Ah, Shepherd’s Pie 🥧—pure comfort food. Savory meat filling, veggies, and a fluffy mashed potato topping baked until golden. Here’s a classic, reliable version that always hits the spot.
Classic Shepherd’s Pie
Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 20 min
Bake time: 30–35 min
Ingredients
Mashed Potato Topping
- 2 lb (900 g) potatoes, peeled & chopped
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup milk or cream
- Salt & black pepper
- Optional: 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Meat Filling
- 1 lb (450 g) ground lamb (traditional) or ground beef (cottage pie)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup peas (or mixed vegetables)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup beef or lamb broth
- 1 tsp thyme or rosemary
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Make mashed potatoes
- Boil potatoes until fork-tender (12–15 min).
- Drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Cook the filling
- Brown meat in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrots, and garlic; cook 5–7 min.
- Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire, herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Pour in broth and simmer 5–8 min until thick.
- Assemble
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Spread meat mixture into a baking dish.
- Top evenly with mashed potatoes (ruffle with a fork).
- Optional: sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake
- Bake 30–35 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.
- Serve
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
🔥 Pro Tips
- Extra flavor: Add a splash of red wine to the meat sauce
- Crispy top: Broil for 2–3 minutes at the end
- Make-ahead: Assemble, refrigerate, and bake later (add 10 minutes)
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze before baking up to 2 months
If you want, I can give you a slow cooker shepherd’s pie, a cheesy loaded version, or a simple 30-minute shortcut version.
