Description
A classic comfort food recipe featuring creamy mashed russet potatoes topped with a savory ground beef and onion gravy. The hearty ground beef is simmered with low-sodium beef broth and thickened with cornstarch to create a rich, flavorful gravy that perfectly complements the smooth, buttery mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Mashed Potatoes
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling potatoes)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup whole milk
- Additional salt to taste
For the Ground Beef and Gravy
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup chopped white onion
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup low-sodium beef broth (for slurry)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Potatoes: Peel the russet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces for even cooking.
- Boil the Potatoes: Place the potato pieces in a large pot, cover with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Mash the Potatoes: Drain the water from the cooked potatoes, return them to the pot, then add 3 tablespoons of butter, ½ cup of whole milk, and salt to taste. Mash until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning as desired.
- Sauté the Onion: In a skillet over medium heat, cook ½ cup chopped white onion until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. This brings out the sweetness that complements the beef.
- Cook the Ground Beef: Add 1 pound of ground beef to the skillet with onions. Brown the beef thoroughly, breaking it up with a spoon and draining any excess fat for a leaner dish.
- Simmer with Broth: Stir in 1 ½ cups of low-sodium beef broth and 1 teaspoon of salt into the skillet. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Make the Gravy Slurry: In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup of low-sodium beef broth until smooth to create a slurry.
- Thicken the Gravy: Gradually stir the cornstarch slurry into the skillet with the beef mixture. Continue cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes until the gravy thickens to the desired consistency.
- Serve: Spoon the rich ground beef gravy generously over the creamy mashed potatoes and enjoy this comforting meal.
Notes
- Russet potatoes are ideal for creamy mashed potatoes due to their high starch content.
- Adjust salt according to dietary needs, especially as the broth is low-sodium.
- To make the gravy thicker, add a little more cornstarch slurry gradually until desired consistency is reached.
- Drain excess fat from the beef to keep the dish less greasy and more heart-healthy.
- This recipe serves 4 generously as a main dish.
- For a richer flavor, consider browning the butter before adding milk to the mashed potatoes.
