Sausage Florentine Shepherd’s Pie

Name: Sausage Florentine Shepherd’s Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients: 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage; 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian diced tomatoes, lightly drained; 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; 3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided; 1 package (24 ounces) refrigerated garlic mashed potatoes

In this Italian take on traditional shepherd’s pie, sausage takes the place of ground beef (or lamb), and spinach replaces the green veggies. Zesty tomatoes, mixed Italian cheese and garlicky mashed potatoes make this dish incredibly long on flavor, even though the ingredient list is short. —Leah Lyon, Ada, Oklahoma

Ingredients

1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian diced tomatoes, lightly drained
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
1 package (24 ounces) refrigerated garlic mashed potatoes

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook sausage, crumbling meat, until no longer pink, 5-6 minutes; drain. Stir in tomatoes, spinach and 2 cups cheese.
Pour sausage mixture into a greased 11x7-in. baking dish; top evenly with mashed potatoes. Bake 20 minutes; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and top begins to brown, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Test Kitchen Tips

Like a little more spice in your life? Substitute your favorite hot Italian sausage for the mild version.