Last year, while visiting friends in Arizona, we went to an Irish pub called Rula Bula. I remember ordering the best Irish Shepherd’s Pie. It was so delicious. It inspired this hearty dish. It’s loaded
with veggies, potatoes, cheese and lots of flavor. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. 🍀
Irish Shepherd’s Pie
Last year, while visiting friends in Arizona, we went to an Irish pub called Rula Bula. I remember ordering the best Irish Shepherd’s Pie. It was so delicious. It inspired this hearty dish. It’s loaded with veggies, potatoes, cheese and lots of flavor. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
Ingredients
For Beef Mixture:
- 1 1/2 lb beef stew meat, diced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup green peas
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Kosher salt & ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp steak sauce
For the Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 3/4 cup apple juice
For Top Layer:
- 3 cups mashed potatoes, seasoned
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Chives, for garnish
Instructions
For Beef Mixture:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare vegetables. Cut fat off meat and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Cook meat until well brown. Transfer to plate with paper towel to cover it. Set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, celery and carrots. Cook until onions turn transparent. Stir in garlic, until fragrant about 1 minute. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Pour in tomato paste and steak sauce.
For the Sauce:
- Add meat and peas to skillet. Whisk together flour, beef broth and apple juice until mixture begins to thicken. Careful to not burn yourself while adding liquids to the hot skillet.
- Transfer skillet into preheated oven, cover and bake for 45 minutes. Gently toss after 30 minutes.
For the Top Layer:
- Begin cooking the mashed potatoes 30 minutes before beef mixture is ready. Add butter, cream, salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir half of cheese into potatoes. Top potatoes over beef mixture. Add remaining shredded cheese. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Serve immediately. Garnish with chives and salt and pepper.
