Description
Shepherd’s pie is a cornerstone of British and Irish home cooking: ground lamb in a red wine gravy, covered with a thick layer of mashed potato and baked until the top is golden and the filling bubbles at the edges. It began as a way to use up leftover Sunday roast.
Ingredients
Units
- For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef or lamb stock
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the mashed potato topping:
- 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup warm whole milk
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6-7 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the ground lamb. Break it up with a spoon and cook for 8-10 minutes until browned. Drain off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Stir in the tomato paste and flour. Cook for 1 minute. Add the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the filling is thick and saucy. Stir in the frozen peas. Transfer to a 9×13-inch baking dish if not using an oven-safe skillet.
- While the filling simmers, boil the potatoes in salted water until very tender, about 15-18 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot over low heat for 1 minute to dry out excess moisture.
- Mash the potatoes with the butter and warm milk until smooth. Beat in the egg yolk, salt, and white pepper. The mash should be thick enough to hold its shape — do not make it too thin.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the mashed potatoes over the lamb filling, starting from the edges and working inward to create a seal. Use a fork to create ridges across the top — these peaks will turn golden and crisp.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- True shepherd’s pie uses lamb. If you use beef, the dish is properly called cottage pie. Both are made the same way.
- The egg yolk in the mash helps it brown more deeply and gives the topping structure so it holds above the filling rather than sinking in.
- Starting the potato layer at the edges creates a seal that prevents the filling from bubbling over and making a mess in the oven.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 570
- Fat: 34
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Protein: 25