College Budget Friendly Shepard’s Pie

We got you Harry! He calls it “meat & potato pie”—think Shepard’s Pie, but we make a French version. It’s called Hachis Parmentier, an iconic French comfort food rooted in frugality so it felt especially fitting when Harry asked for a college-budget version. We hit Trader Joe’s and turned it into a full week of dinners for $32—about $6 a meal…

Our favorite time-saving trick: bake the potatoes while you prep & make the filling. Just scoop out the fluffy insides and you’re good to go.

FILLING
2 lb ground beef
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp flour
1½ tbsp fresh thyme
⅔ cup red wine – @traderjoes Two Buck Chuck
2 cups beef stock
Salt + pepper

POTATO TOPPING
1½ lb russet potatoes
Oil + salt
6 tbsp butter
1 egg yolk
½ cup milk, as needed
½ cup grated Parmesan
Salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Poke potatoes with a fork, rub with a little oil + salt and bake on a sheet pan until soft.
2. Brown beef in oil; set aside.
3. Cook onion, carrots + celery for 3 min. Add garlic.
4. Stir in tomato paste + flour. Add wine and reduce.
5. Add stock, thyme + beef. Simmer 20 min.
6. Scoop out baked potatoes and mash with butter, egg yolk + salt. Add milk as needed until smooth—a wooden spoon works just fine.
7. Add beef to a baking dish. Dollop potatoes over the top and smooth with the back of your spoon—no piping bag required.
8. Top with Parmesan and bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until golden

#mealprep #dinnerideas #traderjoeshaul #meatpie dinnerideas @traderjoes @traderjoeslist