Everything you love about Shepherd’s Pie, quick and easy in the Instant Pot! Pressure cook the potatoes on top of the filling, then mash, assemble the casserole and serve. So easy!
Shepherd’s Pie is a meal that both my husband and I can eat for days and never tire of eating. I mean, creamy mashed potatoes on top of ground beef and tender veggies in a smacky gravy – what’s not to love?!
The only reason we don’t do it more often is because (let’s be honest here) it’s a kind of production that you have to do. Like an afternoon-consuming production that ends up leaving my kitchen looking pretty storm-tossed. Some weekends I enjoy this production. Others not so much.
CONTINUE READING:
Guys, this recipe is quick, easy, and most importantly, delicious. It also leaves a minimal number of pots and pans to clean, and that gives me a thumbs up.
How to make Shepherd’s Pie in a pressure cooker
When I first came across this recipe I was confused. Maybe I hadn’t had my coffee yet, but I envisioned tossing ground beef, veggies, and some whole potatoes into the Instant Pot, then lifting the lid to reveal a ready-to-serve shepherd’s pie with mashed potatoes.
In reality, a few more steps are required – albeit not many!
Coco lets you start by preparing the filling using the Instant Pot’s sauté feature. Then you put a high steamer rack in the pot and put the peeled potatoes on it.
Then the lid opens and everything is cooked together under pressure. At the end of the cooking process, the potatoes are perfectly cooked and ready to be mashed with milk.
For a traditional casserole-style shepherd’s pie, place the filling in an 8″ x 8″ skillet, top with the mashed potatoes, and grill until golden on top. You can also serve this in bowls by scooping out some of the filling and topping with a generous dollop of mashed potatoes. So easy!
Say hello to Coco Morante!
One last tidbit for all the readers out there: I thought you’d enjoy getting to know Coco a little more. Here’s a quick Q&A with the author herself!
1. How many Instant Pots do you own?
Four at the moment. I’ve also passed some on to friends and family as I’ve upgraded or received new equipment to review. I currently have two 6 liter models (Ultra and Smart WIFI) and 3 liter and 8 liter pots.
2. What three recipes from this book are the best if you just got your first Instant Pot?
Risotto (page 52) because it’s so easy you won’t believe it. Split Pea Soup (page 86) because it tastes just like my grandma’s – I’m transported back to her kitchen if I eat a bowl. And Succotash (page 246)—most of the ingredients come straight from the pantry or the freezer, so you can make a hearty, nutritious vegetable side anytime. These are all really no-fuss recipes that don’t require you to buy any extra supplies, so you can make them right when you take your Instant Pot out of the box.
3. Three ingredients that are always in your pantry?
Nutritional yeast, almond flour and San Marzano-style canned tomatoes.
Thank you Coco!
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes from Coco?
- How to make pressure cooker egg bites
- Pressure cooker posole with green pork
- Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pressure Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
- Pressure cooker Guinness Beef Stew
Instant Pot Shepherd’s Pie
Changes I made to this cookbook recipe:
- I used beef instead of lamb
- I used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth (I had!)
- Season the mashed potatoes and filling to taste and salt if needed (I used about double the amount of salt as directed in the recipe)
Reprinted with permission from The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook, Copyright 2018 by Coco Morante. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
ingredients
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1 tablespoon avocado oil or other neutral oil with a high smoke point
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1 lb ground lamb or beef
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1 yellow Onionrolled
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1 celery stemrolled
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1 big carrotrolled
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1 clove garlicchopped
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1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 teaspoon dried thyme
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1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
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1 tablespoon Worcester sauce
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1 tablespoon tomato paste
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1 Cup vegetable broth
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1 Cup frozen peas
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4 Middle red potatoespeeled (about 2 1/2 pounds)
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1/2 Cup whole milk
method
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sear meat:
Choose sear place on the Instant Pot and heat the avocado oil. Add the lamb and sear, using a wooden spoon or spatula, until cooked through and no traces of pink remain, about 7 minutes.
Place a colander in a bowl. Wearing heat-resistant gloves, lift out the inner pot and pour the lamb into the colander and allow to drain. Place the inner pot back into the Instant Pot body. (Emma’s note: I simply scooped out the meat with a slotted spoon, then drained all but a tablespoon of the fat, which I used to sauté the veggies.)
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Cook the vegetables and stir in the meat:
Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to saucepan and sauté until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. (Emma note: Since the onions give off moisture, you can use them to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. More flavor!)
Stir in the thyme, pepper, Worcestershire and tomato paste. Return the lamb to the pot, then add the vegetable stock and peas.
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Add Potatoes:
Place a tall steamer rack in the pot, making sure all legs are firmly planted on the bottom. Place the potatoes on the grid in a single layer.
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Pressure cook the stuffing and potatoes together:
Secure the lid and set the pressure relief to seal. Press the Cancel button to reset the cooking program, then select pressure cooker or Manual program and set the cooking time to 15 minutes at high pressure. (The pot needs about 15 minutes to build up pressure before the cooking program begins.)
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release pressure:
At the end of the cooking program, perform a quick depressurization by turning the depressurization to vent.
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Mash potatoes:
Place the potatoes in a bowl with tongs. Add the milk and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, then use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until smooth. (Emma note: If the filling seems a bit runny at this point, set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and let it simmer while you mash the potatoes.)
Wearing heat-resistant gloves, remove the steam rack from the pot. Stir 1/2 cup of the mashed potatoes into the lamb mixture in the saucepan. (Note from Emma: At this point, taste both the mashed potatoes and the filling, adding more salt if needed.)
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Assemble casserole:
Transfer the lamb mixture to a grill-safe 8-inch square baking dish, top with the mashed potatoes and spread with a fork to create surface texture.
Note: If you’d like, instead of assembling and grilling the pie, you can simply serve the lamb mixture with the mashed potatoes on the side.
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Fry the casserole:
Toast the shepherd’s pie in a toaster oven (or conventional oven), checking frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the potatoes are lightly browned.
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Surcharge:
Spoon the shepherd’s pie onto plates and serve immediately.
Emma’s Note: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about a week and can be reheated in a low oven or in the microwave.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 401 | calories |
| 18g | Fat |
| 34g | carbohydrates |
| 24g | protein |
