🥧 Shepherd’s Pie (Classic Comfort Food)
A hearty dish of savory meat and vegetables topped with creamy mashed potatoes. Traditionally made with lamb, but ground beef works too (then it’s technically called cottage pie).
Ingredients (4–6 servings)
For the filling:
- 500 g (1 lb) ground lamb or beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the topping:
- 4–5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 3 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup milk (or more for creaminess)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make mashed potatoes:
- Boil potatoes until tender (15–20 minutes).
- Drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Cook filling:
- Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté onion, carrots, and garlic until soft.
- Add ground meat and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, broth, peas, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5–10 minutes until thickened.
- Assemble pie:
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Spread meat filling in a baking dish.
- Top evenly with mashed potatoes. Smooth the surface or create ridges with a fork for a golden finish.
- Bake:
- Bake 20–25 minutes until top is golden brown.
- Serve:
- Let cool slightly, then serve warm.
Tips
- Add cheese on top of mashed potatoes for extra richness.
- Use leftover roasted vegetables in the filling for extra flavor.
- Can be made ahead and refrigerated; just bake before serving.
I can also give a quick one-pan Shepherd’s Pie recipe that’s faster and easier for weeknights. Do you want that?
