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a close up view of a spoonful of sheperds pie
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5 from 8 votes

Traditional Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

A rich gravy with lamb and vegetables tucked under creamy mashed potatoes make this the BEST Shepherd's Pie recipe.  Ever.  Okay, in my opinion.  But I'm pretty confident about this Irish comfort food classic.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Irish
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 633kcal
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds ground lamb
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2-3 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cup beef broth
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • ½ cup frozen corn

Topping

  • 3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • ½ cup heavy cream, warmed
  • ¼ cup salted butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon salt, more or less, to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron pan over medium low heat.  Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. 
  • Add the carrots to the onions and cook for another 5 minutes.  Transfer the vegetables to a plate or just push off to one side of the pan.
  • In the same pan, add the ground lamb, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.  Season with the salt and pepper, then mix the lamb with the vegetables and cook, stirring and continuing to break up the chunks of meat frequently, until the lamb is browned, about 10 minutes.
  • To the lamb and vegetable mixture, add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.  Sprinkle with the flour, then stir in to the meat mixture until evenly dispersed, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the beef broth and cook for 3-5 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Then stir in the frozen peas and corn.  Remove from heat and let cool while working on the mashed potatoes.  Either leave in the cast iron pan, if it is oven safe, or transfer to a square baking dish.
  • Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough salted water to cover them by about an inch.  Bring to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork.  Drain well.
  • Add the warmed cream, butter, and salt to the potatoes and mash using a potato masher or ricer, then use to top the shepherd's pie filling in either the cast iron pan or a square baking dish, spreading to the edges and leaving craggy swirls on top instead of smoothing out.
  • Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F until hot all the way through and the mashed potatoes on top have nicely browned spots in a few places.  You may want to place a pan under it in case any filling drips out.  Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Notes

If you don't have fresh rosemary or thyme, you can substitute with 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary or thyme.

Nutrition

Calories: 633kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 958mg | Potassium: 1051mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4288IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 4mg