I never could resist mashed potato. My favourite bit of a roast dinner when I was younger, I always used to request lots of mash and gravy and a little bit of everything else! So by default, Shepherd’s pie and cottage pie are two of my favourite comfort foods. Personally, I love my Shepherd’s Pie with lots of green veg and plenty of gravy.Chris likes it like that too, but his favourite way of eating it is to save some for breakfast the next day, then fry it up and serve it on bread with ketchup.Minus the ketchup, I’ve got to agree, it is a mighty good breakfast. Now I know some people might not consider this a pie but, come on, its got pie in the title and it’s downright delicious and personally, I LOVE a mashed-potato-topped pie. If you’re not a big fan of mashed potato topped ‘pies’ then why not try one of my other pastry-based pies like my creamy chicken puff pie or my rich and tasty steak pie.
📋 What do we need?
I’m making a BIG BATCH of shepherd’s pie for this recipe - it will serve 8-10 people no problem.I like to do this because we eat half and then I freeze the other half (check out freezing and reheating info in the notes section of the recipe card). Traditionally shepherd pie is made with lamb mince, whereas cottage pie is made with beef mince. I tend to make and serve both with the same sides and I tend to make both in a similar way. I have a great recipe for Cottage Pie too. You can make a smaller batch to serve 4-5 people by halving all of the ingredients, or a mini shepherd’s pie to serve 2 people by quartering all of the ingredients.It will take the same time in the oven, it will just take a little less time to fry up the veg and lamb if you’re making a smaller batch.
🔪 How to make it
We start by boiling up some potatoes for the mash. Whilst that’s cooking, we fry up onion, carrot and celery in a little oil until softened. Add the minced lamb and brown, then add in Worcestershire sauce and stock and let it simmer. Stir in a little cornstarch slurry to thicken. 👩🍳 PRO TIP - I add in a lot more stock then you think you might need – this is so you have enough liquid for gravy later) Then we use a slotted spoon to spoon the minced lamb mixture into the baking dish.This will ensure there’s still some sauce with the minced lamb, but will also leave plenty of sauce behind in the pan - which we’ll reheat for gravy afterwards. When the potatoes are tender you want to mash them. 👩🍳 PRO TIP - for the perfect creamy mashed potato. Mash using a potato ricer (<–affiliate link) for extra smooth mash, and stir in plenty of cream, butter, salt and pepper (diet food this is not). Top the minced lamb with scoops of mashed potato and then ruffle up the topping with a fork. The more ruffles = the more crispy bits. Place in the preheated oven at 200C/400F for about 20 minutes until golden. Does anyone else purposely leave a heap of mashed potato in the pan after dishing the rest up, then hover over the bowl, ’testing’ it by eating it straight off the oversized wooden spoon you mixed the mash with? Ahh I love the chef’s treats. When it comes out of the oven it should be lovely and crisp on top with sauce bubbling up at the edges (so be careful as it’s extra hot!).
📺 Watch How To Make It
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
I always love to dish up the shepherd’s pie and serve with green veg such as cabbage, garden peas or broccoli. Reheat the gravy in the pan just before serving and pour all over the shepherd’s pie. You might find that there are still a few bits of mince still in the pan with the gravy. Personally I’m fine with that, but if you prefer, you can sieve the gravy (using a fine mesh sieve) so that it’s extra smooth. You could also have some fresh homemade bread on the side for dipping in the gravy. My recipe ensures you get plenty of extra gravy to pour over the top and I’ve even sneaked a couple of veggies in there too.
Other variation ideas:
Add a teaspoon of mint sauce to the gravy for a hint of mint that goes really well with the lamb.Add a layer of sauteed sliced leeks in between the minced lamb and potato layer.Use sweet potato instead of regular potato and add half a tablespoon of curry powder to the mashed potato for a slightly spicier version. You can also add ½ tbsp curry powder, ½ tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cumin and a pinch of chilli flakes when frying the mince if you want to spice it up.
Stay updated with new recipes!Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos). This post was first published in March 2016. Updated in March 2021 with new step-by-step photos, recipe video and recipe tips. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
