Shepherd’s Pie Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe
This Shepherd’s Pie Twice Baked Potatoes recipe combines classic shepherd’s pie flavors with the comforting form of twice baked potatoes. Russet potatoes are baked, scooped, and filled with a savory ground beef mixture including onions, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, and herbs, then topped with creamy mashed potatoes and broiled until golden and crispy. It’s a hearty, satisfying meal perfect for family dinners.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 4 medium-sized russet potatoes
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
Ground Beef Filling
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 beef bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon paste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 1/4 cups beef broth
Mashed Potato Topping
- Innards of baked potatoes (approx. 1/4 cup per potato)
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 tablespoons finely shredded parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Pierce each russet potato several times with a fork. Place them in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle kosher salt over the potatoes, toss again, then transfer to a baking sheet.
- Bake Potatoes: Bake the potatoes for 45-60 minutes until a knife inserted meets no resistance, indicating they are fully cooked. Remove from the oven and let cool enough to handle.
- Prepare to Broil: Increase the oven temperature to broil to prepare for the final topping browning.
- Cook Vegetables: Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and carrot, cooking for 5-8 minutes until the onion is translucent and vegetables have softened.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it into small pieces with a spatula. Cook until no longer pink. Stir in minced garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon cube or paste, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Thicken Filling: Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 1 minute, then add frozen peas and beef broth. Stir and bring to a simmer, cooking for 10-12 minutes until the mixture thickens but remains saucy.
- Prepare Potato Shells: Slice each baked potato in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving about a 1/4-inch border to keep the shells intact.
- Make Mashed Potato Topping: Mash the scooped potato flesh using a ricer or potato masher. Stir in melted butter, whole milk, shredded parmesan, and kosher salt until creamy and well combined. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a piping bag fitted with a star tip for easy topping application—or use a spoon if unavailable.
- Fill Potato Shells: Spoon the savory ground beef filling into each potato shell, filling to the top.
- Top with Mashed Potatoes and Broil: Pipe or spoon mashed potato on top of each filled potato half. Place the potatoes on the middle rack of the oven and broil for 10-15 minutes, watching carefully, until the potato tops are golden brown and crispy.
Notes
- Use medium-sized russet potatoes to ensure even baking and an ideal filling-to-skin ratio.
- The beef bouillon cube is optional but adds a rich depth of flavor to the filling.
- Watch the potatoes closely during broiling to prevent burning; ovens vary in broil intensity.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, a spoon works perfectly well for topping the potatoes.
- Feel free to substitute beef broth with vegetable broth for a lighter option.
