Easy-Ish Shepherd’s Pie
Look, you need a cutting board and a knife so I’m not going to say that it’s the easiest recipe in the world but I do make some adjustments to make it easier for me because I hate peeling potatoes. I don’t think there’s anything I hate more than peeling potatoes when it comes to prepping/cooking.
In this recipe, I use canned vegetables; if you prefer frozen vegetables, that’s totally okay too! Expect a bit more liquid in your beef and vegetable mix and thicken (if needed) with equal parts corn starch and water (start with 1 tsp. and add more if needed) , mixed together in a mug or bowl before dumping in to the pan.
Ingredients
Beef & Vegetable Mix
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup baby carrots, chopped
1 yellow onion, finely diced
6 cloves of garlic, grated or finely minced (measure with your heart)
1 pound ground beef (I think this technically makes it Cottage Pie, but I’ve always called in Shepherd’s Pie)
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chilli powder (I use habanero chilli powder which makes it significantly more spicy, but normal chilli powder is great too)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. Worchestershire Sauce
1 can of niblets or peaches & cream corn, drained
1 can of sweet peas, drained
salt & pepper
Mashed Potatoes
~2.5 lbs red potatoes, washed, unpeeled & chopped (what kind of potato and whether they’re peeled or not doesn’t really matter, I just hate peeling potatoes)
3 tbsp. salted butter
1/4 cup milk
salt & pepper
oil spray, for greasing
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
Steps
Preheat your oven to 425 F and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Spray a large casserole dish with oil spray to grease.
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat - add carrots and cook until softened.
Add potatoes to boiling water and cook until they are fork tender, about 10-15 minutes depending on how large the pieces are.
Add onions and ground beef to pan, breaking up the beef as it cooks.
Add garlic to the pan and season with salt & pepper.
Add the paprika, chilli powder, red pepper flakes and Worchestershire sauce.
Cook until the beef is fully browned. Drain, if required.
Add corn and peas to the pan. Remove from heat.
Add beef & vegetable mix to the prepared casserole dish.
Drain potatoes, pour back into the pot and add the butter, milk and a good amount of salt & pepper. If your potatoes aren’t your desired texture, add more butter or milk as desired.
Mash potatoes! (I use a hand mixer, but whatever method works)
Spoon potatoes over the beef & vegetable mix, smooth with a spatula and top with shredded cheese and more pepper, if desired.
Bake for 15-20. Broil on high for a few minutes at the end (keep a close eye on it, the broiler works fast!) until the cheese is golden browned and bubbling.
Enjoy!