Coming in hot today with a White Cheddar Shepherds Pie to rock your world!! This recipe is one of Thomas' favorites and it's a wonder it hasn't made an appearance on WGC until now...
Who doesn't love a good shepherds pie? This classic British dish is usually made with ground lamb or beef, but it can be adapted to use whatever meat you have on hand. Today, we're making a white cheddar version that is perfect for the holidays. Enjoy!
Thomas and I met back in the college days. It's actually quite a funny story if you've never read it - I basically manifested it before I even got to college. Anyways, we both played on the tennis team and Thomas' coach frequently had both teams over to his house for a Shepherds Pie evening! It was the highlight of Thomas' month and he always begged me to replicate once we moved to Los Angeles.
After months and months of trials, I'm happy to report This White Cheddar Shepherds Pie is actual perfection! The base is the traditional ground beef mixture and then it's topped with a cheesy white cheddar mashed potato situation that is incredible. The combo of everything together is fantastic. I'm obsessed. Thomas is obsessed. Poppy is obsessed. You'll see us eating this for the rest of these colder months!
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Did you love this Shepherds Pie Recipe? If so check out these other awesome winter dishes:
- Sweet Potato Gratin
- Chili Con Carne
- Garlic Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Creme Fraiche Mash
- Vegetarian Quinoa Bake
- Turkey Spaghetti Bake
- Baked Ravioli
- Cheesy Baked Gnocchi
White Cheddar Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
Potato Topping
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and quartered
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 cup white cheddar shredded
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Chives (optional)
Meat Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme finely chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Once fork tender, drain the potatoes, then return to the pot. Add the milk, butter, cheddar, salt and pepper and mash until creamy.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large oven-safe baking dish, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, diced carrots, diced celery, and saute for 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic the last minute and saute until fragrant. Add the beef and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up as needed, until the meat is browned.
- Add the stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add the frozen peas and stir together. Remove from the heat and flatten the meat mixture into a single layer. Dollop the mashed potatoes on top of the meat and use a spoon to spread it flat to the edges, swooping the spoon to create some peaks and crevasses.
- Bake the shepherd's pie until the top is barely golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly and serve.
Notes
- Try any cheese you'd like in the potatoes - I just recommend one that has a strong or sharp flavor so it stands up to the other ingredients!
- Add some red wine in place of some or all of the beef broth.
So so good! Is there a way to make this recipe as a freezer meal? Have a friend having a baby next week and would love to drop this off as a freezer meal for them. Thinking just make it as directed but cover and freeze before baking? Probably bake at 375 for an hour and 15 if frozen?