Quick shepherd’s pie with browned mashed potatoes over savory ground beef, carrots, onions, peas, and gravy

Quick Shepherd’s Pie with Beef or Lamb

This quick shepherd's pie with beef or lamb combines peas, carrots, savory gravy, and a creamy broiled potato topping.

Course Main Course

Cuisine British

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 862

Equipment

1 Stovetop for boiling, browning, and gravy
1 with broiler Oven for browning the potato topping
1 set Measuring Cups and Spoons for the dairy, flour, broth, and seasonings
1 Liquid Measuring Cup for cream and broth
1 Chef's Knife for the potatoes and vegetables
1 Cutting Board for vegetable preparation
1 Vegetable Peeler for the potatoes and carrot
1 Cooking Pot for boiling the potatoes
1 Colander for draining the potatoes
1 large bowl Mixing Bowl for mashing the potato topping
1 Potato Masher for the potato topping
1 Large Sauté Pan for the meat and vegetables
1 Frying Pan for the gravy
1 Wooden Spoon for crumbling the meat
1 Whisk for smoothing the gravy
1 Ovenproof Skillet for assembling and broiling
1 pair Oven Mitts for handling the hot skillet

Ingredients

Potato Topping

2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons sour cream softened cream cheese may be substituted
1 large egg yolk
½ cup heavy cream vegetable or chicken broth may be substituted
salt to taste; divided
black pepper to taste; divided

Meat and Vegetable Filling

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ¾ pounds ground beef ground lamb may be substituted
1 medium carrot peeled and chopped
1 medium onion chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup frozen peas

Finish

1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

Make the Potato Topping

On the stovetop, use a vegetable peeler, chef’s knife, and cutting board to prepare the potatoes. Boil them in a cooking pot of salted water for about 12 minutes, then drain in a colander.
2 pounds russet potatoes
In a mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, egg yolk, and heavy cream. Add the hot potatoes, season with salt and black pepper, and mash with a potato masher until almost smooth.
2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 large egg yolk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, salt, black pepper

Make the Filling

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan. Brown and crumble the ground beef or lamb with a wooden spoon for 3 to 4 minutes, draining excess fat if needed.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 3/4 pounds ground beef
Add the chopped carrot and onion and cook for 5 minutes.
1 medium carrot, 1 medium onion
In a separate frying pan, cook the butter and all-purpose flour together for 2 minutes. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 1 minute, until thickened.
2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 cup beef broth, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Stir the gravy into the meat and vegetables, then fold in the frozen peas.
1/2 cup frozen peas

Broil and Serve

Transfer the filling to an ovenproof skillet, cover evenly with the potatoes, and sprinkle with sweet paprika. Broil in the oven 6 to 8 inches from the heat until evenly browned.
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Use oven mitts to move the hot skillet to a protected surface and finish with fresh parsley.
2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Notes

The nutrition estimate uses ground beef, sour cream, and heavy cream. Ground lamb, cream cheese, or vegetable or chicken broth may be substituted as listed.

Nutrition