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Freshly baked Shepherd's Pie showcasing its creamy potato crust.

Shepherd’s Pie

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4.6 from 5 reviews

This easy Shepherd’s Pie combines minced (ground) lamb with carrots, celery and peas in a rich gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes. It’s a versatile dish that can be made ahead or frozen, then served with your favourite steamed greens for a complete, cosy dinner.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

PIE FILLING

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) minced (ground) lamb (can be substituted with minced beef)
  • 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
  • 1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves (or dried rosemary)
  • 1 tbsp freshly picked thyme leaves (or dried thyme), plus extra to serve (optional)
  • ⅓ cup (90 g) tomato paste (concentrated puree)
  • 3 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
  • ⅓ cup (80 ml) red wine (or use 2 tbsp red wine vinegar)
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup (155 g) frozen peas

MASHED POTATO TOPPING

  • 1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) potatoes (all-rounders), peeled and chopped into 3 cm (11/4 inch) chunks
  • 80 g (23/4 oz) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk, warmed in the microwave or on the stovetop
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 1 cup (125 g) freshly grated cheddar
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 tbsp freshly grated parmesan

TO SERVE

  • Steamed greens (broccolini/tenderstem broccoli, as pictured)

Instructions

PIE FILLING

  1. Heat a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, carrot and celery. Sprinkle the vegetables with ½ teaspoon of the sea salt flakes – this helps the vegetables sweat versus caramelise. Cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
  2. Add the lamb. Cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until browned, breaking the lamb up with your spoon as you go.
  3. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme and remaining salt. Continue to cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
  4. Stir through the tomato paste and, once well combined, stir through the flour until it is dissolved.
  5. Add the beef stock, red wine, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to medium–low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir, remove the lid and continue cooking for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened into a gravy. Add the frozen peas and stir through until thawed.
  6. Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a baking dish (roughly 1.5 litres/6 cups). Allow the mixture to cool slightly (it makes it easier to top with the mashed potato).

 

MASHED POTATO TOPPING

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil (you will need a pot large enough so that the potatoes are covered by at least 5 cm/2 inches of water).
  2. Add the potatoes to the water and cook for 15–20 minutes until soft enough to pierce with a fork.
  3. Remove the pot from the heat. Drain the potatoes in a colander and place the potatoes back in the pot. Allow them to steam-dry for 1–2 minutes – this removes any excess water.
  4. Add the butter and mash the potatoes twice around the pot before adding the milk and sea salt and mashing again to combine.
  5. Add the cheese and whip together with a wooden spoon until smooth.

 

ASSEMBLE PIE

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced).
  2. Spoon dollops of the mash over the top of the lamb mixture until the surface is covered. Rough up the texture of the mashed potatoes as this will create more crispy bits in the oven.
  3. Spray the mashed potatoes with olive oil spray and sprinkle with the parmesan.
  4. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and the top is crisp and golden.
  5. If you want an extra crispy top, turn on the oven grill (broiler) and cook for 2–3 minutes (watching closely) until even more golden and crisp.
  6. Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with steamed greens and an extra sprinkle of thyme (if using).

Equipment

Notes

Note 1 – Follow the recipe steps and assemble the pie. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking, then cover with foil and bake at 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) for 45 minutes, covered, and an additional 30 minutes, uncovered.

 

Make ahead

Follow the recipe to assemble the pie, but do not bake, do not spray the mashed potatoes with olive oil and do not sprinkle with parmesan cheese (only top the pie with the mashed potato topping). Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge prior to cooking. Bake, covered, at 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) for 45 minutes, and an additional 30 minutes, uncovered. 

 

Leftovers

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge before reheating. Leftovers are best frozen in individual serves and reheated in the microwave.

  • Author: Nicole
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Pie
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: English

Find it online: https://simplehomeedit.com/recipe/shepherds-pie/