Ingredients
- 4 russet baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” cubes
- salt, divided
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled & cut into 1/2” pieces
- 1 C chopped mushrooms
- 1 C frozen peas
- 1 C beef broth
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 1 C cheddar cheese
Instructions
1. Combine potatoes, 1 cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt in the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add 1 egg, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 2 tablespoons butter to the potatoes. Mash the potato mixture with a masher, or whip with a hand mixer. Add salt to taste.
2. In the now-empty Instant Pot, sauté the ground beef for 5 minutes until it begins to brown*. Drain the grease. Add the worcestershire sauce, carrots, onions, peas, mushrooms, and 1 tsp each salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Mix together beef broth and flour in a small measuring cup, then pour the broth mixture into the Instant Pot and stir to combine again. Important: Deglaze the bottom of the pot by scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen anything stuck to the pot.
3. Top the beef mixture with the mashed potatoes and smooth the top of the potatoes with a spatula, leaving an open rim around the outside. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
4. Quick release the pressure. Immediately** top with shredded cheese and serve.
Notes
READ FIRST. This recipe has had difficulties coming to pressure for some people. Deglazing the bottom of the pot is very important to prevent issues. I have only had success with this recipe, and many others love it, which is why I am leaving it as is. However, for guaranteed best results, you can cook the shepherd’s pie pot-in-pot for the same amount of time. Simply transfer the meat mixture to a pot at the end of the second step, and then proceed with the recipe. Put the pot on a trivet over a cup and a half of water and cover before cooking. If you do pot-in-pot, reduce the ingredients by one half.
**You can eat the shepherd’s pie immediately (be careful– it’s hot!), but the sauce will thicken as it cools. I like to let the shepherd’s pie rest for about ten minutes while I set the table and gather the kids.