Our kids had a snow day from school a couple of weeks ago, which we learned about after receiving three phone calls, two emails, and an app update all before 6:30am. What a time to be alive! Why, back in my day, my brothers and I had to huddle around the television screen at the crack of dawn, praying for our school’s name to crawl across the bottom of the screen informing us of our district’s decision. Snow day at best, regular day at worst, 2-hour delay somewhere in between. Hunkered in at home, I made my ultra comforting — and easy (ie, I didn’t have to run to the store for a single ingredient!) — Skillet Shepherd’s Pie for a snow day dinner.
Maybe it’s me, but anything that comes out of the oven audibly bubbling is an automatic winner in my book. Add in a thick layer of mashed potatoes brushed with garlic butter blanketing saucy meat and vegetables and I’m sold. The fact that this gluten free shepherd’s pie goes from stove, to oven, to dinner table in a big ol’ skillet makes me all kinds of happy. Goodbye tons dishes to clean — hello, well, literally anything else!
Recipe Notes
How to Make Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
Start by browning ground beef with chopped shallot or onion in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Season with homemade seasoned salt and pepper then add minced garlic and big pinches of dried parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Next add worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrin’s is gluten-free in the states,) and tomato paste then stir to combine. Sprinkle in gluten-free flour then stir and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly drizzle in beef stock or broth while stirring to avoid lumps then simmer until the mixture has thickened, 3-4 minutes. Taste then add more seasoned salt and/or pepper if necessary.
Take the skillet off the heat then stir in frozen vegetables. I just use a standard medley.
Last step is to spoon prepared mashed potatoes on top then spread into an even layer and brush with a mixture of melted butter and garlic powder. Use a fork to give the mashed potatoes a rustic look, which will also help the ridges brown in the oven. Again, you can use homemade or store-bought prepared mashed potatoes. You’ll need around 4 cups to top the Shepherd’s Pie, depending on exactly how large your skillet is.
Bake the Skillet Shepherd’s Pie for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees then finish with a blast from the broiler to really brown the top. Let sit for 5 minutes before digging in and serving up. I hope you love this hot and comforting dish – enjoy!
More Cozy Skillet Recipes
Easy Mushroom Risotto Skillet Tater Tot Casserole Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet Italian Rice Ball Skillet Beef and Veggie Enchilada Skillet Cheesy Gnocchi Florentine
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