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A finished shepherd's pie in a cast iron skillet with a portion scooped out, golden browned peaks of mashed potato on top, savory ground beef with carrots and peas visible underneath, warm natural kitchen light, casual home cooking

Classic Shepherd's Pie

A weeknight shepherd's pie with a savory ground beef and vegetable filling under a golden broiled mashed potato crust.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb russet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup warm whole milk
  • 1 1/2 lb ground beef 85/15
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 carrots diced small
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until a fork slides in easily, about 18 minutes. Drain them and let them steam dry in the empty pot for a minute, then mash with the butter and warm milk and season well.
  2. Heat the oven to 400F. Brown the beef in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, then spoon off the excess fat.
  3. Add the oil, onion, and carrots and cook 6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more until the paste darkens.
  4. Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir for 1 minute, then pour in the broth and Worcestershire. Add the thyme and simmer 5 minutes until thick enough to hold a spoon trail. Stir in the peas and season.
  5. Spread the mash over the filling, rough up the surface with a fork, and bake 20 minutes. Broil 3 to 5 minutes for a browned top, then rest 10 minutes before serving.