Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie Made In The Skillet (with Beef Or Lamb)

This gluten free shepherd’s pie skillet is loaded with savory beef, veggies, and creamy mashed potatoes, baked until perfectly golden. A cozy, one-pan comfort meal.

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Course: Main Course

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

rest: 15

Total Time: 1

Servings: 4

Calories: 369kcal

Author: Nichole Crews

Ingredients

for the mashed potatoes*

1.5 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks. - Can also use Yukon gold potatoes for a more buttery texture.
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter, unsalted – softened at room temperature - can also use ghee, or vegan butter if dairy-free
1/4 cup sour cream - can also use vegan sour cream if dairy-free
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
1/4 cup chicken broth, unsalted at room temp/warmed - for richer texture, you can use whole milk or heavy cream, warmed

For the Meat Filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 lb lean ground beef or ground lamb
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves - or 1/2 dried thyme
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce or 2 tbsp coconut aminos
2 tablespoons gf flour, 1:1 blend - or all-purpose if not GF
1 cup low-sodium beef broth or stock
1 10-12oz bag frozen peas and carrots - no need to thaw
3-4 cups mashed potatoes - recipe follows - or use leftover prepped, store-bought, etc

Instructions

If making potatoes from scratch:

To a large pot, add peeled, diced potatoes and 1 tsp salt. Add enough cool water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Cover the pot and bring to boil over high heat. As soon as the water is boiling, uncover, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from heat and drain. Alternatively, you can make a batch of Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
Using a ricer, spatula or electric hand mixer, gently mash the potatoes. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, minced garlic, butter, sour cream and a splash of warmed chicken broth. Stir to combine until creamy.

Make the filling:

Preheat oven to 400*F. In a large, oven-safe skillet (12"), add the olive oil and heat over medium. Once hot, add the onions and stir until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Saute garlic and tomato paste until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add ground beef (or lamb) to skillet. Season with salt, pepper and dried thyme. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, break up the meat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Add worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos), and stir to combine. Sprinkle in flour then stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually pour in beef broth, stirring skillet constantly to avoid clumps. Allow to simmer about 3-4 minutes, until filling has thickened up. Remove from heat and stir in frozen bag of peas and carrots; mix well to combine. I like to taste a small teaspoon of the mixture here, and adjust to taste with an extra pinch of salt and/or pepper, if I need it.

assemble the shepherd's pie:

Use a spoon to spread the meat and vegetable mixture into an even layer, keeping it below the halfway mark of the skillet (this is to prevent it from bubbling over)
Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat mixture, spreading them all the way to the edges to seal in the filling. Gently smooth the potatoes so the meat is fully covered. If using mashed potatoes that were made ahead of time: make sure they are room temperature so they spread easily over the meat layer.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until skillet bubbles. Place under broiler set to high to get the top golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Notes

*for the mashed potatoes: homemade or 3.5-4 cups leftover/store-bought for this recipe all work.

if using prepped mashed potatoes: make sure to allow to come to room temperature so that they easily spread over the meat layer (you can pull the potatoes out of your refrigerator when you're prepping your other ingredients for the meat mixture)

most Worcestershire brands are gluten-free, but if you're worried about cross contamination, use coconut aminos or tamari.

skillet serves 4 hefty portions. If serving with a side, you can easily stretch for 5-6. Nutrition info is based off 4-servings.

allow shepherd's pie to cool 15-20 minutes. This will allow the layers to set and make it much easier to slice into/serve.

Nutrition

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