Wednesday Group 5
Are you looking for a delicious, home-cooked meal as a college student? Maybe you’re on a budget? Well, you’re not alone! It can be hard to find a meal that is delicious, satiating, and inexpensive, so we have the recipe for you! This easy shepherd pie recipe is sure to satisfy more than one of your wants and needs. Don’t stress either, this recipe is very easy – all you need is a dish, an oven, and most of the ingredients (some ingredients can be easily replaced or even omitted if you so choose). This meal is made from start to finish in just over an hour, with 30 of those minutes in the oven, which is great for those with a busy schedule. This Shepherds Pie recipe is wonderful for college students for a couple of reasons – it can be kept in the freezer to have on hand for up to 3 months, it’s quick to put together for busy days, it’s less than a $4 meal for one, and it’s a helpful way to get vital nutrients that are necessary for healthy, successful functioning. You can also make different variations of this recipe to your liking.
Cost Breakdown
| Ingredient | Amount Needed for Recipe | Unit Cost of Ingredients | Recipe Ingredient Cost |
| Salt | 1 tsp + tt | $1.67 | $0.12 |
| Potatoes | 3 large (1 1/2-2 lbs) | $1.98 | $1.98 |
| Butter | 8 tbsp | $4.26 | $0.98 |
| Onion | 1 medium | $0.62 | $0.62 |
| Mixed Vegetables | 1-2 cups | $0.98 | $0.98 |
| Ground Beef | 1 1/2 lbs | $11.86 | $8.89 |
| Beef Broth | 1/2 cups | $2.57 | $0.31 |
| Worcestershire Sauce | 1 tsp | $2.52 | $0.23 |
| Pepper | tt | $2.08 | $0.13 |
| Total Recipe Cost | $14.59 | ||
| Cost Per Serving (4) | $3.65 |
Recipe Making Process
- Assemble Cooking Utensils and Ingredients
- Preheat your oven to 400°F
3. Next, you’ll want to wash, peel, and dice cut your potatoes. Add enough water to a pot to just cover the potatoes, and bring the water to a boil
4. Add 1-3 Tbsp of butter to a tall, but not large, pot and melt. After just melting, add only the chopped onion and sauté for approximately 10 minutes
5. When no more pink remains in the ground beef, add the remainder of your chopped vegetables as well as the Worcestershire sauce (or ketchup), salt & pepper, and broth and bring to a simmer
6. While the meat mixture simmers (add more broth if necessary to keep the meat from drying out), drain the water out of the pot of potatoes. Then add 4 Tbsp of butter to potatoes and mash until a smooth consistency
7. Add your meat and vegetable mixture to the bottom of a casserole dish (such as 9×13). Next, carefully place and spread spoonfuls of mashed potatoes across the top consider adding shredded cheese on top of the potato mixture for variation
8. Place the entire dish in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned. You may want to broil the last couple of minutes to brown the potatoes
Shepherd’s Pie
Description
This recipe is simple to make and cost-efficient. It also incorporates all of the macros, so it is a nutrient-dense meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Wash, peel, and dice-cut potatoes. Add enough water to a pot to just cover the potatoes, and bring the water to a boil
- Add 1-3 Tbsp of butter to a tall, but not large, pot and melt. After just melting, add only the chopped onion and sauté for approximately 10 minutes, or until onions are clear
- After the onions are softened, add the ground beef and cook until there is no pink
- Add the remainder of your chopped vegetables as well as the Worcestershire sauce (or ketchup) and broth and bring to a simmer
- While the meat mixture simmers (add more broth if necessary to keep the meat from drying out), drain the water from the pot of potatoes. Then add 5 Tbsp of butter to potatoes and mash until a smooth consistency
- Add meat and vegetable mixture to the bottom of a casserole dish (such as 9×13). Next, carefully place and spread spoonfuls of mashed potatoes across the top
- Place the entire dish in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned. Broil if needed for the last couple minutes to brown the potatoes
Video
Notes
- – Replace Worcestershire sauce with Ketchup
– Add salt, pepper, garlic salt, etc. to your liking!
– Add shredded cheese to the top of your potatoes before the final bake
– Replace butter when sautéing with olive oil (1-2 Tbsp)
– Use bags of frozen, pre-cut veggies to replace carrots, peas, corn, and beans
– You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months – easy meal prep
