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Homemade shepherd’s pie slice with golden mashed potato topping, ground meat, peas, carrots, and corn in rich gravy, served on a white plate.

Shepherd's Pie

A rich and savory traditional shepherd’s pie made with ground lamb, tender vegetables, and a creamy mashed potato topping. Perfect for Sunday dinners, potlucks, or cozy winter nights.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: British
Keyword: Best shepherd's pie recipe, Easy healthy shepherd's pie, Irish Shepherd's pie, Shepherd's Pie, Shepherd's pie Mary Berry, Shepherd's pie recipe Hairy Bikers, Shepherd's pie with chicken, Shepherds pie recipe Jamie Oliver, Traditional Shepherd's pie recipe
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Simmering and Rest Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 7
Calories: 480kcal
Cost: $17

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe skillet (or Dutch oven)
  • Large pot (for boiling potatoes)
  • Potato masher or ricer
  • Sharp knife (for chopping)
  • Wooden spoon (for stirring)
  • 9x13 baking dish (if not using oven-safe skillet)

Ingredients

For the Meat Filling:

  • 1.5 lbs Ground lamb
  • 1 Yellow onion - chopped
  • 2 Carrots - diced
  • 2 Celery stalks - diced
  • 3 Garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 cup Peas - fresh or frozen
  • 2 tablespoon Tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh thyme - or ½ teaspoon dried
  • 2 Bay leaves

For the Gravy Base:

  • 2 tablespoon All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Beef or lamb stock - or more as needed
  • ½ cup Red wine - optional
  • Salt & pepper - to taste

For the Mashed Potato Topping:

  • 2.5 lbs Russet potatoes - or Yukon Gold, peeled
  • 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter
  • ½ cup Whole milk - or cream
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • Salt & white pepper - to taste
  • 2 tablespoon Cream cheese - Aunt Margaret's trick (opt)

Instructions

  • Chop vegetables (onion, carrots, celery), mince garlic, and preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Sauté vegetables in oil until soft, then add garlic. Add ground lamb and cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
    Chopped onions, carrots, and celery sautéing in a skillet with steam rising, in a cozy home kitchen with soft natural lighting and whole onions in the background.
  • Stir in tomato paste, flour, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. Add stock and wine, then simmer 15 minutes.
    Ground meat simmering in a skillet with chopped tomatoes, onions, and seasonings, stirred with a wooden spoon in a warm home kitchen setting.
  • Boil peeled potatoes until tender. Drain, let steam dry, then mash with butter, milk, egg yolk, salt, and optional cream cheese.
    Peeled potato chunks boiling in a stainless steel pot on a stovetop, with steam rising in a warmly lit home kitchen, part of a homemade shepherd’s pie preparation.
  • Stir peas into meat mixture, remove herbs, spread in skillet. Top with mashed potatoes and brush with egg yolk.
  • Bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes until golden. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 300g | Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 600mg | Potassium: 900mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4000IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg