Description
Shepherd’s Pie is a hearty and comforting classic made with savory ground lamb and vegetables in a rich gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden and bubbly. It’s the perfect make-ahead meal for cozy weeknights or family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground lamb (or beef for cottage pie)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup milk or cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Brown Meat: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground lamb and cook until browned, about 5–6 minutes.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add diced onion, carrots, and minced garlic to the skillet with the browned lamb. Sauté until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add Flavorings: Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 1 minute to combine flavors.
- Simmer Filling: Pour in beef broth and let the mixture simmer for 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in frozen peas and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook Potatoes: Meanwhile, boil peeled and cubed potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain well.
- Mash Potatoes: Mash the drained potatoes with butter, milk or cream, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Pie: Spread the meat and vegetable filling evenly into a 9-inch baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes and use a fork to create texture on top for browning.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the mashed potato topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from oven and let the shepherd’s pie rest for 5–10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to settle.
Notes
- You can use ground beef instead of lamb for a cottage pie.
- Add a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese on top of the mashed potatoes for extra richness.
- This dish freezes well—assemble, freeze, and bake from frozen at 375°F for 45–55 minutes.
- Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
