Are you craving Shepherd's pie but are low on time? This skillet Shepherd's pie recipe is for you. It may seem time-consuming with all of the steps it has, but we promise it's a lot faster than you think. This is a fantastic, filling meal to serve on a busy weekday night.
Shepherd's pie is known to be a cozy, comforting meal. You likely have lots of fond memories of eating Shepherd's pie, whether at home or at a nice restaurant. You can bring those memories alive again with this recipe, without having to spend ages in the kitchen.
We don't think this hearty recipe needs any sides added to it, but if you want you can always go with a salad or with some roasted vegetables. Neither option will be particularly popular with kids, but vegetables are a necessary part of a healthy diet. The deliciousness of this Shepherd's pie might just make them forget about hating the salad!
After trying this recipe, take a look at all of our other recipes for quick and easy dinners. We know that parents often don't have a lot of time on their hands. That's why we've put together hundreds of quick and easy dinner recipes. They're just as delicious as ones that take significantly longer!
Quick and Easy Skillet Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients:
1½ pounds russet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1½ pounds ground beef
1 onion, minced
salt and black pepper
¼ cup flour
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup half-and-half
2 cups frozen peas and carrots or corn, thawed
Directions:
1. Cover potatoes with 1 inch water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until tender (about 15 minutes).
2. While potatoes are simmering, cook ground beef in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until almost cooked through (about 3 minutes).
3. Drain all but 1 Tablespoon fat from the skillet.
4. Return skillet to medium heat. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in flour and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is well blended (about 1 minute).
6. Slowly whisk in broth, thyme, and Worcestershire; scraping up browned bits. Bring to a simmer.
7. Return drained ground beef to skillet, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until sauce is thickened (6 to 8 minutes).
8. Drain potatoes, return to pot, and mash with a potato masher.
9. Stir in butter, then half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.
10. Stir peas and carrots into beef mixture and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve filling topped with mashed potatoes. Makes 4 servings.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Fudio/ via Getty Images.