This healthy twist on the Classic Shepherd’s Pie makes this nostalgic dinner part of your weekly menu! I use ghee and vegetable stock to make a creamy mashed potato topping that covers a mix of ground beef, ground pork, spices, corn, and peas.
If you’re looking for more nostalgic dinner recipes, check out my Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza, Chicken Pot Pie, or my Butter Parmesan Pasta.
I was first introduced to the concept of Shephard’s Pie in fifth grade. I had just moved from Chicago to Michigan, and I was forced into a new school and had to make new friends. And, then on top of that, the fifth grade did something called “Fifth Grade Camp” where you went away to a wilderness camp in the woods for a week to do team building activities with your classmates.
Now, if you know me personally, then you know this was not my cup of tea at all! Group activities, on top of terrible dining hall food, on top of sharing bathrooms and showers with strangers – no thank you. Needless to say, I was pretty miserable and my camp experience was not one for the books. I could not wait to go home, even if home was a suburb in Michigan and not my comforting house in Chicago. It gave me some perspective, I guess you could say, haha.
But, on the last day of camp, it was pouring rain. We were outside all day doing god knows what, I blocked it out. But I remember we were all wet, wearing ponchos, our socks were soaking wet and our shoes were muddy. And, the rain had finally stopped and instead of going to the dining hall, we made dinner over a fire.
We were all given foil packets and we could add ground beef, veggies and potatoes to them, and heated them up over the open flame. Mine contained ground beef, corn, and potatoes. And that’s how I figured out what Shepherd’s Pie was. It was a diamond in the rough of my fifth grade camp experience, and it was the only positive thing a I remember about the trip, haha!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This classic Shepherd’s Pie is an easy dinner recipe to make that is incredibly good! The best part about this easy homemade Shepherd’s Pie recipe is you can add in any veggies you want! I use the traditional veggies of corn and peas along with a mix of Organic Prairie Grassfed Ground Beef and Organic Prairie Pork and top it with homemade mashed potatoes!
How to Make Classic Shepherd’s Pie
Step 1
First step is to boil the potatoes to get them ready to make mashed potatoes. Chop potatoes into chunks that are about 3 inches. Add to a medium pot and fill with water. Put over medium/high heat and boil, covering with a lid. Boil until potatoes are soft when poked with a fork, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and strain off water.
Step 2
Add the vegetable stock and 1/4 cup of ghee to the potatoes and mash with a potato masher until you have a smooth consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once potatoes are mashed, set aside.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 4
To make the filling: In a large bowl, add the sea salt, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder and mix together. Add the ground beef and pork and mix together.
Step 5
In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of ghee and the diced onions. Allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until onions become fragrant. Add in the meat and break up with a spatula. Continue to cook until meat is fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a 9-inch pie pan or dish.
Step 6
Add the corn and potatoes to the meat and mix together. Top with the mashed potatoes. Bake for 20 to 25 minute or until the mashed potatoes are slightly golden brown on top.
Ingredients for Classic Shepherd’s Pie
Organic Russet Potatoes
Kettle & Fire Organic Vegetable Stock (use code MIMIBAKESPHOTOS for 20% off!)
Organic Valley Ghee (or organic salted butter)
Frontier Co-Op Organic Parsley
Frontier Co-Op Organic Rosemary
Frontier Co-Op Organic Garlic Powder
Organic Prairie Grassfed Ground Beef
Organic Yellow Onion
Organic Canned Corn (fresh off the cob also works!)
Organic Peas (fresh or frozen works!)
Why go organic?
You may be wondering why I push organic ingredients for everything, even savory and healthy dishes. Organic ingredients go beyond just health and wellness, and contribute so much to the taste and flavor of a recipe. So, if you think that you’re making something healthy and buying fruits, veggies, or meats so maybe you don’t need to spend the extra to go organic here – let me sway your thinking.
Organic ingredients are made in a more pure way, therefore using no additives, no GMOs, and minimal ingredients. This really allows the true ingredients to shine – and because of that their flavor shines through. Therefore, organic ingredients are more flavorful than their non organic counterparts. So, just because it’s already a healthy recipe, or you’re already buying good for you ingredients – it doesn’t mean you can skip organic! Trust me here, and make the switch. Your body and your taste buds will thank you!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
This healthy twist on the Classic Shepherd’s Pie makes this nostalgic dinner part of your weekly menu! Try my easy homemade Shepherd’s Pie recipe this week!
Ingredients
- Topping
1 pound organic Russet potatoes
1/4 cup organic vegetable stock
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Organic Valley Ghee
Salt and pepper to taste
- Filling
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon organic black pepper
1/2 teaspoon organic parsley
1/2 teaspoon organic rosemary
1/2 teaspoon organic thyme
1/2 teaspoon organic garlic powder
1/2 pound Organic Prairie Ground Beef
1/2 pound Organic Prairie Ground Pork
1/2 cup diced organic yellow onion
One 15-ounce can organic corn
1 cup organic peas (fresh or frozen)
Directions
- To make the topping: Chop potatoes into chunks that are about 3 inches. Add to a medium pot and fill with water. Put over medium/high heat and boil, covering with a lid. Boil until potatoes are soft when poked with a fork, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and strain off water.
- Add the vegetable stock and 1/4 cup of ghee to the potatoes and mash with a potato masher until you have a smooth consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once potatoes are mashed, set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- To make the filling: In a large bowl, add the sea salt, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder and mix together. Add the ground beef and pork and mix together.
- In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of ghee and the diced onions. Allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until onions become fragrant. Add in the meat and break up with a spatula. Continue to cook until meat is fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a 9-inch pie pan or dish.
- Add the corn and potatoes to the meat and mix together. Top with the mashed potatoes. Bake for 20 to 25 minute or until the mashed potatoes are slightly golden brown on top.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- High Altitude – Follow the recipe as noted.
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