Sheperd’s pie is so easy to make. It seems time-consuming, but really it’s not bad.
Here’s what you need:
- 1 b ground beef
- 1 bag mixed veggies of your choosing (I like peas, carrots, corn and green beans)
- 1 can beef broth
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- mashed potatoes – make fresh with 2-3 potatoes or use leftovers
- pre-made pie crust, frozen or refrigerated (it should be room temperature and ready to go)
- handful of cheddar cheese
- garlic powder
- black pepper
- onion powder
Pre-heat oven to 400*
Step 1: Make the mashed potatoes and set aside. If you don’t know how, see this post.
Step 2: Cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Break it up into fine pieces as it cooks. Season halfway through with liberally amounts of garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Don’t add salt yet. The beef broth can be a bit salty so wait til the end. Set meat aside.
Step 3: Pre-bake pie crust for 8-10 minutes in an 8″ pie plate. It will only be semi-cooked, meaning it won’t be *brown*. That’s ok. We just want to give it a good head start.
A note about the pie plate: You do not have to use a pie plate. You could make this in anything that is oven safe and about 2-3 inches deep – a casserole dish, mini souffle cups, a loaf pan, even a cereal bowl. You just have to make the pie crust fit your chosen container. Easy. This is not a dish that judges.
Step 4: While the crust is in the oven, melt butter in the pan on medium-high heat. You can use the same pan; no need to wash it. When butter is melted, add the frozen veggies. I use the whole bag. Add more of the same seasonings as above. Stir around so everything is coated in butter and let cook for a few minutes or until they all look no longer frozen 🙂 Add 1/2 cup flour and stir well. You need to let the flour cook for another few minutes. It will be brown and gloopy.
Step 5: Add the ground beef back to your pan. Stir to combine. Add the beef broth to your pan. Stir like crazy. This is when the magic happens and it turns to a gravy. When everything is well-combined, remove from the heat.
Step 6: Assembly! Spread meat & veggie mixture into your pie crust. Top with as many mashed potatoes as you can pile up. (I once had so much that it wouldn’t fit in the oven!!) Top with shredded cheese, pressing cheese firmly in to mashed potatoes with your hands.
Step 7: Bake at 400* for 15-20 or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Enjoy!
