A hearty beef stew topped with irresistible cheesy mashed potatoes in a single skillet!
Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie?
Shepherd’s Pie is a traditional meat stew originating in Scotland and northern England in the mid-1800s. According to the online Encyclopedia Britannica, Shepherd’s Pie is “a baked meat pie made with minced or diced lamb and topped with a thick layer of mashed potatoes.”
Is anyone else thrown off by the phrase “meat pie?” Just me? Ok, moving on then.
Shepherd’s Pie as we know it became “Americanized” by the replacement of lamb with beef, which technically changes the name to Cottage Pie.” Other than the change of meat, the inclusion of various veggies, spices, broth, and mashed potatoes has stayed the same.
Is it Healthy?
For my iteration of Shepherd’s Pie, I decided to make it quite colorful! Doing this with every meal will give you a much wider array of vitamins and minerals. 🙂
Speaking of vitamins and minerals, this dish is high in Vitamins A, B6 and B12, as well as potassium. If you really want to take the nutrition to the next level with this dish, serve it with a colorful side salad! I served mine with a good handful of arugula.
Why are the mashed potatoes yellow?
When you think of mashed potatoes, you are probably thinking of the usual creamy white goodness we have all grown to love. Compared to Russet varieties, Yukon Gold potatoes will give you a denser consistency, along with a natural buttery flavor.
Along with the usual milk and butter, I also added cheese and minced green onions. This made the potatoes even creamier, as well as added a nice bite from the onion.
There’s a huge difference between before and after the oven, right??
To avoid the unpleasant brown spots that appeared in my finished product, just make sure the potatoes are spread out evenly over top the filling. Of course, it will taste the same either way, so don’t worry if this happens to you too.
As I mentioned earlier, I added a handful of arugula to my bowl. I also topped the slice with fresh chives. Did I spread the arugula around the perimeter of the bowl to hide a piece that fell into the bowl? I’ll leave that to the imagination. 😉
Cheesy Skillet Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 1/2 cup Milk I used a plant-based milk called Ripple.
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter cut into tablespoon sizes
- 1 cup Gouda Cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 4 stalks Green Onion minced
- Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
Meat and Veggie Mixture
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Red Onion diced
- 2 stalks Celery diced
- 3 Carrots diced
- 2 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 lb Ground Beef 80% lean; grass-fed
- 1 tsp Rosemary dried
- 1 tsp Thyme dried
- 1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/2 cup Dry Red Wine I used a cabernet sauvignon
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 cup Frozen Corn thawed
- 1 cup Frozen Green Beans thawed
- Sea Salt & Fresh Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
Mashed Potatoes
- For the topping, cook potatoes in a pot of boiling salted water until fork-tender, 10-12 minutes. Drain potatoes; return to pot. Cook potatoes over medium-low heat, stirring, to remove excess moisture, 1-2 minutes.
- Add milk and butter, crushing with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in cheese and green onions, then season potatoes with salt and pepper.
Meat and Veggie Mixture
- For the filling, heat oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic; sweat until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add ground beef, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until browned, 5-7 minutes. Stir in rosemary, thyme, flour, and tomato paste; cook 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze skillet with wine and reduce until nearly evaporated. Stir in broth, corn, green beans, and Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Cook filling until liquid is nearly reduced, 7-8 minutes. Transfer the skillet to a baking sheet.
- Preheat broiler to high with rack 6 inches from element. Spread topping over filling and broil until potatoes are browned, 3-4 minutes. Let pie rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve with chives and arugula if desired.
Recipe Notes
Notes
- You can substitute red wine for white wine in this recipe. I wouldn't use a sweet wine though.
- You can experiment by using different kinds of potatoes for the topping. I have found that Yukon Gold potatoes yield the best consistency for mashed potatoes.
- Feel free to use any kind of cheese you'd like in the mashed potatoes. Go for a good melting cheese though. Other options include Gruyere, Havarti, and even a mild cheddar.
