Shepherds Pie
A rich filling of ground meat and vegetables under a golden blanket of mashed potato — Britain's classic comfort casserole. Meat and potato together in one dish, it's the oven bake to share with family on a cold day.
Ingredients
- Meat filling
- Ground lamb · or beef (cottage pie)500 g
- Onion · chopped1
- Carrot · chopped1
- Peas0.5 cup
- Minced garlic2 cloves
- Tomato paste2 tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp
- Flour1 tbsp
- Beef stock1 cup
- Rosemary & thyme · a little
- Olive oil, salt & pepper
- Mashed potato
- Potatoes800 g
- Butter3 tbsp
- Milk0.5 cup
- Grated cheese · topping, optional0.5 cup
- Salt & pepper · to taste
Steps
- ⏲ 20 min
Peel, boil, and mash the potatoes with the butter, milk, and salt into a smooth mash.
- ⏲ 5 min
Fry the onion, carrot, and garlic in olive oil until softened.
- ⏲ 5 min
Add the ground meat, brown it, then stir in the flour and cook 1 minute.
- ⏲ 10 min
Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, stock, herbs, and peas and simmer until thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- ⏲ 5 min
Spread the filling in a baking dish, cover evenly with the mash, and rough up the top with a fork (add cheese for extra browning).
- ⏲ 25 min
Bake at 200C for 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden.
Rest a few minutes before serving.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Cottage pie: The beef version instead of lamb.
- Vegetarian: Use lentils and mushrooms instead of meat.
- Sweet potato top: Swap in mashed sweet potato.
- Cheesy top: Sprinkle cheese over the mash for extra richness.
Tips
- Keep the mash firm so it sits neatly on the filling.
- Simmer the filling thick so it doesn't bubble over while baking.
- Rough up the top with a fork so the ridges crisp and brown.
- Worcestershire sauce is key to the savory depth — don't skip it.
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