Skillet Shepherd's Pie is a meaty, savory, classic comfort food dish cooked in a skillet for an easy recipe ready in just 30 minutes! This Shepherd's Pie recipe uses fresh ingredients for maximum flavor the whole family will love!

Skillet Shepherd's Pie is an easy dinner any night of the week, but it's especially fun to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

WHAT IS SHEPHERD'S PIE?

There are many variations to Shepherd's Pie, but basically it is a meat pie with vegetables and a mashed potato crust on top. Normally it is made in a casserole dish, but I've found making it in a skillet is quicker and easier. I like that! I tend to fall back on my cast-iron skillet to make quick work of classics like my Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Recipe. Similar to this Shepherd's Pie, it has all the basics of the classic dish, but made quicker and easier in a skillet.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHEPHERD'S PIE AND COTTAGE PIE?

Traditionally, Shepherd's Pie is made with lamb and Cottage Pie is made with beef, however, no one told my mom that! Growing up my mom would make 'Shepherd's Pie' and it was always made with ground beef, so that's how I do it too. Besides, lamb is more expensive and not always available. Using ground chuck helps to keep this easy recipe a budget-friendly family favorite!

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN SHEPHERD'S PIE?

For the mashed potatoes:

• 2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, cleaned and cubed (peeling is optional)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup whipping cream
• salt & pepper to taste

For the Shepherd's Pie filling:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 lb ground chuck
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves for garnish

HOW TO MAKE SKILLET SHEPHERD'S PIE

1. Pre-heat the oven on hi-broil.
2. Place cubed potatoes into a stock pot and add enough water to cover. Add garlic and salt to the water. Bring to a boil over mid-high heat until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Drain potatoes. Put potatoes back in stock pot over medium heat to dry potatoes. Stir until a film forms on the bottom of the pot that indicates potatoes are dry.
4. Warm 1 stick butter with 1 cup cream and pour 1/2 of the mixture over potatoes. Mash potatoes with a potato masher and stir with a wooden spoon. Add more of the butter and cream mixture a little at a time until desired consistency. Salt to taste. Set aside until ready to use. NOTE: In the video you'll see me use my Cuisinart Smart Stick with the potato masher attachment. It rices and mashes the potatoes to a creamy consistency. I highly recommend it! Avoid using a mixer, blender, or food processor as they tend to make the potatoes gummy.
5. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook 1 cup baby carrots for about 5-8 minutes until they start to soften. Add 1/2 pound fresh green beans and cook another couple minutes until they begin to soften. You still want a little crunch to them. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.
6. Turn up heat to mid-high on the skillet and add 1/2 pound ground chuck. Place the beef in the skillet whole and allow to sear for about 5 minutes until it develops a nice crust. Flip over and break up. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves. Add 1/2 cup onions and 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic. Continue cooking, breaking up the meat, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Most of the liquid will evaporate. Drain if needed.
7. Add 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes with the liquid and heat through. Mix the carrots and green beans into the meat and tomatoes in the skillet and heat through.
8. Remove from heat and spread the reserved mashed potatoes on top of the meat and vegetables in the skillet, being sure to get all the way to the edge of the skillet.
9. Place the skillet under the broiler to brown the mashed potatoes slightly. Remember to leave the oven door ajar when broiling. Broil until the potatoes are browned to your liking, but be sure to watch them closely as they will burn quickly. This should only take about a minute or two. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

NOTE: If you have leftover mashed potatoes they make this recipe even quicker and easier. Sometimes I'll plan ahead and make extra mashed potatoes to save for making my Skillet Shepherd's Pie later in the week, and to have on hand to make my Chicken and Waffles Poutine. Planning ahead is a good thing!! Otherwise, I start this recipe by whipping up some mashed potatoes.

Thank you for visiting! Let's be social! Follow Life Tastes Good on Pinterest|Facebook|Twitter|Instagram
Life Tastes Good just like it should with FREE recipes delivered to your inbox - Click here to subscribe

Skillet Shepherd's Pie

Main dish

Irish

Yield: 4

Author: Life Tastes Good

Skillet Shepherd's Pie

Skillet Shepherd's Pie is a meaty, savory, classic comfort food dish cooked in a skillet for an easy recipe ready in just 30 minutes!

prep time: 10 Mcook time: 20 Mtotal time: 30 M

ingredients:

Mashed Potatoes

• 2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, cleaned and cubed (peeling is optional)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup whipping cream
• salt & pepper to taste

Shepherd's Pie Filling

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 lb ground chuck
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves for garnish

instructions:

How to cook Skillet Shepherd's Pie

Mashed Potatoes

1. Place 2 lbs cubed potatoes into a stock pot and add enough water to cover. Add 8 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp salt to the water. Bring to a boil over mid-high heat until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes. Put potatoes back in stock pot over medium heat to dry potatoes. Stir until a film forms on the bottom of the pot that indicates potatoes are dry.
3. Warm 1 stick butter with 1 cup cream and pour 1/2 of the mixture over potatoes. Mash potatoes with a potato masher and stir with a wooden spoon. Add more of the butter and cream mixture a little at a time until desired consistency. Salt to taste. Set aside until ready to use. 

Shepherd's Pie

1. Pre-heat the oven on hi-broil.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook 1 cup baby carrots for about 5-8 minutes until they start to soften. Add 1/2 pound fresh green beans and cook another couple minutes until they begin to soften. You still want a little crunch to them. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.
3. Turn up heat to mid-high on the skillet and add 1/2 pound ground chuck. Place the beef in the skillet whole and allow to sear for about 5 minutes until it develops a nice crust. Flip over and break up. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves. Add 1/2 cup onions and 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic. Continue cooking, breaking up the meat, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Most of the liquid will evaporate. Drain if needed.
4. Add 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes with the liquid and heat through. Mix the carrots and green beans into the meat and tomatoes in the skillet and heat through.
5. Remove from heat and spread the reserved mashed potatoes on top of the meat and vegetables in the skillet, being sure to get all the way to the edge of the skillet.
6. Place the skillet under the broiler to brown the mashed potatoes slightly. This should only take about a minute or two. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

NOTES:

•In the video you'll see me use my Cuisinart Smart Stick with the potato masher attachment. It rices and mashes the potatoes to a creamy consistency. I highly recommend it!
•If you have leftover mashed potatoes they make this recipe even quicker and easier
•Remember to leave the oven door ajar when broiling. Broil until the potatoes are browned to your liking, but be sure to watch them closely as they will burn quickly

Recommended Products - Affiliate links:

Cuisinart Smart Stick

Potato Masher

Cast Iron Skillet

Calories
864.36

Fat (grams)
58.01

Sat. Fat (grams)
33.70

Carbs (grams)
64.98

Fiber (grams)
9.91

Net carbs
55.07

Sugar (grams)
11.75

Protein (grams)
25.81

Sodium (milligrams)
2177.30

Cholesterol (grams)
186.34

Nutrition label disclaimer: Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and food preparation. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

https://www.ourlifetastesgood.com/2016/02/skillet-shepherds-pie.html

COPYRIGHT © 2020 Life Tastes Good

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @lifetastesgoood on instagram and hashtag it #LTGrecipes

Created using The Recipes Generator