Shepard's Pie 2.0

We’ve shared a Shepard’s Pie recipe before … and it is delicious! It is a mushroom soup based Shepard’s Pie which is not always the classic Shepard’s Pie you envision. So we took the pie up a couple notches and perfected the classic tomato based Shepard’s Pie for you all.

Base Ingredients (Meat Filling):

• 1.5 Lbs Extra Lean Ground Beef

• 1 Cup Beef Broth

• 1 Cup Frozen Peas/Carrots

• 1 Cup White Onion, chopped

• 1 Cup Mozza Cheese

• 1/2 Cup Frozen Corn

• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

• 2 Tbsp. Flour

• 2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

• 1-2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder (or 2 Cloves Garlic, minced)

• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

• 2 Tsp. Dried Parsley Flakes

• 1 Tsp. Rosemary

• 1 Tsp. Dried Thyme

• 1 Tsp. Salt

• 1 Tsp. Pepper

Potato Topping Ingredients

• 4-5 Russet Potatoes, cut into 2 inch cubes

• 1/2 - 3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

• 1/3 - 1/2 Cup Milk (or 1/2 and 12 Cream)

• 2-3 Tbsp. Margarine

• 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder

• 1 Tsp. Salt

• 1 Tsp. Pepper

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 400F degrees. Place potato cubes in a large pot and boil over high heat until potatoes are soft and you can put a fork in them easily.

• While the potatoes are cooking, heat oil over medium heat in a large pan then add the onions and cook about 5-6 minutes or until translucent. Add in the ground beef.

• Season the beef with parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix well and cook until meat is browned. About 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Add in the Worcestershire sauce and cook about 1 minute. Add more garlic powder if desired also. Add in the flour and tomato paste. Stir well, ensuring there are no clumps and it is mixed into the meat really well.

• Add the beef broth and frozen vegetables (corn, peas & carrots). Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce and simmer for about 5-8 minutes.

• Drain the potatoes and excess water then add the potatoes back into the pot and add in all potato filling ingredients. Mash well. Add more margarine, milk or cheese as needed to create the creamiest mashed potatoes.

• Spray a medium-large casserole dish with cooking spray then add in the mixtures. Start with the meat mixture. Ensure it is evenly spread throughout the entire pan then add the potato mixture. Spread evenly. Top with 1 cup mozza cheese and lightly sprinkle with additional dried parsley.

• Bake about 15-25 minutes or until top cheese becomes golden brown.