Cast Iron Shepherd's Pie
A simplified shepherd's pie made in a cast-iron skillet, featuring a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes and broiled until golden.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 onion chopped fine
- 1 1/2 lbs 93 percent lean ground beef
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup frozen peas
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 16 of 17 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 219 mg
- Iron: 4.69 mg
- Magnesium: 82.1 mg
- Phosphorus: 282 mg
- Potassium: 1384 mg
- Zinc: 1.87 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 lbs 93 percent lean ground beef
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup frozen peas
Prepare
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- Mince 2 garlic cloves
- Mince 2 tsp fresh thyme
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon salt, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook until potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork, 8 to 10 minutes.
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Step 2.
Drain potatoes and return them to the now-empty saucepan. Mash with a potato masher until smooth.
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Step 3.
In a small bowl, whisk together milk and egg. Stir the milk mixture into the mashed potatoes along with 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cover and set aside.
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Step 4.
While the potatoes cook, heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and let melt.
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Step 5.
Add carrots, onion, and ¾ teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
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Step 6.
Add ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.
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Step 7.
Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and thyme. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Step 8.
Sprinkle flour over the beef mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
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Step 9.
Slowly pour in chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Step 10.
Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in frozen peas, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Step 11.
Adjust an oven rack to 5 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler.
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Step 12.
Transfer the reserved mashed potato mixture to a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Snip off one corner to create a 1-inch opening.
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Step 13.
Pipe the potato mixture in an even layer over the beef filling in the skillet. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon, then use the tines of a fork to create ridges on the surface.
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Step 14.
Place the skillet on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until the topping is golden brown and crusty, 5 to 10 minutes.
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Step 15.
Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving.