Here’s a classic Shepherd’s Pie recipe—rich, hearty, and topped with creamy mashed potatoes. (Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, but you can use ground beef if you prefer a cottage pie.)
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients (6 servings)
For the filling
- 1 lb (450 g) ground lamb (or beef for cottage pie)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup (240 ml) beef or lamb broth
- 2 tbsp flour (for thickening)
For the mashed potato topping
- 2 lbs (900 g) potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven
Preheat to 400°F (200°C). - Make mashed potatoes
- Boil potatoes until tender (about 15 minutes).
- Drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Cook the filling
- In a skillet, cook ground lamb (or beef) over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Add onion, carrots, and garlic; cook 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, pepper, broth, and peas. Simmer 5–10 minutes until thickened.
- Assemble the pie
- Spoon meat filling into a baking dish.
- Spread mashed potatoes over the top, smoothing with a spatula.
- Sprinkle cheese on top if using.
- Bake
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling. - Serve
Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
💡 Tips:
- For extra flavor, add a splash of red wine to the filling while simmering.
- You can pipe the mashed potatoes with a fork for a decorative top.
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave.
If you want, I can also give a slow cooker shepherd’s pie version so the filling is extra tender and you only need to bake for the mashed potato topping at the end.
Do you want me to give that slow cooker version?
