Shepherd’s Pie 🥧 — a hearty, comforting dish of seasoned ground meat and vegetables topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden. Traditionally made with lamb (“shepherd”), while beef versions are called Cottage Pie.
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
Filling:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground lamb (or beef for cottage pie)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef or lamb broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Mashed Potato Topping:
- 2 lbs (900 g) potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk or cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: grated cheddar cheese for topping
Instructions
- Make Mashed Potatoes:
- Boil potatoes until tender (15–20 minutes).
- Drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare Filling:
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté onions and garlic until soft.
- Add ground lamb and cook until browned.
- Stir in carrots, peas, tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Assemble Pie:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Spread meat-vegetable mixture in a baking dish.
- Top evenly with mashed potatoes.
- Optional: sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake:
- Bake 20–25 minutes until mashed potatoes are golden and filling is bubbly.
- Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Add a splash of red wine or stock for richer flavor in the filling.
- For a smoother topping, whip mashed potatoes with a little extra cream or butter.
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave.
I can also give a vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie version using lentils and mushrooms instead of meat — just as hearty and flavorful.
Do you want me to do that?
