Beef Shepherds Pie Peas (Printable Version)
A savory blend of ground beef, vegetables, peas, topped with creamy mashed potatoes.
# What You Need:
→ Filling
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1.1 pounds ground beef
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons beef broth
14 - 1 cup frozen peas
→ Mashed Potato Topping
15 - 2.6 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
16 - ¼ cup milk
17 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
18 - 1 egg yolk (optional)
19 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Boil peeled and cubed potatoes in salted water until tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Mash the drained potatoes with butter and milk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then incorporate the egg yolk if desired. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, minced garlic, and diced carrots, then sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
05 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart as it cooks. Continue cooking until browned and fully cooked, around 7 to 8 minutes.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Cook the mixture for 2 minutes.
07 - Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the filling and mix well. Cook for 1 minute to remove raw flour taste.
08 - Pour in the beef broth, stirring and scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
09 - Stir frozen peas into the filling and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
10 - Transfer the beef filling to a large baking dish. Evenly top with mashed potatoes, spreading smoothly. Use a fork to create a decorative pattern if preferred.
11 - Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
12 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving to set.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The golden mashed potato crust gets crispy and brown at the edges while staying creamy underneath.
- One pan meal that feels elegant but tastes like the food you actually crave on a Tuesday night.
- Forgiving enough to feed unexpected guests, hearty enough to satisfy everyone at the table.
02 -
- Don't skip draining the potatoes properly—any extra moisture will make your topping gluey instead of fluffy.
- If your mashed potatoes seem a bit thick, you can loosen them with a splash more milk before topping the pie.
- The filling should bubble visibly at the edges when it comes out of the oven; that's how you know it's ready.
03 -
- Warm your milk and butter together before mixing into the potatoes—it helps everything combine more smoothly and keeps the mash from getting gluey.
- If you notice the potato topping browning too quickly, drop the oven temperature to 180°C and give it another 10 minutes; it's forgiving.