Shepherd’s Pie Soup
This week's recipe, Shepherd's Pie Soup, comes from my Nourish teammate, Beth.
She stated, "With potatoes to use up and ground beef in the freezer, this was a delightful meal for this frigid cold evening meal. Delicious and warmed the soul!"
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes, equal to 2 lbs.
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 lb. ground beef, 85% lean
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, separated
- ¼ cup flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half
- 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups mixed frozen vegetables
- Salt/Pepper, to taste
Directions
- Prep Work: Shred the cheese from a block, measure out the sour cream and half and half. Let them all sit out at room temperature.
- Cook the Beef: Cook and crumble the ground beef over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain grease. Remove the ground beef from the pot and set aside.
- Boil & Mashed Potatoes: While the meat cooks, peel the potatoes and cut them into thirds. Add to a stock pot and cover the potatoes with 1 inch of water. Add the salt and boil gently for 10-15 minutes or until very fork tender. Drain, then gently mash with 1 Tablespoon of butter and sour cream. Set aside.
- Prepare the broth: Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Whisk in flour, use a silicone spatula to stir as the flour cooks for 1 full minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add the chicken broth in splashes, stirring continuously. Use a silicone spatula to loosen any beef remnants from the bottom of the pot, this will add flavor.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, and sage. Slowly add the half and half. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Stir in the potatoes until well-combined into the broth. If possible, use an immersion blender to blend until creamy. You can also transfer it to a blender in batches.
- Add the ground beef and frozen vegetables and allow them to heat through, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Gradually sprinkle with shredded cheese and stir until combined. Make sure the base of the soup isn’t too hot or the cheese won’t melt creamy and smooth. The soup will continue to thicken as it sits.
- Taste, season with salt/pepper if desired and serve!
Tips
- Shred the cheese from a block so that it melts well. Bagged shredded cheese contains cellulose which prevents it from melting well. Heluva Good Orange Sharp Cheddar is my brand of choice as it melts really well and has great flavor.
- Make sure the soup isn’t too hot when you add the cheese. Otherwise the fat from the cheese will separate and you’ll have a grainy consistency.
