Shepherd's Pie
A hearty British classic with seasoned minced meat and vegetables topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden.
Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 40 minutes. Difficulty: Medium. Serves 6.
Ingredients
- 500g minced lamb or beef
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 100g frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1kg potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 50g butter
- 100ml milk
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Boil potatoes in salted water for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large pan. Cook onion for 3 minutes.
- Add minced meat. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up, until browned.
- Add carrots, tomato paste, stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add peas. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour the meat mixture into a baking dish.
- Spread mashed potato on top. Use a fork to create a rough surface.
- Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Tips for Helpers
- Make the mash smooth and creamy — lumpy mash does not spread well.
- The fork marks on the mash help it brown nicely in the oven.
- This dish can be assembled ahead and baked later.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Use minced beef for cottage pie — same recipe, different name.
- Add grated cheese on top of the mash for extra richness.