Stay warm this winter with this Southern take on a beloved and hearty dinner.
Southern Shepherd’s Pie
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chopped collard greens
- 1⁄2 cup diced sweet onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1⁄8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1
- (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1⁄2 cup sherry
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 3 cups prepared mashed potatoes
- Garnish: fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a 13x9- inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Drain excess fat, if necessary. Add flour; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted. Add collards, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook until caramelized and deepened in color, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, sherry, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread mashed potatoes on top to cover.
- Bake until hot and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.
Notes
Kitchen Tip: If you choose to make homemade mashed potatoes instead of store- bought mashed potatoes, we suggest using russet, Yukon gold, or Idaho potatoes. Russet is a starchier potato, which will yield light and fluffy mashed potatoes; Yukon gold is a medium-starch potato and will yield denser, creamier mashed potatoes.
