Shepherd's Pie Baked Potatoes

Shepherd's pie baked potatoes feature crispy seasoned potato skins filled with savory meat, peas, corn, and gravy, then topped with creamy garlic-Parmesan mashed potatoes and melted cheese.

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 25

Cool Time15

Total Time2 5

Servings:

Calories: 531kcal

Author: Karin and Ken

Ingredients

Potatoes

4-6 medium-large russet potatoes unpeeled
2-4 tablespoons olive oil or another vegetable oil or egg whites whisked until frothy
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1-2 tablespoons kosher salt for coating
ground black pepper to taste

Mashed Potato Filling

potato pulp from baked potatoes
4 tablespoons butter melted, or to taste
¼ cup cream or milk plus more if needed
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
pepper to taste
salt to taste

Shepherd's Pie Filling

1 pound ground beef turkey, chicken, pork, or sausage
1 medium onion chopped
2 tablespoons garlic minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 cup corn frozen or canned and drained, optional
1 cup peas frozen or canned and drained, optional
1 tablespoon dried thyme
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Topping

1–1½ cups shredded cheese depending on the number of potatoes

Instructions

Bake the Potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash, dry, and pierce the potatoes with a fork. Brush with whisked egg white or olive oil and coat with salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until tender; very large potatoes may need closer to 70 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350°F.
Make the Mashed Potatoes. Cut off the top of each potato and scoop the pulp into a bowl, leaving about ¼ inch inside the skins. Mash with butter, cream or milk, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until creamy but thick enough to pipe.
Cook the Meat. Brown the ground meat over medium-high heat. When partially cooked, add the onion and continue cooking until the meat is cooked through and the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds.
Make the Filling. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth, then add the corn, peas, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 3–5 minutes, or until the gravy lightly coats the filling.
Assemble. Fill each potato shell about ⅔ full with the meat mixture. Pipe or spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling and top with shredded cheese.
Bake and Serve. Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or until hot and the cheese has melted. Broil for 1–3 minutes until lightly golden. Serve hot.

Notes

Four large or 5–6 medium russets work well with 1 pound of meat.
Egg white helps the seasonings adhere and produces crispier skins; olive oil also works.
For the carrot variation, add 1 medium diced carrot with the onion.
For the mushroom variation, add ½–¾ cup chopped mushrooms with the onion and simmer the filling longer if needed.
If using turkey or chicken, reduce the Worcestershire sauce to about 1½ tablespoons for a milder flavor.
The filling should be lightly thickened before filling the potatoes; simmer longer if it looks loose.
Leave about ¼ inch of potato inside each skin to help prevent tearing.

Nutrition