This Goulash Shepherd's Pie takes a hearty goulash stew and tops it with mushrooms and whipped potatoes. It makes a great comfort food casserole that you can eat or freeze!
The goulash part needs to simmer on the stove top for about 2 hours but this is also a perfect recipe for you crock pot. After you have cooked the onion and garlic and browned the beef you can throw it in your slow cooker with the passata and water. Cook 4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low.
It also holds well so you could make the potatoes the day ahead, or make the whole thing a day ahead, assemble and just reheat when ready to serve.
I like to have one-dish casseroles in my freezer for my version of 'fast food'. On days when I don't have time to cook I like to have something on hand that can go directly from freezer to oven with little or no intervention. That is my version of 'fast food'... even if it takes an hour to heat through as long as I don't have to do anything to it!
An hour's heat up time may not work for every schedule but hey- ordering a pizza can be 30 minutes and this is so much better!
This recipe is very forgiving. The meat quantity doesn't have to be exact. If the package at your store is a bit more or less it won't really matter. Same with the sauce. I wouldn't reduce the amount of sauce but if your passata jar is 1 ¾ cups or 2 cups just toss it all in. Like mushrooms? You can add more! Don't like mushrooms? Use frozen corn or peas instead!
In the event you like goulash and would like to make a few variations to freeze for future- check out this Big Batch Goulash recipe to make a big batch of goulash and 3 different recipes that you can serve or freeze. Just a hint... that goulash soup IS TO DIE FOR! I think it is actually my favourite!
Ingredients
Goulash
- 2 ½ lbs stewing beef in 1" cubes
- 2 tsps salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tbsps Hungarian sweet paprika
- 4 tablespoon vegetable oil divided 2 +2
- 3 medium onions diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups strained tomato sauce (passata)
- ½ cup water
Mushrooms
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 2 Tbsps butter
Potatoes
- 6 large potatoes
- 4 Tbsps butter
- ¾ cup milk or light cream
Instructions
Goulash
- Mix the salt, pepper and paprika together and toss with the stewing beef in a bowl.
- Heat 2 Tbsps of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Brown the stewing beef til browned on all sides. Remove beef to a bowl.
- Add remaining tablespoon of oil and heat it up. Add the onions and cook til soft about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Return the stewing beef to the pan.
- Add the remaining goulash ingredients and mix well. Bring to a simmer, cover and allow to simmer over low heat on stovetop for approximately 2 hours.
Potatoes
- While the stewing beef is simmering, peel and cube potatoes. Cover with water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Allow potatoes to cook over medium/low heat until tender - about 20-25 minutes.
- When tender, drain the potatoes and mash immediately. Add the butter and cream and beat until well mixed.
- Allow potatoes to cool.
Mushrooms
- Heat 2 Tbsps butter in a large skillet. Cook mushrooms over medium/high heat until they release their liquid and liquid evaporates. This can take 15-20 minutes.
Assembly
- Spray a casserole about 10 X 3" with cooking spray. Layer the goulash on the bottom, spread mushrooms evenly over the goulash. Top with mashed potato mixture.
- If serving immediately, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake casserole about 25 minutes until top begins to brown.
- If freezing, allow casserole to cool. Cover tightly and freeze. When ready to serve preheat oven to 350 degrees, cook casserole from frozen until heated through, approximately 60 minutes.
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