No-fuss shepherd's pie
Cooking time
Prep: 15 mins Cook: 1 hrSkill level
EasyServings
Serves 4We've got some lovely twists on shepherd's pie on the site, but we were missing a definitive version of this classic family recipe - here it is!
Nutrition and extra info
Additional info
- Freeze once assembled
Nutrition per serving
- kcalories
- 663
- protein
- 33g
- carbs
- 49g
- fat
- 39g
- saturates
- 20g
- fibre
- 0g
- sugar
- 10g
- salt
- 1.35g
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2-3 medium carrots, chopped
- 500g pack lamb mince
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- large splash Worcestershire sauce
- 500ml beef stock
- 900g potatoes, cut into chunks
- 85g butter
- 3 tbsp milk
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Method
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, then soften the onion and carrots for a few mins. When soft, turn up the heat, crumble in the lamb and brown, tipping off any excess fat. Add the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce, then fry for a few mins. Pour over the stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 40 mins, uncovering halfway.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C/ fan 160C/ gas 4, then make the mash. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10-15 mins until tender. Drain, then mash with the butter and milk.
- Put the mince into an ovenproof dish, top with the mash and ruffle with a fork. The pie can now be chilled and frozen for up to a month. Bake for 20-25 mins until the top is starting to colour and the mince is bubbling through at the edges. (To bake from frozen, cook at 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 for 1 hr-1 hr 20 mins until piping hot in the centre. Flash under the grill to brown, if you like.) Leave to stand for 5 mins before serving.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, March 2009
Comments, questions and tips
Comments
This is definitely one of those dishes that tastes a lot better the next day.. when i first made and tasted it I was bitterly disappointing as it was runny and tasted of watered down tomatoes, but when i reheated it the next day it was a very different story.. Still not the best shepherd's pie I've ever tasted but tasty non-the-less.
As a student, this was ideal to make over the weekend and freeze for easy eating during the week - and was seriously tasty! Was no real fuss to make (the only issue being a temperamental oven), especially since I made it with quorn mince and vegetable stock and was still yummy. I also used a tin of baked beans instead of tinned tomatoes (family tradition) and it's definitely worth trying at least once that way.
I have just made this to freeze in individual portions so i can take them to work for my dinner whilst i'm on lates.
I used all the ingredients but to make it healthier, i added even more veg to bulk it up, reduced the potatoes from 900g to 700g and used extra lean meat and its delicious!!! Easy to make and very healthy if you do what i did. Big portions and low calories! Absolute treat!
since finding this recipe a couple of years ago, this is now my go to recipe for shephards pie. just a couple of modifications with this recipe though: 1) cook 2 slices of chopped smoked bacon and then carry on with step 1. 2) i have doubled the amount of tomato puree for a stronger flavour. 3) I make up 500 ml beef stock with 2 stock cubes again for a stronger flavour. 4) I added a teaspoon of cornflour with small amount of water and added this with the stock. 5) for the mash, you can add hidden vegetables into this, sometimes i put some cabbage into a food processor and then boil it for a few minutes, i then add this to the potatoes and mash it in. i sometimes also add cheese to the top of pie. i also sometime fry some chopped celery to the onions and carrots for more hidden veg.