This creamy ground beef and mushrooms with mashed potatoes is a comforting, hearty meal full of rich flavours, perfect for a cozy family dinner or a special treat.
If you’re looking for a comforting, hearty meal that’s as satisfying as it is delicious, this creamy ground beef and mushrooms with mashed potatoes is the perfect choice. With rich, savoury beef and mushrooms simmered in a creamy sauce, served over a bed of velvety mashed potatoes, this dish combines all the best flavours of home-cooked comfort food.
Whether you’re feeding a family or treating yourself to a cozy night in, this meal is sure to impress. Plus, it’s simple to make, with straightforward ingredients and easy-to-follow steps that ensure you get a delicious result every time. Let’s dive in and make a dish that’s perfect for any occasion!
Preparing Creamy Ground Beef and Mushrooms with Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Meat
Lean Ground beef: Ground beef can come from many parts of the cow so you have a preference make sure to read the label. It is usually made from the trimmings of other, larger cuts of beef and is then ground.
Pantry
Worcestershire Sauce: This sauce is a complex mix of flavours that turn into a deep pungent and deep condiment. It’s made up of ingredients that include soy, anchovy, malt vinegar, chilies, and tamarind, among others.
Dried Parsley: Parsley is a dark green herb that is used as a garnish or as a flavouring. The two varieties that are most common are flat-leaf and curly parsley. They are very similar in flavour however their leaves and texture are different. Dried parsley is simply chopped parsley that has been dried out.
Tomato paste: Tomato paste is concentrated tomato sauce. As the name indicates it is a paste and therefore has a reduced water content. It’s rich in fiber, vitamin C, and potassium and is a great way to add tomato flavour without adding extra liquid.
Dairy
Half and half: Half and half cream is called half and half because it is equal parts cream and milk. The fat content of the one I use is 10% but it can vary up to 18%.
Butter: Butter is churned milk or cream and is high in fat. It is solidified when refrigerated, holds a semi-soft, spreadable consistency at room temperature, or can be liquefied when heated.
Vegetables
Button Mushrooms: Button mushrooms are immature fungi that come in two colours – white and brown. These mushrooms are one of the most popular mushrooms around the world and as such have many different names. Button white and cremini are the names I’ve come across most often here in Canada.
Onions: Onion is a very common vegetable that is used both raw and cooked in food preparation. It has a sharp flavour raw that often sweetens once cooked. There are many varieties of onions, some that are milder than others. We use the common onion or yellow onion in this recipe.
Garlic: Garlic is a bulb that is edible and is grown in soil. Though the green shoots it sprouts, called garlic scapes, are also edible, we are referring to the actual bulb that the scapes grow from. Garlic bulbs are made up of multiple cloves and depending on the variety you may have anywhere from 4 to 10 cloves, if not more. This is important to know because recipes will often call for a specific number of cloves which can vary in size greatly.
Potatoes: I use yellow flesh potatoes in this recipe. Yellow potatoes are a bit more sweet and softer so overcooking them will make them mushy quickly. White flesh potatoes are a bit more starchy and will hold their shape better so feel free to use white flesh potatoes instead.
How to Make Creamy Ground Beef and Mushrooms with Mashed Potatoes
There are a few steps to this dish but only because we’re trying to be efficient. If it makes you nervous to cook and prep at the same time, then peel the potatoes, dice the onion and slice the mushroom before starting the cooking.
Step 1: Cook the Mashed Potatoes
Start by peeling the potatoes. Next cut them into 1-inch cubes and add them to a pot with 1 tbsp of salt. Add enough water to cover the potatoes and turn the burner on medium-high and cook until fork tender.
When there are just a couple of minutes left on the time for the meat, the potatoes should be done.
TIP: To check doneness, use a fork to pierce a potato (ideally the largest one) making sure it goes all the way through without resistance.
Strain the potatoes and put them back in the pot.
Then add the cream, butter and teaspoon of salt and either mash with a potato masher or whip with an electric mixer.
Step 2: Make the creamy beef and mushrooms
Add the ground beef to a large deep pan and place it on a burner on medium-high heat. As the meat cooks, break it up with a spatula and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it cooks evenly.
While the beef is cooking slice the mushrooms.
Once the beef is cooked remove it from the pan and set it aside in a bowl.
Remove the fat from the pan then place the pan back on the burner and add the mushrooms. Continue to cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The mushrooms will begin to release liquid. You want to keep the heat high to brown the mushrooms a bit. They will reabsorb some of the liquid, the rest will evaporate, adding more flavour to the dish.
While the mushrooms are cooking dice the onion and peel the garlic. If you don’t have a garlic press mince the garlic with a knife.
Add the onions to the pan and sautee for another couple of minutes. Then add the garlic.
Sautee for a minute, tossing halfway, then add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, cream, salt and pepper. Stir everything well to make sure the tomato paste and spices are well distributed. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure nothing burns.
Once the meat is done, turn off the burner and add the parsley.
TIP: You can also reserve the parsley for serving to add some beautiful colour to the dish. You can also use fresh parsley of course!
Substitutions
Ground Beef: You can use any ground beef that you have on hand. The flavours will vary slightly but overall the dish will be very similar. If you are looking for a vegetarian option, try using green lentils. Using canned lentils will make this dish easier and quicker. Simple add the. Start on step 7 in the instructions below, add a little oil to the pan before adding the mushrooms. After adding the garlic add the lentils then proceed with the remaining steps.
Half and Half: You can use heavy cream instead or alternatively, to make a lighter dish, add milk with a bit of cornstarch.
Potatoes: The type of potatoes really depends on your preference. Use whatever you have on hand and don’t think twice about it.
Serving Creamy Ground Beef and Mushrooms with Mashed Potatoes
This dish is a whole meal though you are welcome to add your favourite veggies as a side. I like simple steamed green beans or broccoli or roasted brussels sprouts.
Let us know in the comments if you have any other questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
Are you looking for dinner ideas? Check out our recipes:
Creamy Ground Beef and Mushrooms with Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
- Deep pan with lid
- Vegetable peeler
- Medium bowl
- Large pot
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs Lean ground beef
- 5.5 oz Button Mushrooms
- 2 oz Onions
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 3 tbsp Tomato paste
- ¼ cup Half and half cream
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
Mashed potatoes:
- 2 lbs potatoes
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes
- Add them to a pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt. Add enough water to cover the potatoes.
- Turn the burner on medium-high and cook until fork tender.
- Next, turn the burner under a large, deep pan to medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Break up the ground beef with a spatula and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it cooks evenly.
- While the beef is cooking slice the mushrooms.
- Once the beef is cooked remove it from the pan and set it aside in a bowl.
- Remove the fat from the pan then place the pan back on the burner. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the mushrooms are cooking dice the onion and peel the garlic. If you don’t have a garlic press mince the garlic with a knife. Add the onions to the pan and saute for another 2 minutes and add the garlic.
- Sautee for a minute, tossing halfway, then add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, cream, salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
- When there are just a couple of minutes left on the time for the meat, the potatoes should be done. Poke a bigger piece with a fork and it should go through easily without breaking the potato. Strain the potatoes and put them back in the pot. Then add the cream, butter and teaspoon of salt and either mash with a potato masher or whip with an electric mixer.
- Once the meat is done, turn off the burner and add the parsley. You can also reserve some for serving.
- Serve the meat on top of a bed of mashed potatoes with your favourite veg.
