Classic Shepherd's Pie with Roasted Root Vegetables

A hearty baked pie with a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with a fluffy, golden mashed potato crust, served with sweet roasted root vegetables.

• Prep: 30 min
• Cook: 1 hr
• Total: 1 hr 30 min
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: Irish
• Difficulty: Medium

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• comfort food
• classic
• savory
• bake
• kid-friendly

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef (80/20 lean)
• 1 yellow onion (large, chopped)
• 4 carrots (peeled, diced and peeled, chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 celery stalk (diced)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1.5 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 pound Russet potato (peeled, quartered)
• 0.5 cup milk (warm)
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted, divided)
• 1 pound parsnip (peeled, chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.75 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.
2. Add the yellow onion, carrots (diced), celery, and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Stir in the all-purpose flour and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add dried thyme, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the frozen peas. Remove from heat.
4. While the filling cooks, prepare the mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. Place the Russet potatoes (for mash) in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well.
5. Return the drained potatoes to the hot pot. Mash with 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and the warm milk until smooth. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and adjust salt if needed.
6. On a large baking sheet, toss the chopped parsnips and carrots (for roasting) with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted unsalted butter, 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
7. Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and lightly caramelized.
8. Spoon the beef filling into a 9x13-inch baking dish or keep it in the oven-safe skillet. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top of the filling, using a fork to create ridges for texture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the mashed potato topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
9. Let the Shepherd's Pie rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with the roasted root vegetables on the side.

Notes

For an even richer potato topping, you can add a touch of heavy cream or a beaten egg yolk to the mashed potatoes before spreading over the filling. If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the meat filling to a casserole dish before topping with mashed potatoes.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 780
• Protein: 45 g
• Carbohydrates: 70 g
• Fat: 36 g
• Fiber: 9.5 g
• Sodium: 1300 mg
• Saturated Fat: 16 g
• Sugar: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg