For me, Shepherd’s pie is the ultimate comfort food. The fluffy potatoes, mild seasoning, and gooey cheddar cheese slightly browned in the oven. Is there something more beautiful than this?
When the temperatures drop, I crave two things the most for dinner – Shepherd's Pie and soups.
For this recipe, I use my pre-made frozen bone broth. My nieces love the classic shepherd’s pie. It has a rich flavour and aroma.
However, there is a recipe for quick turnaround as well. For me, both recipes are rockstars in their unique way. I recommend trying both and then deciding what works best for you.
Here are my two versions of Shepherd's pie:
No-fuss Shepherd's Pie
What You Would Need
- 500 grams – lamb mince
- 500 ml beef stock
- 1 large onion – chopped
- 900 grams potatoes
- 85 grams butter
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 2 medium carrots – chopped
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper – to taste
How to Cook No-fuss Shepherd's Pie
- In a pot, fry onions in some oil. Add carrots and saute until tender.
- Now, add lamb mince and fry until the fat and water disappears.
- Add the tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce and fry for a few minutes. Add the beef stock to the pot, cover, and let it cook for half an hour. Add seasoning herbs as you see fit.
- Meanwhile, in another pot, put the potato chunks in salt to boil. After fifteen minutes, when potatoes are tender, strain them. In a bowl, mash the potatoes with butter, milk, and seasoning.
- In a preheated oven, layer the beef mince on a baking tray. Add the layer of mashed potatoes over the mince and slide it into the oven at 140C for half an hour.
- When you start seeing mince bubbling from the sides and a light brown top layer, time to take it out of the oven.
- Let it cool for ten minutes before serving.
Classic Irish Shepherd's Pie
What You Need for Classic Irish Shepherd's Pie
For Mince:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 garlic cloves – mince
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup peas and carrots
- ½ cup corn
For Potato:
- 2 lb. russet potatoes
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup half & half
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
How to Cook Classic Irish Shepherd's Pie
- In a large skillet, fry the onion on medium heat. After the onion appears translucent and tender, add ground lamb, rosemary, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Stir the contents into the lamb and add Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Keep stirring as you add tomato puree and all-purpose flour.
- Now add beef broth and vegetables and let the meat cook for ten minutes.
- In another pot, bring the water to a boil and add salt and potatoes cut into cubes.
- Boil until you can poke the fork into the cubes. Strain the potatoes and let the potatoes sit in a colander to reach medium temperature.
- In a large pot, add half & half, butter, garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Add potatoes and parmesan cheese to the mix and mash until well combined.
- Preheat the oven while layering the lamb and vegetables. Spread the mashed potatoes over the lamb. Even the layer and slide the tray into the oven for 20 minutes at 140C.
- Let the pie cool for ten minutes before you serve.
Takeaway
I mostly make two trays of shepherd’s pie and freeze them for my nieces. These can be stored for a month, but I have a thing for not storing potatoes over a week. They don’t taste as delicious as fresh ones -maybe it’s just me, but it’s not in my practice.
I plan to cook when I am visiting in a day or two. Take it out of the freezer, thaw, and bake. A dash of pepper, sprinkle some cheddar cheese, and your delicious, piping hot shepherd’s pie is ready.
