Next time you’re making mashed potatoes, be sure to add a few extra potatoes to the pot so you have an excuse to make Shepherd’s Pie. This traditional British pub dish can be made from scratch or, for an easier version, with leftovers from your Sunday roast.
The traditional version of Shepherds Pie is made with ground lamb. You can use ground beef if you prefer, but then you’ll have yourself a Cottage Pie. There are various opinions as to which vegetables are added to the meat layer and how to top the pie. I prefer not to use corn out of season so I make mine with peas and carrots and I don’t put any cheese on top. But you’ll see below how to add texture and height to the potato topping to get golden crispy bits on the surface.
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How to make Shepherds Pie
Sauté the ground lamb in a large skillet. There’s no need to add any oil because there will be enough fat in the meat. Once the meat has released some of the fat, add the carrot, onion and celery and continue to cook until the meat is browned and the veggies are softening. Add a big clove of minced garlic for the last minute so it doesn’t burn. Break up the larger chunks of lamb as it cooks. If you have more than a couple tablespoons of fat in the pan, remove the extra with a spoon. You may have a lot or just a little, depending on how lean your meat is.
Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir while it cooks. You need to cook flour to make sure it doesn’t taste pasty and to ensure when you add the broth you’ll get a smooth gravy. Add the beef broth and let the mixture simmer till it’s thickened and bubbling. A little ketchup gives it a hint of sweetness while the worcestershire adds depth of flavour. Always taste as you go and add salt to your preference. Beef broth various in sodium levels so keep that in mind.
Don’t add the frozen peas until the end. If they’re frosty and clumped, give them a quick rinse and shake well so you don’t add extra moisture to the meat layer. It’s supposed to be thick and meaty.
Pour the meat mixture into an oven safe baking dish. You wan’t something that’s large enough that you have extra space at the top for the potatoes. Something around 30 cm or 12 inches oblong works well.
Did you know you can freeze leftover mashed potatoes? I do it all the time. When they’re defrosted but still cold they’re fairly soft and may appear to have separated. But, a quick heat in the microwave will return them to their original state. Adding a little milk to the mixture helps soften it enough to spread the potato easily to the edges. The sour cream gives the topping a little tang. Make sure to taste the potatoes to see if they need a little more salt.
Add large spoonfuls on top of the meat mixture and spread evenly to the edges. Now, a handy trick I learned on Royal Recipes – use a fork to score the top of the potatoes in a criss cross pattern. What happens is you get lots of peaks in the potatoes that get browned and crispy in the oven. Total Shepherds Pie game changer!
Bake for 45-50 minutes if you’re baking immediately or a little longer if you refrigerate it and bake it later, until the filling is bubbling and the top is lightly browned. The gravy will sneak out along the edges and that’s the best part! Just like scalloped potatoes, Shepherd’s Pie is ready when it spills over in the oven.
For a super simple version of Shepherd’s Pie using leftovers, chop up cooked lamb or beef roast, add leftover gravy and leftover vegetables. Top with leftover mashed potatoes. Embarrassingly easy.
If you make Shepherd’s Pie (or Cottage Pie), consider leaving a comment or rating below. Here’s the recipe:
Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground lamb or beef
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- ½ medium onion, finely diced
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- salt and pepper to taste
Potato Topping
- 2½ - 3 cups mashed potatoes
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp milk
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Sauté ground lamb until some fat is released. Add diced carrot, onion and celery and cook until meat is browned and vegetables are golden and softening. Add minced garlic during last minute of cooking. Drain any extra fat reserving about 2 Tbsp in the pan.
- Sprinkle flour over meat mixture and cook, stirring for a few minutes to make sure flour is cooked. Add beef broth and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and Ketchup. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Rinse and drain frozen peas and add to meat mixture. Pour into a wide baking dish.
- Combine mashed potatoes with sour cream and milk. Heat if necessary to soften. Season with salt if desired. Use hand mixer for extra creamy potatoes. Spoon over meat mixture and spread evenly to edges. Use a fork to score criss cross pattern in potatoes to make peaks.
- Bake at 350° in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes until filling is bubbling and top is slightly browned.
I love Shepherds pie. I believe I made it once for you but used sweet potatoes for the top. That was yummy too.
I remember that!