Description
Classic Shepherd’s Pie with a rich lamb filling and creamy mashed potato topping, perfect as a comforting family meal. This recipe features a savory lamb and vegetable base simmered in a flavorful gravy, topped with buttery mashed potatoes and optionally finished with parmesan cheese and fresh thyme garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 3/4 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 tsp dried rosemary (or 2 sprigs fresh thyme + 1 sprig rosemary)
- 750g (1.5 lb) ground lamb (or beef)
- 1/4 cup plain/all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 cups beef stock / broth
- 1/2 cup red wine (or water)
- 1 beef bouillon cube, crumbled (OXO brand)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves, dried or fresh
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
Potato Topping
- 1.2kg (2.2 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes
- 2/3 cup milk (whole or low fat)
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
- 2 – 3 tbsp grated parmesan (optional)
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter, melted (for topping)
Garnish
- Fresh thyme leaves, optional
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Then add chopped carrot, celery, thyme, and rosemary. Cook these together for 3 minutes or until softened and sweetened.
- Cook Lamb: Increase the heat to high and add the ground lamb. Break the meat up as it cooks, and brown it thoroughly, ensuring it is evenly cooked and no longer pink.
- Make Sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the browned lamb and mix it in well to form a roux. Stir in tomato paste, beef stock, red wine, crumbled beef bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, and add bay leaves. Mix everything thoroughly to combine.
- Simmer and Thicken: Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer (around medium heat). Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce reduces to a thick gravy consistency.
- Cool and Assemble: Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer the filling into a 1.5 litre (1.5 quart) pie baking dish and stir in frozen peas. Cover and refrigerate to cool for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight if preparing ahead.
- Prepare Potato Topping: Boil the peeled and cubed potatoes in salted water until tender (about 15-20 minutes). Drain and mash with milk and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Shepherd’s Pie: Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the cooled lamb filling. Optionally sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of melted butter for a golden crust.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Bake the assembled pie for 20-25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven and let it rest briefly before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves if desired. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Shepherd’s Pie traditionally uses lamb, but using beef turns it into a Cottage Pie.
- This dish is a terrific make-ahead meal; you can prepare the filling a day ahead and refrigerate.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute the flour with a gluten-free alternative and ensure the Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free.
- The recipe video linked demonstrates the preparation steps and tips for success.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 653 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 742 mg
- Fat: 50 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 27 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 139 mg
