In EatingWell’s take on Shepherd’s Pie, we replace the potato topping with convenient, delicious frozen squash puree. And they’re baked in individual ramekins to guarantee perfectly sized servings and help you get it on the table fast.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
12 ounces 93%-lean ground beef
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
6 ounces baby spinach, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
2 12-ounce packages frozen winter squash puree, thawed
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in beef, flour and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the beef is mostly browned, about 3 minutes. Add broth, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broth is the consistency of thick gravy, about 4 minutes. Stir in spinach, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
3. Place squash in a fine-mesh sieve and gently press on it to extract excess liquid. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Divide the meat mixture among four 10-ounce broiler-safe ramekins. Top each with about 1/2 cup of the squash. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
4. Broil until heated through and bubbling around the edges, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and broil until it is just melted, about 3 minutes more.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 336 calories; 13 g fat (5 g sat, 3 g mono); 70 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 29 g protein; 5 g fiber; 708 mg sodium; 421 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (175% daily value), Vitamin C (50% dv), Zinc (33% dv), Calcium (15% dv).
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1/2 fat

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Equipment: Four 10-ounce broiler-safe ramekins

This recipe was WONDERFUL and easy. I added some red pepper when sauteing the onions and also some frozen corn with the spinach.

Jennifer, Accord, NY

I loved this dish! Like the previous poster, I added a red bell pepper with the onions, and also a clove of garlic instead of powdered. I thought this was a delicious play on shepherd's pie and will be making it again very soon.

ErikaWaz, Seymour, WI

Nice & hearty. Great dinner for a cold day. Squash topping was a nice twist. Leftovers weren't so great, but definitely edible. Didn't have the individual dishes so I made it in a glass pie plate and it worked great.

Dan

Delicious everytime I make it, even when I forget to drain the squash... also, mozzarella works nicely in place of the parmesan and ground turkey is also a good beef replacement.

Katie, Dover, NH

I like this very much. I add spices to the hamburger too. Usually thyme. I add a little chicken broth to the squash to make it richer and smoother.

Jane, Tacoma, WA

Soo yummy! i made this in one big container and it came out just perfect. i also used frozen chopped spinach (i cooked it then drained it) and i used more spinach than the recipe called for, and it came out amazing. i think i would try to add a little more seasoning the the beef/spinach mixture next time.

jacky, NJ

I love this recipe! I replace the ground beef with ground buffalo and have thrown in mushrooms and onion with great results. Even chard instead of spinach, highly recommend it!

Kalle Erin, Portland, OR

This was really good! I added some thyme and worcesteshire (sp?) sauce to the beef and spinach mixture and it really perked it up. It came together really quickly and was a great cold weather entree!

korey

We're not big beef eaters, so I made this with ground turkey and vegetable stock. It was delicious. Definitely appreciated the added red bell pepper, per others' suggestions. Couldn't find the pureed squash, so I bought the frozen cubed squash and pureed it in the blender. Had it on a rainy winter day and it was perfect.

Jordan, Long Beach, CA

This has become a favorite in my house. When spinach isn't available, I use kale instead -- takes longer to wilt so it holds up very well during baking and even in leftovers.

Jenny