Mexican-Style Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups peeled and cubed potatoes
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ½ (10 ounce) package frozen corn
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup shredded Emmentaler cheese
• 3 tablespoons taco sauce
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• ½ cup milk
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Step 1

Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover them with salted water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and let them simmer until they’re tender, which should take about 25 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef until it’s nicely browned and crumbly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off any excess grease, then sprinkle in the taco seasoning and stir it all together. Set the meat aside for now.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large skillet, warm up some oil over medium heat, then add the chopped onion and bell pepper. Cook them until they start to brown a bit, around 5 minutes. Toss in the frozen corn, a splash of water, and the tomato paste. Let everything simmer together for about 3 minutes, then spread this mixture evenly in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Layer the seasoned beef on top.

Step 3

Once the potatoes are done, drain them well. Add the Emmentaler cheese, taco sauce, and butter to the hot potatoes, then mash everything together. Pour in the milk, season with salt and pepper, and mash until smooth and creamy. Spread this cheesy potato mash evenly over the meat layer.

Step 4

Pop the dish into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top starts to turn golden and crispy. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.