St. Patrick's Day Shepherds Pie Skins (Printable)
Crispy potato skins filled with seasoned beef, vegetables, and topped with creamy mashed potatoes—a festive Irish-inspired appetizer.
# What You'll Need:
→ Potatoes
01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Mashed Potato Topping
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1/4 cup whole milk
07 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Shepherds Pie Filling
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
10 - 1 carrot, peeled and diced
11 - 1 celery stalk, diced
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 12 ounces ground beef or lamb
14 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
15 - 1/2 cup frozen peas
16 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
17 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
18 - 1/2 cup beef or vegetable broth
19 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Cheese Topping
20 - 1/2 cup grated Irish cheddar cheese
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Prick potatoes with a fork, rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake directly on oven rack for 45 to 50 minutes until tender. Let cool slightly.
03 - Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Reserve scooped flesh for mashing.
04 - Brush potato skins with olive oil and return to oven, cut side up, for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp.
05 - Mash reserved potato flesh with butter, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
06 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, then add ground beef or lamb. Cook until browned, breaking up meat as it cooks.
07 - Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and broth. Simmer 5 minutes until thickened. Add peas and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
08 - Fill each potato skin with a generous spoonful of filling. Top with mashed potatoes, smoothing or piping over the filling. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese if using.
09 - Return to oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes until tops are golden and cheese is melted. Serve hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- These little vessels of comfort food magic are completely customizable to whatever ground meat or vegetables you happen to have on hand, saving you an extra trip to the store.
- The crispy potato skin against the savory filling creates this perfect textural contrast that keeps everyone reaching for seconds while they chat.
02 -
- Dont skip baking the hollowed potato skins before filling them, or youll end up with soggy disappointments instead of those crispy, sturdy vessels that make this dish special.
- Adding the frozen peas at the very end of cooking the filling preserves their bright green color and sweet pop, a mistake I made for years until a chef friend set me straight.
03 -
- After scooping out the potato flesh, use a grapefruit spoon or melon baller for more precision, leaving a perfect 1/4-inch border that provides structural integrity without being too thick.
- For the absolute best texture contrast, pat the insides of the scooped potatoes dry with paper towels before their final crisping in the oven, a tiny step that makes a remarkable difference.