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Classic Shepherds Pie Easy

The term shepherd's pie did not appear until 1854 and was initially used synonymously with cottage pie, regardless of whether the meat was beef or lamb. Several cookery writers have asserted in recent decades that shepherd's pie uses lamb while cottage pie uses beef.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 355
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For lamb mixture:
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 diced onion
  • 2 diced carrots
  • 2 pounds lean ground lamb
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon minced thyme
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 2 ½ cups broth (use more or less to adjust thickness as needed)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • For the potato topping:
  • 2 ½ pound Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • pinch of cayenne
  • ¼ cup cream cheese
  • ¼ pound Irish cheddar
  • 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoon milk

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Place olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in onion and ground lamb; brown the meat, breaking it up into small crumbles as it cooks, for about 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in flour until incorporated, then mix in salt, black pepper, rosemary, paprika, cinnamon, ketchup, and garlic; cook and stir until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in water and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring mixture to a simmer; cook and stir until thick, about 5-6 minutes.
  5. Remove lamb mixture from heat and stir in peas and carrots until combined.
  6. Spread lamb mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  7. Place potatoes into a large pan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and return potatoes to pan.
  8. Mash butter, cayenne pepper, cream cheese, and Irish cheese into the potatoes. Mash until combined and potatoes are smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  9. Whisk together egg yolk and milk in a small bowl; stir into the mashed potato mixture.
  10. Top the lamb mixture in the baking dish with the mashed potatoes and spread evenly to cover.
  11. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes.
  12. Garlic and Herb Crusted Lamb Chops
  13. Honey Glazed Lamb Chops
  14. Air Fryer Lamb Chops

Notes

Storage & Meal Prep
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat, in the microwave, or in a 350°F oven until heated through.