Ingredients
For the Meat Filling
- 3 pounds ground beef
- Salt and pepper
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, shredded (~2 cups)
- 6 large garlic cloves, grated
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1.5 cups frozen peas
For the Potato Topping
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup warm whole milk
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for top)
- 2 egg yolks
Make the Meat Filling
Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and let it sear for a few minutes without moving it to get a good brown crust. Then, break it up with a spoon and cook until no pink remains, ~6-8 minutes.
Add the chopped onion and shredded carrot to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the grated garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste, stirring it into the meat and letting it cook for a minute to deepen its flavor. Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir constantly for ~2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
Pour in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the beef broth, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Remove the bay leaves, then stir in the frozen peas. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper if needed.
Prepare the Potato Topping
While the filling simmers, preheat your oven to 400F.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into uniform 2-inch chunks. Place them in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook for ~15-20 minutes, until a knife pierces them easily.
Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander. Return the empty, hot pot to the stove over low heat and add the drained potatoes back in. Toss them for a minute or two to cook off any excess moisture; this is the key to fluffy, not gummy, mashed potatoes.
Remove the pot from the heat and mash the potatoes until mostly smooth. Add the melted butter, warm milk, parsley, garlic powder, and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese. Stir until just combined.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks. Add a spoonful of the hot potatoes to the yolks and stir quickly to temper them, then add the tempered yolk mixture back into the main pot of potatoes. Stir quickly to incorporate.
Assemble and Bake
Spread the meat filling evenly in the bottom of a large (9×13-inch or equivalent) baking dish.
Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat filling in large dollops, then gently spread them to cover the entire surface, sealing the edges. Use the tines of a fork to create ridges across the top; these will get extra crispy. Sprinkle with a little more Parmesan cheese.
Bake for ~25-30 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the top is golden brown. For extra browning, you can switch to the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes, but watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn.
Let the pie rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set up slightly and prevents it from being molten hot.
Classic Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
For the Meat Filling
- 3 pounds ground beef
- Salt and pepper
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 large carrots shredded (~2 cups)
- 6 large garlic cloves grated
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1.5 cups frozen peas
For the Potato Topping
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes
- 1 stick 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup warm whole milk
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for top
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef with salt and pepper until no pink remains, about 8 minutes.
- Add the onion and carrot, cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and beef broth. Add the bay leaves and thyme.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves and stir in the peas. Season to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Boil the peeled, chunked potatoes in salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender.
- Drain the potatoes and return to the hot pot. Toss briefly to remove excess moisture.
- Mash the potatoes and mix in the butter, milk, parsley, garlic powder, and 1 cup Parmesan.
- Temper the egg yolks with hot potato mixture, then stir back into the potatoes.
- Spread the meat filling in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Top with the mashed potatoes, spread evenly, and create ridges with a fork.
- Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
