Hearty Ground Meat Pie (Printable)

Savory casserole with seasoned ground meat, veggies, and creamy mashed potatoes baked to golden perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Meat Filling

01 - 2 lbs ground beef or ground lamb
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas
06 - 1 cup frozen corn
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
11 - 1 cup beef or chicken broth
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Mashed Potato Topping

15 - 2½ lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
16 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
17 - ½ cup whole milk
18 - ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
19 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# How-To:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Boil peeled potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until fork-tender, then drain thoroughly.
03 - Mash potatoes with unsalted butter and whole milk until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and black pepper. Fold in shredded cheddar if desired. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and diced carrots for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
05 - Add minced garlic and cook for one additional minute. Add ground beef or lamb, breaking it up as it browns. Drain excess fat if necessary.
06 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle flour evenly and stir to combine.
07 - Pour in broth and simmer mixture for 5 minutes until thickened. Add frozen peas and corn, cooking for 2 to 3 more minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Transfer meat filling evenly into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
09 - Spoon mashed potatoes over the meat layer, spreading smoothly and creating ridges with a fork for a crisp finish.
10 - Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden and filling bubbles.
11 - Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes to set before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a one-dish dinner that looks impressive but asks almost nothing of you.
  • The meat filling is deeply flavorful without requiring fancy techniques or obscure ingredients.
  • You can have it on the table in just over an hour, making it perfect for both weeknights and feeding a crowd.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the potatoes thoroughly after boiling—excess water makes the mash watery and disappointing no matter what else you do.
  • Taste the filling before it goes in the oven and adjust the seasoning aggressively because salt gets diluted when you add the broth and vegetables.
03 -
  • Use a mix of beef and lamb if you want to explore something richer and more interesting than straight ground beef.
  • Don't be shy about seasoning the potatoes—they're the blank canvas that either brings out or mutes everything beneath them.
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