Mini Shepherds Pie (Printable version)
Individual meat and vegetable pies topped with creamy mashed potatoes, baked until golden.
# What You'll Need:
→ Filling
01 - 1 pound ground beef or lamb
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1/2 cup frozen peas
06 - 1/2 cup beef or vegetable broth
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Mashed Potato Topping
13 - 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
14 - 3 tablespoons butter
15 - 1/4 cup milk
16 - 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese (optional)
17 - Salt and pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir in cheddar cheese if using. Set aside.
03 - While potatoes cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened.
04 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add ground beef or lamb, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper until well combined.
07 - Add broth and peas. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
08 - Divide meat filling evenly among six lightly greased ramekins or muffin tin wells.
09 - Spoon or pipe mashed potatoes on top of each, spreading to cover the filling completely.
10 - Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until tops are golden and filling bubbles at edges.
11 - Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- Individual portions mean no fighting over the crispy corner pieces and everyone gets the perfect ratio of potato to filling
- They reheat beautifully so you can make them ahead for busy weeknights or unexpected guests
02 -
- Grease your ramekins thoroughly even if they're nonstick or the potato topping will stick when you try to remove them
- Place your baking sheet on the middle rack so the bottoms cook through before the tops get too dark
03 -
- Warm your milk before adding it to the potatoes for the smoothest texture
- Use a fork to rough up the potato surface before baking for extra crispy peaks