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    MJ & Hungryman » Baby/Kid-Friendly Recipes

    Mini Shepherd's Pie Muffins

    By Min On February 13, 2018, Updated May 6, 2020

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

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    six cooked mini Shepherd's PIe Muffins on a large white plate with a toddler hand grabbing one

    A quick and easy twist on an Irish classic comfort food, these mini shepherd's pie muffins are filled with beef, vegetables and topped with creamy broccoli mashed potatoes! They're the perfect savory muffins for babies and kids! 

    six cooked mini Shepherd's PIe Muffins on a large white plate with a toddler hand grabbing one

    I don't know about you but there's something about eating with my hands that is so fun and satisfying. Something tells me our babies and toddlers would agree! Now cleaning up after them? Not so much.

    Now there are two components to these mini muffins, meatballs, whatever you want to call them. So let's get to it!

    Jump to:
    • Broccoli Mashed Potatoes
    • Meatballs
    • Ingredients
    • How to Serve to Babies and Toddlers
    • Other Baby-Friendly Meatballs
    • Mini Shepherd's Pie Muffins

    Broccoli Mashed Potatoes

    I admit.

    There are so many tips and tricks when it comes to making the fluffiest and creamiest mashed potatoes. I don’t know them nor will I ever go out of my way to try to master them (or will I?).

    Mashed potatoes aren’t something we eat a lot at our house because we much prefer roasted potato wedges. And now I made it green by adding broccoli so there’s that ;).

    All this to say, if you have a mashed potato recipe that you love, go with that! I do like to make the potatoes the night before so that it’s one less thing to do the day of.

    This would also be a delicious and easy way to repurpose any leftover mashed potatoes.

    Ingredients

    ingredients to make broccoli mashed potatoes on a white background

    Dietitian's Tips

    Steaming rather than boiling will help the vegetables retain their nutrients. This is the steamer basket that I adore. Easy to use, clean, and store.

    Make sure when you fill the pot with water that it doesn't come above the basket!

    Step by Step Instructions

    on the left potatoes steaming in a steamer basket on the right broccoli added to the potatoes
    1. Steam potatoes for 10 minutes or so.
    2. Add roughly chopped broccoli on top and steam until both the potatoes and broccoli are easily mashed with a fork.
    broccoli mashed potatoes in a large glass bowl with a fork

    You will have leftovers after topping the meatballs. Yay! More to enjoy throughout the week!

    Meatballs

    You can think of this individual shepherd's pie as a meat muffin or a glorified meatball with all the flavors and components of a shepherd’s pie. This is a lightened-up version so it doesn’t taste as rich as what you might expect with the traditional version.

    Ingredients

    meatball ingredients laid out on a white background

    Beef. Can use other ground meat of choice. We absolutely adore Butcherbox!

    Vegetables. I like to use a frozen vegetable medley, but feel free to use fresh or whatever vegetables you have on hand.

    A note about peas and corn. They do get pretty soft upon cooking but if you're feeling nervous, either give them a quick chop or substitute with other vegetables, like zucchini, bell peppers, broccoli, etc.

    Step by Step Instructions

    on the left vegetable medley cooked in spices on the right all the ingredients for meatballs in a large stainless bowl
    1. Cook the vegetables. Add seasonings.
    2. Once cooled, transfer to a large bowl along with the rest of the ingredients.
    on the left uncooked meatball in a 12 cup muffin pan on the right meatballs topped with broccoli mashed potatoes

    3. Divide mixture into a 12 cup muffin pan. I love using my silicone muffin pan. Makes cleanup a breeze! Be sure to not overwork the meat! You'll end up with tough meatballs.

    4. Top with broccoli mashed potatoes.

    a close up shot of savory baby muffins with a bite taken out of it

    How to Serve to Babies and Toddlers

    Whether you're currently doing baby led weaning or are ready to introduce more texture to your baby, these meatballs are the perfect way to serve beef, potatoes, and vegetables all-in-one.

    Hey! These are all the components for a well-balanced meal!

    one half of individual Shepherd's pie, broccoli mashed potatoes, and roasted carrot with an orange baby spoon

    As you see in the image, for babies you can serve ⅓-1/2 muffin. Be sure they're big enough to grasp with their palm. You can add some extra broccoli mashed potatoes on the side with some fruit/vegetable.

    Don't put too much food at once as this can be overwhelming to your baby. Here are several methods on cooking flavorful, appropriately textured vegetables. Using a crinkle cutter makes it easier for babies to grasp.

    Is your baby 6 months old and up?

    Learn all the secrets to starting solids safely while optimizing nutrition!
    I NEED IT NOW!

    As for the toddlers, it's common for them to display some degree of food neophobia and fussy eating at this age. You'll find many expert tips on how to navigate through different scenarios under Feeding Tips.

    If they are hesitant about mixed foods, serving individual components separately can help ease the anxiety. And always make sure there's something on the plate that they do enjoy and feel safe around. Remember, food untouched is not wasted. Play the exposure game hard!

    Other Baby-Friendly Meatballs

    • Turkey Beet Meatballs
    • Quinoa and Mushroom Beef Meatballs
    • Asian Turkey Rice Meatballs
    • Butternut squash beef meatballs

    Did you make this baby and toddler-friendly Mini Shepherd's Pie Muffins? Follow me on Instagram post a photo and tag me, post a photo on my Facebook page, or save it to Pinterest. I love to see what you're making! 

    six cooked mini Shepherd's PIe Muffins on a large white plate with a toddler hand grabbing one

    Mini Shepherd's Pie Muffins

    A quick and easy, baby and kid-friendly twist on an Irish classic comfort food, these mini shepherd pie muffins are filled with beef, vegetables and topped with creamy mashed potatoes
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 55 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Author: Min | MJ and Hungryman

    Equipment

    • Muffin Pan

    Ingredients

    for the potatoes

    • 2 large (about 500g) russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
    • 1 ½ cup (165g) broccoli florets , roughly chopped
    • ¼ cup milk of choice
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • ¼ cup (or more) of shredded cheese of choice

    for the beef mixture

    • 2 teaspoons olive oil
    • ½ cup (65g) finely chopped yellow onion
    • 2 garlic cloves , minced
    • 1 cup (145g) forzen vegetable medley (corn, peas, carrots) , thawed
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1 pound lean ground beef
    • 1 egg , whisked
    • 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce , optional

    Instructions

    To make broccoli mashed potatoes:

    • Add water to a large pot and insert a steamer basket, making sure the surface of the water doesn't come above the basket. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes, cover and steam for 10 minutes. Add broccoli on top, cover and steam for 6-8 more minutes, until potatoes and broccoli are easily mashed with a fork.Transfer to a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue mashing to desired consistency. 

    To make the muffin base:

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and carrots. Cook for 5min. Add tomato paste and thyme and combine until well incorporated, about a minute or so.
    • Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool. To the same bowl, add the ground beef, egg, and worcestershire, if using. Be careful not to overwork the mixture. Divide mixture into greased or lined 12 muffin cups.
    • Add mashed potatoes on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

    Notes

    Time saving tip: make the broccoli mashed potatoes the day before to save time the day of.
    Baby led weaning tips:
    • As always, I was cautious with the salt usage. If serving to older children and/or adults, season meat with salt and pepper. Can also omit the worcestershire sauce and cheese
    • A note about peas and corn. They do get pretty soft upon cooking but if you're feeling nervous, either give them a quick chop or substitute with other vegetables, like zucchini, bell peppers, broccoli, bell peppers, etc.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 115kcal | Protein: 10g | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 369mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2.5mg
    Course Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Diet Low Salt
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me @KidFriendly.Meals today!

    More Baby/Kid-Friendly Recipes

    • Fluffy Vegetable Rice
    • How to Freeze Yogurt
    • Creamy Chicken Orzo
    • Custard Yogurt Toast (Sweet and Savory)

    Share or Save It for Later!

    Share: [addtoany]

    About Min

    Thank you so much for stopping by! I am Min, a Registered Dietitian, a Christ follower, a wife, and a mom to our two miracle babies! Currently, I’m having a ton of fun feeding their tummies and sharing our baby led weaning journey! Follow me on Instagram if interested in seeing daily menu as well as tips and tricks.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Candace says

      March 13, 2023 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazingly delicious. I didn’t have worschtsjire sauce so I did a combination of ketchup and oyster sauce. No onions so I used mushrooms. Wow! Packed with flavor and the broccoli mash was a hit. My 9 month old loves it and husband was raving about it. Definitely keeping this in rotation.

      Reply
      • Min says

        March 14, 2023 at 8:32 pm

        Yay!! This makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for sharing!!

        Reply
    2. Jessica says

      November 17, 2022 at 3:05 pm

      I made the topping with red skinned potatoes and cauliflower and they freeze great! They are almost gone so I’m experimenting with ground Turkey, and a roasted sweet potato topping with the broccoli, can’t wait to try them.

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 17, 2022 at 7:57 pm

        Oooh yes I def want to try with sweet potatoes too!!

        Reply
    3. Ashleigh says

      November 15, 2022 at 6:49 pm

      5 stars
      My 14m old doesn't typically like meat that much, and he gobbled these up. Super easy to make as well. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 17, 2022 at 7:58 pm

        Yay!! I'm rejoicing with you ;).

        Reply
    4. Jassica Hui says

      September 24, 2022 at 11:54 pm

      Am so interested in making these for my baby!
      Just wondering, I have read from above comments that you can freeze them, which is great! So if I wanted to freeze them, would I freeze the components separately? (ie the mashed potatoes and beef mixture)
      Thank you ☺️

      Reply
    5. Jassica Hui says

      September 24, 2022 at 11:54 pm

      Am so interested in making these for my baby!
      Just wondering, I have read from above comments that you can freeze them, which is great because im always out and about during lunch time. So if I wanted to freeze them, would I freeze the components separately? (ie the mashed potatoes and beef mixture)
      Thank you ☺️

      Reply
    6. Sheena says

      January 24, 2022 at 7:40 pm

      My little one chomp it down!! He loved it so much. I think that the inhaled it 😆

      How long can I store this in the refrigerator and freezer? Also, how shall I reheat it?

      Thank you so much for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Min says

        January 25, 2022 at 10:04 am

        Yay! love hearing this! Will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and freezer up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in a skillet with a splash of water or microwave briefly

        Reply
        • Sheena says

          January 29, 2022 at 7:20 pm

          Thank you! I have a lot of leftover mashed potato. Can I keep them in the refrigerator for 4-5 days to make patties for the week?

          Reply
    7. Emilie says

      August 11, 2021 at 5:26 pm

      Can I freeze these?

      Reply
      • Min says

        August 14, 2021 at 9:33 am

        You can but I would remove the potato topping as it doesn't thaw well

        Reply
    8. dixya @food, pleasure, and health says

      February 14, 2018 at 10:11 am

      i like the idea of muffins too...i tried it with cauli mashed and it was good...adding spinach is such a great idea.

      hope you and your family is doing well.

      Reply
      • Min says

        February 17, 2018 at 7:01 pm

        I've yet to try mashed cauliflower! Thanks!! We are doing really good! Caleb is a lot of fun these days 😉

        Reply

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    HI!

    I am MJ, a registered dietitian and a mom of 2. I truly hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes and tips that I share on what and how to feed your child!

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