Here’s a classic, hearty Shepherd’s Pie recipe—rich, savory meat filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes. 🥩🥔
🥧 Shepherd’s Pie
🧾 Ingredients (6 servings)
For the Meat Filling:
- 500 g (1 lb) ground lamb (or beef for a “Cottage Pie”)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef or lamb broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
- 1 kg (2 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk (or more if needed)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: ¼ cup grated cheese for topping
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Boil potatoes in salted water until tender (15–20 minutes).
- Drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2️⃣ Prepare the Meat Filling
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until softened (5–7 minutes).
- Add ground lamb (or beef) and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Pour in broth and simmer 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in frozen peas and remove from heat.
3️⃣ Assemble
- Preheat oven to 200 °C / 400 °F.
- Spread meat filling evenly in a baking dish.
- Top with mashed potatoes, spreading to cover completely.
- Optional: sprinkle grated cheese on top.
4️⃣ Bake
- Bake 20–25 minutes until the top is golden and slightly crisp.
5️⃣ Serve
- Let rest 5 minutes, then serve hot.
⭐ Tips
- Use ground lamb for authentic Shepherd’s Pie; beef makes a Cottage Pie.
- For extra flavor, sauté vegetables in butter before adding meat.
- You can pipe mashed potatoes for a decorative top.
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave.
I can also give a quick one-pan Shepherd’s Pie version that’s easier to make on busy nights—everything cooks together with minimal prep.
Do you want me to show that version?
