Shepherd's Pie
Lamb mince in a rich gravy under a golden, fork-ridged mashed potato crust: a British family classic.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
Shepherd's pie is made with lamb: the shepherd looks after sheep. Made with beef mince, the same dish is called cottage pie. Both grew out of the thrifty habit of using up leftover roast meat under a potato crust; today most people start with fresh mince.
The secrets are a well-browned, well-seasoned filling that is thick rather than runny, and a buttery mash roughed up with a fork so the ridges crisp in the oven.
Ingredients
Filling
- 1tbspsunflower or rapeseed oil
- 500glamb mince
- 1onion, finely chopped
- 2carrots, finely diced
- 1tbspplain flour
- 1tbsptomato purée
- 2tspWorcestershire sauce
- 400mllamb or beef stock
- 1tspdried thyme, or a few fresh sprigs
- salt and ground black pepper
Mash
- 900gfloury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks
- 50gbutter
- 75mlmilk
Equipment
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- Heavy frying panBrowseShop on Amazon UK(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Small saucepanBrowseShop on Amazon UK(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Potato masher or ricerHow to chooseShop on Amazon UK(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Ovenproof pie dishHow to chooseShop on Amazon UK(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wide saucepan and soften the onion and carrots over a medium heat for 8–10 minutes.
Photo: Paul The Writer · CC0 - 2
Turn up the heat, add the lamb mince and brown it well, breaking it up with a spoon. Stir in the flour and tomato purée for a minute, then add the Worcestershire sauce, stock and thyme. Simmer, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes until thick. Season.
Photo: Andy / Andrew Fogg from near Cambridge, UK · CC BY 2.0 (cropped) - 3
Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain well, steam dry for a minute, then mash with the butter and milk until smooth. Season.
Photo: sousvideguy · CC BY 2.0 (cropped) - 4
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6. Spoon the filling into an ovenproof dish, top with the mash and rough the surface up with a fork. Bake for 25–30 minutes until bubbling at the edges and golden on top.
Photo: Abhinaba Basu from Redmond, United States · CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
Tips
Make ahead: assemble the pie, cool, cover and chill for up to 2 days. Bake from the fridge for 40–45 minutes.
Cottage pie: make exactly the same way with beef mince.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Filling is watery | Not simmered long enough | Simmer uncovered until the gravy coats the spoon before topping |
| Mash sinks into the filling | Filling too hot or too thin | Let the filling cool slightly and thicken before adding the mash |
| Top pale | No ridges, or oven too cool | Rough the mash with a fork and finish under the grill for 2–3 minutes |
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