Mini Shepherds Pie (Printable version)

Individual portions of savory meat filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes, baked to golden perfection.

# What you'll need:

→ For the Filling

01 - 1 lb ground beef or lamb
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1/2 cup frozen peas
06 - 1/2 cup beef or vegetable broth
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ For the Mashed Potato Topping

13 - 1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
14 - 3 tbsp butter
15 - 1/4 cup milk
16 - 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese (optional)
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir in cheddar cheese if using. Set aside.
03 - While the potatoes cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened.
04 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
05 - Add ground beef or lamb, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
07 - Add broth and peas. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
08 - Divide the meat filling evenly among six lightly greased ramekins or muffin tin wells.
09 - Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes on top of each, spreading to cover the filling.
10 - Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the filling bubbles at the edges.
11 - Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Individual portions mean everyone gets that coveted crispy edge topping
  • They freeze beautifully and reheat like a dream for busy weeknight dinners
  • The hands-on time is surprisingly short for something that looks this impressive
02 -
  • Grease your ramekins thoroughly, even if they're nonstick
  • The filling should be slightly thicker than you'd make for a full pie since individual portions don't have as much surface area to reduce during baking
  • Piping the potatoes looks professional but spreading with a spoon works perfectly fine
03 -
  • Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip for restaurant-looking potato topping
  • Brush the potato tops with a little beaten egg before baking for extra golden color
  • Let the filling cool slightly before topping so the potatoes don't melt into the meat

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