Shepherd's Pie with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe is Pure Irish Comfort Food
Shepherd's Pie with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
The one dish that's perhaps more synonymous with St. Patrick's Day than corned beef and cabbage? Shepherd's Pie. And while most people think it's a super time-consuming, labor-intensive casserole to make, we're here to tell you: it's not!
Related: 50 St. Patrick's Day Recipes That Will Bring the Luck of the Irish To Your Dinner Table
Chef Jon Ashton is sharing his easy Shepherd's Pie with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe and after making it, you'll never settle for store-bought (or take-out) Shepherd's Pie again. Rich and hearty, his version combines creamy, garlicky mashed potatoes atop a beefy, saucy filling dotted with peas...what's not to love about this Irish classic? All you need are his go-to ingredients to get started and a few chef-approved tips and hacks for ensuring your homemade Shepherd's Pie is perfectly layered and delicious.
Related: How to Make Great Depression Water Pie
Ingredients for Shepherd's Pie
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Filling:
Unsalted butter
Large onion, diced
Medium carrots, peeled and diced
Ground lamb or beef
All-purpose flour
Tomato paste
Low-sodium chicken broth
A1 sauce or soy sauce
Fresh rosemary
Frozen peas
Topping:
Russet potatoes
Salt, divided
Roasted garlic
Unsalted butter
Heavy cream
Black pepper
Minced chives
Egg
Related: Cheesy Reuben Dip for St. Patrick's Day
How to Make Shepherd's Pie
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1. Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 8 minutes.
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2. Add the lamb or beef and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until evenly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to thicken, then add Guinness.
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3. Add chicken stock, A1 sauce, and rosemary and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick but still saucy, 15 to 20 minutes.
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4. If the sauce has a lot of fat floating on the top, skim off with a ladle and discard. Remove from heat, stir in peas, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to broiler-safe 2-quart casserole dish.
5. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to cover, to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, return to saucepan, and add roasted garlic. Mash potatoes with butter, cream, and chives until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top the meat mixture with dollops of the mashed potatoes then spread them out over the top.
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6. Brush with egg and drag fork across top to make ridges.
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7. Bake the pie until the potatoes have begun to brown and the edges are bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
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Related: The 8 Best Irish Beers for St. Patrick's Day (Green Beer Not Included)
Best Shepherd's Pie Recipe (With How-to Video):
What to Serve With Shepherd's Pie:
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Tips for Making the Best Shepherd's Pie with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes :
Add your garlic to the carrot-meat mixture after it's browned not before or it may burn.
All-purpose flour gives a nice, thick sauce base.
Tomato paste adds deep body and flavor to Shepherd's Pie.
If you don't want to use Guinness beer in this recipe, you can use beef stock or more chicken stock.
Brushing egg mixture on top of the potatoes gives it a nice brown crust.
Get your kids involved in the kitchen by letting them make the fork pattern on top of the mashed potatoes.
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More Shepherd's Pie Recipes to Try:
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Ingredients
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 lb ground lamb or beef
5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp A1 sauce or soy sauce
1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 cup frozen peas
1 can Guinness beer
Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the lamb or beef and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until evenly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to thicken, then add Guinness.
Add chicken stock, A1 sauce, and rosemary and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick but still saucy, 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce has a lot of fat floating on the top, skim off with a ladle and discard. Remove from heat, stir in peas, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to broiler-safe 2-quart casserole dish.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring potatoes, ½ teaspoon salt, and water to cover, to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, return to saucepan, and add roasted garlic. Mash potatoes with butter, cream, and chives until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Top the meat mixture with dollops of the mashed potatoes then spread them out over the top. Brush with egg and drag fork across top to make ridges. Bake the pie until the potatoes have begun to brown and the edges are bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
