Today’s Beef Pie with Garlic-Thyme Mashed Potatoes is a lovely dish that people beg for when the cold weather arrives and request that it be added to the regular rotation in your meal planning. It is rich and indulgent tasting with all the comfort you want when snuggled next to the fireplace on a cool evening!
This dish is more commonly referred to as shepherd’s pie or cottage pie, the latter more appropriate for the beef filling. No matter what you call it, people will say it is delicious and just what they were craving!
Top: Ready for baking; Bottom: Hot from the oven
Shepherd’s Pie, a dish made with roasted meats (most commonly lamb or mutton) and vegetables then the stew is covered with mashed potatoes. It was originally developed to utilize leftovers. Finding ways to reinvigorate leftovers is a mother’s chore and a recipe developer’s delight.
Cubing the leftover meat from a roast beef dinner or turkey from Thanksgiving would be fun! Be sure to use chicken broth in place of the beef stock for the turkey. and combine with cooked vegetables, make a little gravy and voilà, you have the filling! Use freshly made orleftover mashed potatoes to create a topping, pop it under the broiler until golden, and you have a filling and delicious meal.
When made with beef it is called “Cottage Pie.” In America it is most often made with ground beef. By spending a little more and buying either sirloin, London broil, or flat iron steak, you can elevate this meal to make it a bit more special.
To combat the potential boring aspect of this dish, I add lots of flavorful vegetables and fresh herbs. Starting with a cross between mirepoix from the French (onion, carrot, celery) and the Holy Trinity of Cajun/Creole cooking (onion, celery, bell pepper) brings a real depth of flavor that blends beautifully with the beef. The herbs add a brightness and freshness to the dish.
Garlic mashed potatoes are always popular and most versions of them drive me crazy! People think if they throw in a handful of raw chopped garlic that it makes potatoes taste great – I think it makes them taste awful! The garlic overpowers the delicate flavor of the potatoes and you bite down on harsh, raw bits.
There are two ways to make garlic mashed potatoes that are luscious and perfectly balanced. You can use roasted garlic (so easy to make) or you can infuse the cream. I prefer infusing because most of the time I don’t have roasted garlic cloves on hand. Infusing imparts all the flavor while leaving the potatoes smooth and creamy.
When you spread the potatoes over the meat filing, think of topping a Lemon Meringue Pie and use a spoon or spatula to create swirls and peaks in the potatoes. These will brown faster than the rest and create a beautiful design. Using a repeating pattern will make this look like a professional chef made it!
If you are serving roast beef for the holidays, this is a wonderful way to use the leftovers from that meal. Chop the beef into bite-size pieces, add some fresh vegetables or some of the leftover veggies, and top with the leftover potatoes. Simple and delicious way to repurpose your leftover foods!
Another great thing about this dish is that you can prepare it completely ahead of time and bake the next day. This makes it perfect for dinner parties and potlucks. You won’t be stuck in the kitchen all night and can enjoy spending time with your guests!
You can also make the filling for this in a slow cooker and it will be absolutely delicious. To use this method, place the meat on the bottom then top with the remaining filling ingredients in the insert, set it for Low and cook for about 8 hours (on High for about 6), or until meat is fork tender. Transfer it hot to a baking dish, top with the mashed potatoes, and finish as directed in the recipe.
This beef pie with garlic-thyme mashed potatoes is absolutely fantastic and the best thing for cold days! Your family and friends will love it and ask for second helpings!
Have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday for another chocolate treat!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Beef Pie with Garlic-Thyme Mashed Potatoes:
- Mashed Potatoes: Russet (Idaho) potatoes, cream or half and half, garlic, fresh thyme, salt, white pepper (use black pepper if you don’t have the white), grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- Beef Filling: Beef, onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, butter or olive oil, flour, rosemary, beef broth, soy sauce, black pepper, frozen peas, chives or Italian parsley
PRO Tip:
This is a great way to repurpose leftover roast beef and mashed potatoes from another dinner! Add some fresh sauteed vegetables and you’ve got your meal made in about 30 minutes.
PRO Tip:
If you want to use chicken or turkey for the meat, be sure to change the broth to chicken for the gravy. Otherwise everything can stay the same or you can use other seasonings and herbs if you prefer. I recommend you use dark meat/thighs because they stay moister and are more forgiving.
How to make Beef Pie with Garlic-Thyme Mashed Potatoes:
- Mash the Potatoes: Boil potatoes in well-salted water until tender. Drain and return to the pot. Warm the cream with the smashed garlic and thyme sprigs to infuse the flavors, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic and thyme from the cream and mash the potatoes by hand or with your electric mixer until smooth. Add enough of the infused cream for very soft, not stiff, potatoes. Stir in the thyme leaves and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the Beef and Vegetables: Sauté the vegetables in the butter or oil over medium heat until tender. Add the beef and cook until there is no pink, breaking up large clumps if using ground beef. Pour off excess fat.
- Sprinkle the beef with the flour and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes. Stir in the rosemary, broth, soy sauce, and pepper. Cook, uncovered 10 minutes, adding more broth if needed to make a thick gravy. Stir in the peas and transfer mixture to a 9×13-inch (23x33cm) baking pan.
- Assemble the Casserole: Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the meat mixture and use a spatula or spoon to make a design on the top – any points or high spots will brown more and create a nice look. Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired (optional).
- Bake/Broil the Casserole: Cook in a hot 400°F (204°C) oven until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden brown (about 20 to 30 minutes. Place under the broiler if needed for the last few minutes to help finish browning. Remove from the oven and let sit 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle the top with chives and scoop out individual servings.
PRO Tip:
When spreading the potatoes over the top of the beef filling, be sure to add some swoops and swirls in an interesting pattern. The high points will brown first making a beautiful design on top. It is an impressive dish to bring to the table for serving so everyone can see the browned mashed potato topping!
PRO Tip:
If you are making this for kids, chop the vegetables very finely or pulse them in a food processor so your children can’t tell they are in there!
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Kitchen scale
- Chef’s knife
- Large stockpot
- Small saucepan
- Large, deep skillet
- 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Gluten-Free Tips:
Watch your ingredients, especially the beef broth and soy sauce, to be sure they are all gluten-free and safe for you to use! Kikkoman makes a great GF soy sauce. Use a gluten-free flour blend, individual flour, or cornstarch slurry to thicken the gravy.
* My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s, another kosher brand, or table salt, you will not need as much because they are saltier.
** You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good gluten-free choices.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. Use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Beef Pie with Garlic-Thyme Mashed Potatoes (GF)
This casserole was originally intended as a way of using up leftovers. Feel free to do the same after a holiday meal! If you prefer, you can make this from scratch because it is just so darned tasty that you won’t want to wait for leftovers. All this needs is the addition of a tossed green salad for a well-rounded meal. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 lb (907g) Russet (Idaho) potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 to 2 cups (237ml to 473ml) heavy cream, half and half, milk, or non-dairy milk for dairy-free, as needed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed with the side of your chef’s knife
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme plus 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt* and white pepper (use black pepper if you don’t have the white pepper)
- Grated Parmesan cheese, optional, for garnish
Beef Filling
- 2 lb (907g) finely cubed sirloin, London broil, or ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 large carrots, finely chopped
- 4 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 large bell peppers, finely chopped
- Kosher salt* and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 tbsp (1/2 stick; 57g) butter or olive oil (for dairy-free)
- 2 to 3 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour blend** or regular all-purpose flour such as Gold Medal brand, as needed
- 1/2 cup (118ml) beef broth, plus more if needed
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dried rosemary leaves
- 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup (118ml) frozen petite peas (no need to thaw)
- 2 tbsp chopped chives or flat-leaf parsley, for garnishing
Instructions
1. Make the Mashed Potatoes: Cook cubed potatoes in well-salted boiling water until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain in a colander and then return to the empty pot to dry out slightly.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, warm the cream in a small saucepan with smashed garlic and thyme sprigs, stirring occasionally. Bring to just under a boil, scald lightly, and then turn the heat down to low. The garlic will infuse the cream for a subtle flavor. Leave on very low heat to keep warm.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
4. Prepare the Beef Filling: Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the onions, carrots, celery, and bell peppers in melted butter or oil over medium heat until tender, about 15 min. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink. If you are using ground beef, break up large clumps and once browned, spoon off the excess fat. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle the beef with the flour, stir it in, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, until the raw flour flavor dissipates and the meat is evenly coated. Stir in the broth, rosemary, soy sauce, and Worcestershire. Cook, uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring often to let the flour thicken the liquids, adding more beef broth as necessary to make a thick gravy. If it gets too thin, make a slurry of cornstarch and cool water (see note***) and stir that in. Taste and adjust seasonings with more kosher salt or pepper. Stir in the frozen peas and transfer the mixture to a 9×13-inch (23x33 cm) baking pan.
6. Finish the Potatoes: Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the garlic and thyme sprigs from the hot cream and discard along with any skin that forms on the top. Mash the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth, never use a food processor! Add enough cream for very soft, not stiff potatoes, as they will dry out slightly in the oven. Stir in the thyme leaves and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Assemble the Casserole: Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the meat mixture and create swirls with some edges using a spoon. Any peaks will brown faster than the rest and create a nice design. You can sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese over the top if you desire (optional but delicious).
8. Bake the Casserole: Cook in the preheated oven until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden brown (about 20 to 30 minutes). Place under the broiler for the last few minutes if needed to brown the top.
9. Remove from the oven, and let stand about 15 minutes to cool slightly. Sprinkle the top with chives or parsley and scoop out individual servings. Enjoy!
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
* My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s, another kosher brand, or table salt, you will not need as much because they are saltier.
** You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good gluten-free choices.
*** To make a cornstarch slurry, a mixture of cornstarch and water, stir together 2 tsp cornstarch with 2 tsp cool water until smooth. Whisk it into the gravy and bring to a boil to thicken it, being sure there are no lumps. Repeat if needed for more thickening.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. Use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 494Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 345mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 34g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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