and easy to make. It is even easier to make when you plan to make this when you make mashed potatoes. I usually plan this after having made mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving or a big family dinner. Meal planning at its finest.
Mashed potatoes are a pretty simple and quick side dish, but anything that can be done to shave off time when preparing a meal, count me in!
Shepherd’s Pie (or Cottage pie) is a delicious meat gravy underneath a layer of mashed potatoes. The perfect comfort food. You can easily switch out the ground beef in this recipe for ground turkey or even lamb. (That is how I use to have it in Kenya) This meal is simple and comforting.
I add zucchini and yellow squash in mine, where the recipe I grew up on calls for peas. I love peas… but my family is not a fan. So try it how you like.
I really hope you make this!! And if you do, comment and let me know how you like it!!
Happy cooking! ~Jeanne
Equipment
- large skillet
- casserole dish
Ingredients
For Meat and Veggies
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
For Gravy to finish filling
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp white flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ⅓ cup red wine or more broth is avoiding alcohol
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 small zucchin, chopped
- 1 small yellow squash, chopped
- 1 tbsp parsley
- ½ tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rosemary
For Topping
- 4 cup mashed potatoes (or about 1.5 lbs of potoatoes) I alwasy make leftover mashed potatoes with this recipe in mind
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese optional
Instructions
- First saute your onions in your olive oil for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic, celery and carrots. Saute for another 3-4 minutes. I push my onion mixture to one side of the pan, then add ground beef to other side and brown. *If you don't have leftover mashed potatoes, start them at this point.
- Once the meat is almost cooked through, sprinkle salt, pepper, paprika and flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Then stir in the tomato paste, stirring the entire time and cook til it smells roasted (about 1 minute). Pour in the red wine ( or beef broth if you prefer) scratching any browned bits from the bottom. (also known as deglazing)Then stir in your broth, herbs, squash and zucchini and simmer 4 – 5 minutes.Then transfer you meat mixture to a 7×11 baking dish, and let cool.Preheat oven to 400°F Top your cooled meat mixture with your mashed potatoes, trying not to mix the two, and then sprinkle with cheese.Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.Take out of oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.Enjoy ~ Jeanne
Notes:
- Letting the mix mixture cool down, to wait to add the potatoes, isn't a crucial step. I often just add the potatoes on top of the bubbling hot mixture and spread it as carefully as I can. I don't mind if the two mix together, but the instructions are the proper way to make cottage pie.You can also start the onions and meat in a cast iron skillet, then just add the potatoes on top and stick the cast iron in the oven. It then becomes a one dish meal!!
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