If you don’t already know comfort food has been my solace lately. One of my favorite go tos is the classic shepherd’s pie. This is such a rich and savory dish. Made with ground beef and vegetables, cooked in gravy and topped with creamy mashed potatoes. This is my take on the traditional meat and potato pie also known as cottage pie or hachis parmentier. My Classic Beyond Beef Shepherd’s Pie is made with Beyond Beef Meat which makes this dish 100% plant based.
Tips For Making The Classic Beyond Beef Shepherd’s Pie
Mashed Potatoes
My quick go to way for making mashed potatoes is in the Instant Pot. It’s quick, easy clean up and you can walk away from it while it’s cooking.
You want to peel and dice your potatoes. Add them in to your Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock or water to them and cook them on manual for 7 minutes.
Quick release when it’s finished. Add in your milk, butter and salt and pepper and blend or mash until smooth.
I love using a hand mixer. You can easily mix them in the Instant Pot leaving minimal clean up.
If you are choosing to cook them on the stove top. Boil your potatoes in water until tender. Around 15 minutes. Strain them put them in a bowl, add in butter, milk, and mash.
Shepherd’s Pie Meat Mixture
Start by dicing your carrots, onions and garlic. Heat your saute pan to medium heat and add in oil. Add in your vegetables and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add in your ground beef or Beyond Beef Substitute. Using a wooden spoon break down the meat into crumbles. If you are interested in trying the Beyond Beef Crumbles you can usually find it in the freezer section of your grocery store with other meat alternatives.
Now you can add in your tomato paste and worcestershire.
Sprinkle your flour over the meat mixture. This will be what thickens the sauce. When it is all incorporated you can add in your stock.
Make sure and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the stuck on pieces.
Add in your thyme and peas.
Now you can start to assemble your pie. I like to spray my pan with pan spray first to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
Pour in your meat mixture, lightly packing it down.
Layer your mashed potatoes on top, smoothing it evenly over the meat.
Carefully place it in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until your mashed potatoes start to brown on top.
When it’s done, remove it and let it cool down for 10 minutes before serving.
Classic Beyond Beef Shepherd’s Pie
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Pie Pan
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 6 Yukon Gold Potatoes Diced
- 1 Cup Vegetable Stock
- 2 Tbsp Butter I use plant based Miyoko
- 1/4 Almond Milk
- 1/2 Tsp Salt and Pepper
Meat Mixture
- 1 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion Diced
- 1 Large Carrot Peeled and Diced
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Peas
- 2 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 Lbs Ground Meat or Meat Sub I used Beyond Beef Ground Meat
- 2 Tbsp Flour I used All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1 Cup Vegetable Stock
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire I used The wizards gluten free brand
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Tbsp Thyme Dried or Fresh
- 1 Tsp Salt and Pepper
Instructions
Mashed Potatoes
- Start by peeling and chopping potatoes.
- Add 1 cup of vegetable stock and potatoes to Instant Pot. Turn on 7 minutes Manual. Quick Release.
- When potatoes are done. Add in butter, milk and salt and pepper and blend until smooth.
Meat Mixture
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large saute pan add in oil.
- Add in diced yellow onion, carrots and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes and add in ground meat. Break up and cook until browned. Around 5 minutes.
- Mix in tomato paste and worcestershire.
- Add in flour to thicken sauce.
- Add in broth and thyme. Stir until sauce thickens.
- Finally add in the peas and season with salt and pepper.
Assembly
- In a large Pie Pan add in meat mixture. Even it out.
- Next top with mashed potatoes. Evenly spread over the meat mixture.
- Place in oven for 30 minutes.
- When pie is done, remove and place on cooling rack.
- Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.