Ah, shepherd’s pie—the ultimate comfort food! 🥧🥔 Here’s a classic recipe with a rich meat filling and creamy mashed potato topping:
Classic Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients (serves 4–6):
For the filling:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground lamb (or beef for cottage pie)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef or chicken broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the mashed potato topping:
- 2–3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk (or cream)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven: 190°C / 375°F.
- Cook the filling:
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté onions and carrots until soft.
- Add garlic and cook 1 min.
- Add ground lamb, cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer 10–15 min until slightly thickened.
- Stir in peas at the end.
- Make the mashed potatoes:
- Boil potatoes until tender (about 15 min).
- Drain, mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper until creamy.
- Assemble the pie:
- Spread the meat filling in a baking dish.
- Spoon mashed potatoes on top, spreading evenly.
- Optional: Use a fork to create texture on the potato top (helps it brown nicely).
- Bake:
- Bake 20–25 min until the top is golden and slightly crispy.
- Serve:
- Let sit 5 min before serving. Perfect for cozy dinners!
Pro tip: Add shredded cheese on top of the mashed potatoes for a golden, cheesy crust. 🧀
If you want, I can give a shortcut version using frozen vegetables and pre-made mashed potatoes that’s almost as delicious but faster. Do you want that?
