How to make the best mini shepherd's pie. Shepherd's Pie are the perfect fall and winter food. Layers of savory meat, veggies and sauce are topped with peaks of creamy mashed potatoes. Make them in individual bowls for a beautiful presentation.
Prep all of your vegetables.
Cook potatoes. I cooked mine in my instant pot. I quartered them and then put them in the inside pot with 4 ounces of butter and 2 cups of water. I cooked it on "pressure cooker" setting for 10 minutes and let the pressure naturally release. I did this while I was cooking the meat. This will save you time.
Heat oven to 425-degrees. In a large skillet cook ground beef and onion (you can also season with salt and pepper) until beef is cooked through and onions are transparent. Take meat mixture out of pan and put in a container.
Add 1 cup of water and carrots. If you are adding squash you can add the squash in this step. Cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, flour and balsamic vinegar and 2 cups of water. Stir 5-10 minutes, until the mixture gets thick. Stir in peas and cook until they defrost. Add the cooked meat mixture to the pan and combine everything together.
Divide mixture between 6 large ramekins or 8 smaller ramekins.
Drain water from potatoes and whip. You can add extra butter and milk. Add potatoes to the top of the ramekins. To make it look special you can put the potatoes in a pastry bag and use a big frosting tip. Or you can use a fork to create peaks. The peaks look cool when cooked because they brown at the tips.
Put ramekins on a big baking sheet and bake at 425-degrees for 20 minutes. Take ramekins out, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.