Hamburger Pie

An oldie, revisited.

Many years ago this was a family favorite, but over time, as my eating habits changed to include more real and fresh food, the concept of casseroles fell out of the menu rotation, especially ingredients that started with “cream of . . .” 😆! These ingredients have been eliminated and are now replaced with fresher ingredients and less processed foods. Upon request 😄, I tried this recipe again and, with a few modifications, I think it is now worthy to share!

Similar to what is called a shepherd’s pie, this is simply hamburger and onion cooked up together and, in the past, mixed together with a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of green beans. This is the first layer of the casserole. After this base layer is placed in the casserole dish, it is then topped with a layer of mashed potatoes for the “pie” topping. These days, I have learned to create my own “cream of mushroom soup”, use fresh green beans instead of canned, and have discovered that mashed potatoes, now that they are Whole30 approved, are really good without all the cream and butter! Seems elementary now, I’m just a slow learner 😂.

INGREDIENTS -

One pound organic ground beef
4 cups cut green beans, lightly cooked (you can steam or microwave)
1 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp avocado oil
5-6 medium size yellow or golden potatoes (these are creamier than others!)
1 cup coconut milk (lighter is preferred)
1 Tbsp ghee
”Cream of mushroom soup”, recipe below
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

HOMEMADE CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP -

1 Tbsp ghee
1 cup chopped mushroom
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup light coconut milk
1 Tbsp cassava flour or other alternative flour

A note on light coconut milk - here’s a great brand that has a good consistency for making sauces, mashed potatoes, etc. It also comes in smaller size packages so there isn’t as much waste as you have with the large cartons or cans! The package doesn’t say “light” but it is a liquid consistency all the way through. If you can’t find it locally, it is available on Amazon!

For the mashed potatoes -
Peel and cut the potatoes into equal size pieces. Add to a pot of lightly salted boiling water and cook for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain most of the water off, leaving about 1/2 cup in the bottom of the pot, reserving the remainder of the potato water for later. Using a hand mixer or a manual mashing tool, lightly smash the potatoes. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of ghee, salt and pepper to taste, and then mash until it reaches the consistency you desire. Add some of the reserved potato water if needed to reach the consistency you desire.

For the “cream of mushroom soup” -
Melt one tablespoon of ghee in a small pan. Add the chopped mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes or until they are tender. Add the tablespoon of cassava (or other) flour and, using a whisk, blend the flour with the mushrooms. As it begins to thicken, slowly add the coconut milk, using the whisk to blend and dissolve any lumps. Mix in the salt and pepper, and when the consistency of creamy soup is reached, remove from the heat and set aside. If your soup gets too thick, stir in some of the reserved potato water to thin.

For the beef and green bean base layer -
Heat one tablespoon of avocado oil to medium high in a large fry pan. Add the onion and stir fry until softened, about 7-8 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is done, stirring occasionally to break up the meat and blend with the onion. Stir in the green beans and mushroom soup. Top with salt and pepper.

To assemble the casserole -
Spread the beef and green bean mixture in the bottom of a 9” x 13” baking dish and then cover with the mashed potato “pie” topping over the top.

Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then serve.

This is a great meal to prepare early in the day, cover with foil and refrigerate, and then at mealtime you are ready to go. Just place the casserole in the oven, add a side salad and your meal is complete - your meat and potatoes are already in the oven!

Hamburger Pie is frequently requested so I was so happy to have found a healthier way to prepare it and please everyone.

Give this one a try, but be ready for a repeat performance! Enjoy!