Description
This Creepy Shepherd’s Pie features a spooky twist on a classic comfort food with ghost-shaped mashed potatoes adorned with peppercorn eyes. Ground beef and mixed veggies are cooked in a savory tomato and Worcestershire sauce base, topped with creamy garlic mashed potatoes piped into ghostly swirls and baked until golden.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and 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
Mashed Potatoes
- 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
Decoration
- Black peppercorns (for eyes)
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes: Place the peeled and chopped potatoes into a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well.
- Make mashed potatoes: While still hot, mash the drained potatoes with butter, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Let the mashed potatoes cool slightly to make them easier to pipe.
- Cook the beef and veggies: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, frozen mixed veggies, beef broth, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture simmer and thicken for about 5–7 minutes.
- Assemble the filling: Spoon the cooked beef and vegetable mixture evenly into a 9×9-inch baking dish, smoothing the top for an even layer.
- Pipe mashed potato ghosts: Transfer the slightly cooled mashed potatoes to a piping bag fitted with a large star or round tip. Pipe tall swirls resembling little ghosts on top of the beef filling. Press black peppercorns into the swirls to create spooky eyes for each ghost.
- Bake: Bake the assembled shepherd’s pie in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20–25 minutes, until the mashed potato ghosts are lightly golden and the filling is bubbly.
Notes
- For extra crispiness on the ghosts, broil for the last 2 minutes but watch closely to avoid burning.
- Use medium-high heat when browning the beef to ensure good caramelization and flavor.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a plastic bag with the tip cut off or simply spoon dollops of mashed potatoes on top.
- Black peppercorns can be substituted with raisins or small olives for the eyes, but peppercorns provide a classic spooky look.
- Leftover shepherd’s pie can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
