🥧 Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is a classic British comfort dish made with seasoned minced lamb (or beef for cottage pie) topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden brown.
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
Filling
- 1 lb ground lamb (or beef for cottage pie)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef or lamb broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt & black pepper
Topping
- 3–4 cups mashed potatoes (buttery and creamy)
- 1–2 tbsp butter
- Optional: shredded cheese for topping
🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the Filling
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little oil.
- Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened (5–7 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add ground lamb, cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in peas at the end.
2️⃣ Assemble the Pie
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Spoon meat filling into a baking dish.
- Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top.
- Optional: Sprinkle shredded cheese.
- Use a fork to make light ridges on top for crispiness.
3️⃣ Bake
- Bake 20–25 minutes until top is golden and slightly crispy.
- Optional: Broil 2–3 minutes for extra browning.
🌟 Tips
- Use leftover mashed potatoes for a richer topping.
- For extra flavor, mix a bit of butter and cream into the potatoes.
- Can be made ahead and refrigerated; bake longer if cold from fridge.
- Cottage pie = same recipe using beef instead of lamb.
If you want, I can give a classic UK pub-style shepherd’s pie recipe or a low-carb version using cauliflower mash.
