Deconstructed Shepherd’s Pie
What is the first thing that comes to mind when St. Patrick’s Day rolls around? The color green, a lucky shamrock, corned beef and cabbage…perhaps a pint of Guinness?
Well, lucky for you, the first thing that popped into our heads was Shepherd’s Pie. When every bite of this dish consists of a mound of fluffy mashed potatoes and a hearty spoonful of seasoned ground beef, it’s hard not to think about Shepherd’s Pie!
Because St. Patrick’s Day falls on a weekday, we decided to keep it simple and quick, so that you can have dinner ready in no time and still have time to celebrate.
With our Deconstructed Shepherd’s Pie, we cut down on the cooking time by making everything on the stove top. The beef and veggies are sauteed when the potatoes are boiling, so they finish cooking at the same time, and dinner will be on the table in 35 minutes.
So get ready to delve into creamy Greek yogurt mashed potatoes, topped with a delicious mix of ground beef, carrots, and peas. Don’t forget the peas! It’s a great way to #eatgreen, especially on this green holiday.
Now all that is missing is that pint of beer…
Prepping Smarts:
Save on time and chop your veggies beforehand. Here’s how:
How to Chop & Dice an Onion
Learning how to dice an onion correctly will save you so much time in the kitchen.
How to Chop Cilantro or Parsley
Learn how to chop parsley using the 'pivot-and-fan' chopping technique with this short video.
How to Prep Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a delicious nutritional powerhouse - learn how to prep them in this video.
Equipment Smarts:
Using a masher is a quick and inexpensive way to mash your potatoes.
For more kitchen and equipment and tool smarts, visit our ‘Essential Kitchen Cookware and Tools’
- Ingredients
- Ground beef – 1 lb.
- Salt – 1/2 tsp.
- Garlic powder – 1 tsp.
- Black pepper – 1/4 tsp.
- Garlic – 3 cloves, minced
- Onion – 1, diced
- Parsley – 1/4 bunch, chopped
- Russet potatoes – 2 , peeled and cubed
- Crushed tomatoes – 1 cup
- Corn starch – 1 1/4 tsp.
- Cooking oil – 2 tbs.
- Worcestershire sauce – 2 tsp.
- Frozen peas and carrots – 2 cups (~10 oz.)
- Greek yogurt – 1/2 cup
- Butter – 1 tbs.
- Season beef – Season ground meat with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
- Garlic / Onion / Parsley – Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
- Potatoes – Peel and cube.
- Tomatoes – Mix crushed tomatoes with corn starch.
- Place potatoes into a saucepan and cover with cold water and some salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes until potatoes can be easily pierced by a knife. Drain and let sit in colander for ~5 minutes to let the steam escape (this creates creamier potatoes vs. liquidy potatoes).
- While potatoes are cooking, heat a skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add cooking oil and then minced garlic. Once you can smell the garlic, add in onions with some salt. Saute for ~3 minutes, until softened.
- Toss in ground beef, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until beef starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add in crushed tomatoes and worcestershire sauce, and saute until a thick sauce has formed around the beef.
- Stir in frozen vegetables and cook until everything is warmed through. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, or worcestershire sauce. If you like things sweeter, consider adding a bit of ketchup (not listed in ingredients).
- Use a masher to mash steamed potatoes with Greek yogurt and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spoon out mashed potatoes and cover with shepherd’s pie filling and sprinkle with parsley. If you wanted to make this as a bake (more traditional shepherd’s pie), place filling into a 9×9 baker and then cover with mashed potatoes. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes until potatoes get some browning.
