Here’s a classic Shepherd’s Pie recipe—a comforting casserole with savory meat, vegetables, and creamy mashed potato topping.
🥧 Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the filling:
- 1 lb (≈450 g) ground lamb (traditional) or beef (then technically “cottage pie”)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1–2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1/2 tsp rosemary (optional)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup beef or vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (optional, to thicken)
For the mashed potato topping:
- 2 lb (≈900 g) potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1/4–1/2 cup milk or cream
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Steps
- Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Boil potatoes until tender, about 15–20 min.
- Drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Set aside.
- Cook the Filling
- In a large skillet, sauté onions and carrots in a bit of oil until softened.
- Add garlic and cook 1 min.
- Add ground lamb (or beef) and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Sprinkle in flour if you want a thicker filling.
- Pour in broth, simmer 5–10 min until mixture thickens slightly.
- Stir in peas at the end.
- Assemble the Pie
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C).
- Spread meat and vegetable filling evenly in a baking dish.
- Spoon mashed potatoes on top, smoothing with a spatula.
- Optional: sprinkle cheddar cheese over the potatoes.
- Bake
- Bake 25–30 min, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Optional: broil 2–3 min for extra browning on top.
- Serve
- Let cool 5 min before serving.
- Serve with a side salad or roasted vegetables.
Tips
- Use leftover roasted meat or beef/lamb for an even richer flavor.
- For extra texture, pipe mashed potatoes with a fork for a decorative pattern before baking.
- Freeze-ready: Assemble in a freezer-safe dish, freeze before baking, then thaw and bake later.
If you want, I can also give a cheesy shepherd’s pie variation with a golden crust, which adds a layer of melted cheese on top that’s extra indulgent.
Do you want me to make that version?
