Shepherd’s Pie (Ghost Potatoes!)
This cozy shepherd’s pie gets a playful Halloween twist with fluffy mashed potato ghosts perched on a savory beef and veggie filling. It’s hearty, kid-approved, and surprisingly easy to pull together on a busy evening.
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ cups frozen mixed veggies peas, carrots, corn
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the mashed potatoes:
- 4 large russet potatoes peeled and chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
For garnish:
- Black peppercorns for the ghost eyes
Instructions
- Cook the chopped potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 15 minutes, then drain well.
- Mash hot potatoes with butter, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy, adding a splash more milk if too thick for piping. Let cool slightly.
- In a skillet over medium heat, sauté diced onion and garlic in olive oil for 2–3 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, frozen veggies, beef broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5–7 minutes until thickened.
- Spoon the beef mixture into a 9×9 baking dish and smooth the top. Pipe cooled mashed potatoes over the filling in tall swirls like little ghosts, adding two black peppercorns for eyes.
- Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until the ghosts are lightly golden and the filling is bubbling. Cool slightly before serving.