Shepherd’s pie
I adapted this recipe from a Whole 30 paleo cookbook I had received as a gift years ago. My version isn’t quite paleo because I use organic frozen mixed vegetables, which include peas, corn, and green beans, but the original recipe calls for just diced carrots and celery. I just like the frozen mixed vegetables because not only does it save me time in cooking, but I also just love the combination of carrots, peas, corn, and green beans. I’ve always been a big fan of these organic frozen mixed veggies. Additionally, the original recipe calls for ghee in the sweet potato topping, but instead, I just use grass-fed butter, which again, makes this recipe not strictly paleo. I used to make it with ghee, but my husband found that the ghee upset his stomach, so we have since avoided ghee in all recipes.
I love making this shepherd’s pie for my family because it’s a nice one-pot-wonder baked casserole of sorts. With just a little prep time to saute the onions, garlic, and meat, and to cook and mash the sweet potatoes, it’s rather simple to make. And it’s great for leftovers! I have made this shepherd’s pie with ground turkey (for myself) and even ground venison. You can really use any ground meat you like! And I have experimented with the topping, changing it from sweet potatoes to regular potatoes, and both variations are delicious! What’s even better about this shepherd’s pie is that you can prepare it a day ahead of time and then bake it the next day when you need it.
Shepherd’s pie
For the filling:
1 small onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. organic, grass-fed ground beef
2-3 tsp. dried thyme
salt and black pepper to taste
2-2.5 cups frozen organic mixed vegetables
For the topping:
2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes
4 Tbsp. (half-stick) grass-fed butter, such as Kerrygold
1-2 tsp. garlic powder, more to taste if desired
salt and black pepper to taste
First, prepare the sweet potatoes. Boil a large pot of water. While the water heats up, cut the potatoes into cubes. I like to keep the skins on, but feel free to peel the potatoes first if you do not like the skins. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain most of the water, reserving about 1.5 cups. Place the potatoes back into the pot and add the butter, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Mash the ingredients together with a wooden spoon, adding more of the reserved potato-cooking water as needed. You will probably not need all 1.5 cups, but you have it just in case. Once the potatoes are mashed into your desired consistency, set aside. Next, prepare the filling. Heat a large saute pan on medium-high and add the onions and garlic. Add salt and stir. The salt helps sweat the alliums and draw out moisture for caramelization. Once slightly golden, add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spatula. Continuously stir the ingredients in the pan to further break up the meat. Add more salt and black pepper to taste and also add the dried thyme. Allow the meat to caramelize, stirring often. This will take about 20 minutes. Once the meat is caramelized, dump the meat into a large glass baking dish. Add the frozen mixed vegetables (no need to thaw) and gently stir the meat and veggies together, spreading them into an even layer. Next, top the meat mixture with the sweet potato mash and spread evenly. Cover with foil and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. If you like a crispy golden topping, broil the shepherd’s pie on high for the last 5-10 minutes of baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool and set about 15-20 minutes before serving.
