Simple Shepherds Pie with Instant Potatoes
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This shepherds pie with instant potatoes it a hearty and rich dinner you can make so quickly. You’ll sauté ground beef with some vegetables, red wine and tomato paste and top with some instant potatoes. I doctor my instant potatoes up with some cream, butter and cheese. Bake and serve. It’s the perfect comfort meal.
Let me just tell you…this is the ultimate comfort food. And it makes A LOT. You could honestly cut this recipe in half if you truly wanted to. However, this shepherds pie with instant potatoes is super easy to make for any occasion. I love recipes with instant potatoes. This one is great.
Equipment You’ll Need
You’ll obviously need a large skillet. I used a 15″ inch cast iron. Then, you’ll also need something to make your instant potatoes in. I used a large mixing bowl to mix my instant potatoes up in. Otherwise, there’s not a lot else you’ll need!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Vegetables:
I used just some typical vegetables in this shepherds pie recipe. I used a yellow onion, a green bell pepper, some celery and carrots. You can always add in some sweet peas or beans or really anything of your choice.
Ground Beef:
I used two pounds of ground beef. The leaner you get, the better. I won’t have as much excess grease.
Wine, Broth and Tomato Paste:
Once I sauté the beef, I poured in some wine, then some beef broth and tomato paste. This all makes for a great base for the meat sauce bottom.
Instant Potatoes:
I 1000% would not make homemade potatoes for this recipe. Powdered, instant potatoes just work. They cut the time in half.
Cream and Butter:
Any instant potatoes are destined to be good with heavy cream and butter, right?
Cheese:
Cheese is usually not typical in a shepherds pie, but this just worked. I loved the mozzarella in this recipe. It makes it perfect.
How to Make this Simple Shepherds Pie with Instant Potatoes
Step One:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a very large cast iron skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add in garlic, chopped onion, bell pepper, celery and carrots. Sauté for several minutes until vegetables start to look tender.
Step two:
Add your ground beef to the skillet. Completely brown meat. With a paper towel, dab up some of the excess fat in the skillet. Add in red wine and stir.
Step three:
Add in the beef broth, tomato paste and seasonings. Let simmer for a while then remove from heat.
Step four:
Cook two cups of instant potatoes according to package. Once done, add in heavy whipping cream, butter, some shredded cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well and add over the top of the beef mix in the skillet.
Step five:
Bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes. The sides of the skillet will look bubbly. Remove from the oven and garnish with more shredded cheese and parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Simple Shepherds Pie with Instant Potatoes
Equipment
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
- Large Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Yellow Onion, Chopped
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
- 2-3 Celery Stalks, Chopped
- 2-3 Large Carrots, Chopped
- 2 lbs Ground Beef
- 1/4 cup Red Wine
- 1 can Tomato Paste
- 2 cup Beef Broth
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- 2 tsp Dried Thyme
Instant Potato Topping
- 2 cups Instant Potatoes
- 6~ cups Water
- 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella or Monterey Jack Cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a very large cast iron skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add in garlic, chopped onion, bell pepper, celery and carrots. Sauté for several minutes until vegetables start to look tender.
- Add your ground beef to the skillet. Completely brown meat. With a paper towel, dab up some of the excess fat in the skillet. Add in red wine and stir.
- Add in the beef broth, tomato paste and seasonings. Let simmer for a while then remove from heat.
- Cook two cups of instant potatoes according to package. Once done, add in heavy whipping cream, butter, some shredded cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well and add over the top of the beef mix in the skillet.
- Bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes. The sides of the skillet will look bubbly. Remove from the oven and garnish with more shredded cheese and parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Hold On…
Before you go, please let me know if you tried my simplified shepherds pie recipe. Did you like it? What’d you think? Let me know here or in the comments below. Happy cooking!
