Shepherd’s Pie is the sort of food that brings a smile to everyone’s face! Lamb in a rich gravy sauce with a scattering of peas, a creamy potato topping, and that awesome golden cheese crust, make this once and you’ll make it over and over again! (PS Use beef instead of lamb for Cottage Pie).
Shepherd’s Pie
When I shared my Cottage Pie on Facebook, there was almost an all out cyber-war about whether it was in fact Cottage Pie or Shepherd’s Pie. 😂
So let me just answer the burning question first, to get that out of the way:
What’s the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie??
Cottage Pie is made with beef and Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb.
Shepherds herd sheep. Not cows. That’s how I remember it!!
Other than beef vs lamb, they are essentially exactly the same recipe.
So a Shepherd’s Pie made with beef is Cottage Pie, and Cottage Pie made with lamb is Shepherd’s Pie!
What is Shepard’s Pie
If you’re new to Shepherd’s Pie (also spelled Shepard’s Pie), let me be the first to welcome you to your new favourite comfort food. Essentially, it’s lamb and veggies smothered in a gravy – and who doesn’t love an excuse for tons and tons of gravy?
All those times you were limited to just a small drizzle on a few slices of roast lamb because there wasn’t enough to go around… Bah! This is how you get your gravy fix!!
How to make Shepherd’s Pie
A really good Shepherd’s Pie should always start with a soffrito – that is, onion, garlic, carrots and celery sautéed on a lowish heat until sweet. It’s the secret to a great flavour base that’s a technique used widely by many cuisines, such as Italian cooking (for example, this Italian Shredded Beef Ragu).
After this, we cook the ground / mince meat – traditionally lamb but equally delicious made with beef – before adding flour (which thickens the sauce) and gravy flavourings (beef broth, tomato paste, beef bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce and red wine which is optional).
Simmer until the sauce is thickened, spread in a baking dish then top with creamy mashed potato (the creamier = easier to spread). To make the top beautifully golden and extra crispy, I like to drizzle with a bit of butter and parmesan. You’ll see how amazing it looks when it comes out of the oven in the recipe video!
What to serve with Shepherd’s Pie
When it comes to choosing sides for your Shepherd’s pie, try Glazed Roasted Carrots or perhaps Sautéed Garlic Spinach. The only other thing you need is a glass of red and a crackling fire…
Tips for making Shepherd’s Pie
There are a few stages to making Shepherd’s Pie, but it’s a straightforward recipe. There’s just two little things that you don’t see in most recipes, little things that bugged me:
Cool the filling before topping with potato: It thickens and makes it easier to spread the potato across the top and it stops the potato weeping into the filling;
Creamier mashed potato = easier to spread and just an all round better eating experience. I just don’t like dry, very firm mash. When I break through the mash, I want it to be borderline collapsing, rather than being able to cut cleanly through it like cake.
I stress again – these are little things that bug me, so feel free to by-pass them! – Nagi x
PS One last time – Cottage Pie is made with beef. Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb! 😂 (Shepherd’s herd SHEEP!)
Watch how to make it
Sometimes it helps to have a visual, so watch me make this Shepherd’s Pie recipe!
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Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 carrot , finely chopped
- 1 rib celery , finely chopped
- 3/4 tsp each dried thyme and rosemary (or 2 sprigs fresh thyme + 1 sprig rosemary)
- 750g (1.5 lb) ground lamb (mince) OR beef
- 1/4 cup flour , plain/all purpose
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 cups beef stock / broth
- 1/2 cup red wine (or water)
- 1 beef bouillon cube , crumbled (OXO brand crumbles easily)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves , dried or fresh
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
Mashed Potato
- 1.2kg (2.2 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes
- 2/3 cup milk (whole or low fat)
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
Cheesy crust
- 2 – 3 tbsp grated parmesan , optional
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter , melted
- Fresh thyme leaves, optional garnish
Instructions
- Sauté – Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Then add carrots, celery, thyme and rosemary. Cook for 3 minutes or until softened and sweet.
- Cook lamb – Turn heat up to high. Add lamb and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned.
- Make sauce – Add flour and mix in. Add tomato paste, broth, red wine, bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir well.
- Simmer and thicken – Bring to simmer, then turn down heat so it is simmering rapidly – I have it on medium. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces down to a thick gravy consistency (Note 1) (see video).
- Cool – Add salt and pepper, taste, then add more if you like. Transfer Filling to 1.5 litre / 1.5 quart pie baking dish. Stir through peas. Cover, then refrigerate to cool for 1 – 2 hours or overnight (optional, Note 2)
Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (both fan and standard).
- Boil potatoes – Place the potatoes in a large pot. Add water so it’s 10cm / 4” above potatoes. Bring to a boil then cook for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain then return potatoes into the pot on the turned off stove. Allow to steam dry for 30 seconds or so (Note 3).
- Mash – Add butter and mash until melted, then add milk, salt and pepper. Mash until it's soft and smooth (ie spreadable, but not sloppy), adjusting with a touch more milk if required.
- Spread mash onto pie, use a fork to draw squiggles over the surface. Sprinkle with parmesan, drizzle with butter.
- Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until deep golden on top and bubbling on the edges. Stick a knife into the middle to ensure it is piping hot.
- Stand for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with fresh thyme leaves if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More cosy pies!
Life of Dozer
Flashback to when Dozer destroyed his ACL (rear knee) back when I first shared this recipe in June 2018. He underwent surgery and was 2 weeks into a 4 month recovery period, and under strict instructions to remain confined to a small space.
It was very challenging for this highly active dog. But his patience was rewarded, he is back to his wild antics at the beach!
The son made this the other night for his learning to cook night meals. Simply amazing! The son knocked it out of the park with your help!! Goes to show how well you share your recipes when a 17yo learning to cook can nail it!
That’s awesome Serena!!! WHat’s the next recipe he’s cooking for you?! 😉 N x
Tonight its learning how to pan fry salmon!!
So good! I didn’t have time to cook the sauce for 30 mins so I only did it for 15, it was still amazing and a big hit with the whole family!
I have made this a dozen times… it fills the kitchen with delicious aromas. It tastes like a cosy hug. Perfect for a winter night or just comfort food for the family.
*I make this dairy free too. Using soy milk and Nutalex Buttery margarine in the mash potato.
Making this with venison tonight. Adding some bacon to increase the fat content slightly
Just a quick remark on the GF version: Worcestershire sauce is not gluten free.
Hence, if making a GF version for someone coeliac, omit the Worcestershire sauce as it contains vinegar made from wheat or barley.
You can buy gluten free Worcestershire sauce from Coles. Using it tonight
This is the best Shepherd’s Pie I’ve ever made. Finally commenting after making five times. Just perfect. Thanks Nagi.
Woah what a compliment, thanks so much Lynn! N x
Delicious flavours and very easy to make. Didn’t have to many any adjustments to the recipe.
*make
This is the best shepherd’s pie recipe that I’ve tried. I haven’t had trouble with not cooking the filling before putting the potatoes on top. I used to make this with beef but lamb is just incredible and I wouldn’t go back. Thanks!!
*cooling the filling- it’s supposed to say cooling geeZ
Can you delete my comment so I can edit and re post
What would you call the dish if you use part beef/part lamb??That’s what I did. Yum. Love the tip for letting mix cool before spreading the mashed tatters🤟
Delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Melissa! N x
This is a great recipe, flvours are just perfect! I used sweet potato for the topping because that’s how we roll and it was amazing. Even the grandies loved it and that is saying something!
Hey Nagi, I made this tonight for the first time ever making a “Cottage Pie” and it did not disappoint!!! Very Good!
This recipe was perfect. I used a Dutch oven to cook the meat part. I had heirloom carrots and 2 bunches of celery. I added some hot paprika and forgot the frozen peas and It was delicious. Thank you Nagi.
Haha, I read this comment and thought: I shouldn’t forget the peas! Guess what, I forgot the peas.. Also added some smoked paprika, good idea Adeline!
I caramelized the tomato paste with the sofrito, and also added some miso, and at the end, I stirred in a dollop of butter to make it extra creamy. So good!
Great recipe Nagi!
Cooked the mince part of the recipe. Was a huge hit with the family. Added a tin of baked beans as I had to feed 6 adults. Your recipes are the best. Thank you.
My boyfriend, who likes leaner, bought bison and i want to make Cottage pie, i guess. Any recommendations on how to make your pie with it?
Thank you in advance.
I absolutely love your recipes Nagi thank you. This one though… I can’t see the point of getting (or growing in our case) good lamb mince and then adding beef stock & bouillon. I use a good vegetable stock and preserve the flavour of the lamb, it is after all a ‘Shepherds Pie’ 🙂 I use beef stock in a ‘Cottage Pie’ which uses beef mince. I’m old and learned these things from my grandparents <3 Thank you again for all your delicious recpes, you are my #1 online go to 😀 xx
Made this last night. Didn’t have ground beef but had ground turkey, so subbed with that. Added some chopped green beans and red peppers. Other than those changes/additions, followed the recipe exactly, After baking, I broiled briefly (about a minute) until the top was the color in your picture. SO GOOD! We fought over the leftovers, so hubby asked me to double the recipe next time! Thanks for posting such a delicious recipe.
Forgot to fill in the five stars it so deserves!
Cooked this last night. I put two birds eye chillies as well. It’s the most yummy shepherd’s pie I have ever cooked and eaten. thank you very much.
I’ve made this recipe a few times now … always a big hit with the family 🙂
Thx Nagi
This is the first time Ive messed up one of your recipes so bad I had to throw it out and start over. I’ve made this twice and both times it burned to the pan during the summer stage. (The first time I just avoided the burned part when scraping it into baking pan, and it turned out delicious anyway) I guess it’s probably something as simple as “stir frequently”? What say you, queen Nagi? Why must my lamb come out charred?
Also, for the mashed potatoes, I think that amt of milk is too much for me and my rough estimate of potato -weight 😜 proceed with caution!
Hi can this be frozen in individual servings please
Yes 100% Donna! N x