Fall means comfort food, and this shepherd's pie is one of our favorites. The beef mixture has the best flavor, and then top it with my secret ingredient mashed potatoes and LOTS of cheese and you've got yourself a dinner even the British aristocracy wouldn't turn down. We love British food, especially since my husband lived in England for two years. They love their meat and potatoes, and both shine in this awesome recipe.
Shepherd's Pie
Serves 6
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 sweet onion, chopped fine
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 lb. ground beef
2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce (we love La Choy)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
In a large saucepan (or pressure cooker), cook potatoes in water to cover; 20 minutes on the stove, 12 minutes in the pressure cooker. Drain off water and add butter, sour cream, and salt and pepper. With electric beaters, whip the potatoes until creamy and smooth. While the potatoes are cooking, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions, carrots and garlic. Cook and stir until tender and fragrant. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain off the grease. Add the soy sauce, thyme, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread the ground beef mixture in a 9" pie dish. Cover with the mashed potatoes, using a spatula to evenly spread them. Cover all with cheese. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is golden brown.
Step-by-step tutorial:
Gather your ingredients. You will need 3 large potatoes (I use russet), an onion, a carrot, vegetable oil, a pound of ground beef, minced garlic, soy sauce, thyme, parsley flakes, and cheddar cheese. You will also need some butter, sour cream, and salt and pepper. (not pictured)
I love to cook potatoes in my pressure cooker now. I do "baked" potatoes this way wrapped in foil, and they are done in 20 minutes and perfectly tender! For mashed potatoes which we are making here, I peel the potatoes, then cut them into 1-2 inch chunks, then cover just barely with water and add some salt. They cook in the pressure cooker for 12 minutes. If you want to cook the potatoes on the stove, you can do it in a saucepan for about 25 minutes or until tender. After the potatoes are cooked, drain.
Place the cooked potatoes, 2 tablespoons butter, and salt and pepper to taste in a mixing bowl.
Whip the potatoes until mostly mashed, then add 1/2 cup sour cream. I always do this instead of milk and it makes our mashed potatoes so yummy! Continue beating until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
Chop the onion and carrot. To do this I use a Ninja chopper so that the size of the veggies is really small. This makes it so my kiddos who are picky don't even notice they are there!
This Ninja chopper is one of my favorite kitchen appliances. I use it all the time! If you don't have one, I would highly recommend it.
In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic. Stir and cook until tender and you can smell the garlic. Add 1 pound of ground beef. Continue cooking while stirring until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the grease.
To the beef, add 2 tablespoons soy sauce (check to make sure it's gluten free!), 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1 tablespoon parsley. Stir to combine.
Spread the beef mixture into a greased 9" pie dish.
Spread the mashed potatoes over the top using a spatula. It's like frosting a cake!
Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the potatoes. Place the pie into a preheated 375°F oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until heated completely through and the cheese is golden and melted.
It is just a beautiful dish, isn't it?
Let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
We rarely have leftovers, but when we do, they are just as delicious the next day! This is such a comforting, hearty, filling meal. We serve it with some cottage cheese and fruit, and then enjoy!
Recipe Source: Recipe adapted from a recipe in Lion House International Recipes cookbook