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Creepy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 133 reviews

Creepy Shepherd’s Pie is a fun and spooky twist on the classic comfort dish, featuring a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with piped mashed potatoes shaped like ghostly swirls with peppercorn eyes. Perfect for Halloween or themed dinners, this recipe combines hearty flavors with a playful presentation that both kids and adults will enjoy.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Filling

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ cups frozen mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • Salt & pepper to taste

For the Mashed Potatoes

  • 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste

For Decoration

  • Black peppercorns (for eyes)

Instructions

  1. Cook the potatoes: Place the peeled and chopped potatoes in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, approximately 15 minutes. Drain the water thoroughly.
  2. Make mashed potatoes: While still hot, mash the potatoes with unsalted butter, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until they form a smooth and creamy consistency. Allow the mashed potatoes to cool slightly to make piping easier.
  3. Cook the beef and veggies: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onions and minced garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, frozen mixed vegetables, and beef broth. Season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture simmer until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Assemble the filling: Spoon the thickened beef and vegetable mixture evenly into a 9×9 baking dish and smooth the top with a spoon.
  5. Pipe mashed potato ghosts: Transfer the cooled mashed potatoes into a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or use a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off). Pipe tall swirl shapes over the beef mixture, resembling ghostly figures. Press black peppercorns into the tops to create eyes.
  6. Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potato ghosts have a lightly golden color and the filling is bubbly and hot. Serve warm.

Notes

  • For smoother mashed potatoes, warm the milk before adding.
  • If you don’t have a piping bag, a zip-top plastic bag with a small corner cut off works well for creating the ghost shapes.
  • The peppercorn eyes can be swapped out for small pieces of black olives if preferred.
  • To make this recipe vegetarian, substitute ground beef with a plant-based meat alternative and use vegetable broth.
  • Leftover shepherd’s pie can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.

Keywords: Shepherd's Pie, Ground Beef Recipe, Mashed Potatoes, Halloween Recipe, Comfort Food, Dinner, Easy Dinner

Find it online: https://cookcrisis.com/creepy-shepherds-pie-recipe/