Mexican Shepherd’s Pie

Mexican Shepherd’s Pie — Masa Top, Picadillo Filling, Jalapeño Gravy
England made shepherd’s pie. Mexico made picadillo. This casserole stole both recipes and ran… and somehow ended up even better than either one alone. Rich beef picadillo simmered in smoky jalapeño-chipotle gravy gets buried under buttery masa and baked until the top turns golden, crackly, and impossible to stop eating.
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
For the Picadillo Filling:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 cup green olives, sliced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  For the Masa Topping:
• 3 cups masa harina
• 3 cups warm chicken broth
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
  Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 3–4 minutes until softened.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.
5. Stir in the diced potatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, jalapeño, chipotle pepper, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
6. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce thickens slightly.
7. Stir in the olives and capers, then remove from heat.
8. In a large bowl, mix together the masa harina, warm chicken broth, melted butter, cheddar cheese, and salt until smooth and spreadable.
9. Spread the picadillo filling evenly into the prepared baking dish.
10. Spoon the masa mixture over the filling and smooth gently with a spatula.
11. Bake for 25 minutes until the masa top is golden with crispy cracked edges.
12. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving warm.
    Pro Tip:
    Run a fork across the masa before baking — the ridges crisp up beautifully and catch all that smoky jalapeño-chipotle gravy underneath!