Classic shepherd’s pie
By:
Emily Gussin
Food producer and sustainability lead, delicious.
- Published: 27 Dec 24
- Updated: 12 Mar 25
Shepherd’s pie is one of the old-school British classics. This foolproof recipe lets the ingredients do the talking; the flavour of the lamb mince takes centre stage, while the potatoes bring buttery goodness and the peas add pops of sweetness.
“The recipe has evolved – I doubt many 18th-century shepherds were overladen with wine, Worcestershire sauce and garlic – but it has remained true to its roots for a reason,” says recipe developer Emily Gussin. “I can’t think of anything more comforting to tuck into on a chilly January evening, and introducing other bold ingredients would ruin its familiar, nostalgic flavour profile.”
“Maris piper potatoes are the traditional go-to for mash, but if you can get russet or yukon gold instead, they amp up the silkiness (as does a generous knob of butter),” says Emily. “Piping the mash on top in little blobs instead of the classic fork-scraping method creates lines of proud potato domes.”
“When it comes to the lamb beneath, red wine, Worcestershire sauce and tomato purée bring sweetness and umami without overpowering the meat. Carrots and peas within the dish – rather than served on the side – prevent the mince becoming too one-dimensional, while ensuring your lamb mince is at least 20% fat will guarantee the best flavour.”
Fancy a shepherd’s pie with a modern twist? Try Pollyanna Coupland’s spiced shepherd’s pie with feta and tahini mash.
Before you start
Make ahead You can make the pie (but not bake it) up to 3 days in advance, keeping it covered in the fridge. Add an extra 5-10 minutes if you’re baking it straight from the fridge.
Be a better cook If you don’t want to add any wine to the dish, you can add an extra 100ml stock (and maybe a splash of red wine vinegar). While piping the mash on the pie looks great, it’s not strictly necessary. As well as the fork ruffling approach, bigger mounds using an ice cream scoop look effective and don’t disturb the layer beneath too much.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 500g lamb mince, preferably 20% fat
- 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 200ml red wine (whatever you’d like to drink with it)
- 500ml beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 10g thyme sprigs
- 200g frozen peas
For the mash
- 1kg floury potatoes, ideally yukon gold or russet, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
- 200ml whole milk
- 80g salted butter
Specialist kit
- Piping bag (optional)
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and a good pinch of salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the lamb mince, using a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces, then cook for about 8 minutes until lightly browned.
- Stir in the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce, then cook for 2 minutes. Increase the heat a little and add the wine. Bubble for a few minutes until reduced by half, then pour in the stock. Tie the bay leaf and thyme into a bunch with some string and add this too. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes until reduced a little.
- Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until tender to the point of a table knife.
- Drain the potatoes and return to the pan. Let them steam dry for a minute, then add the milk and butter and mash with a potato masher until very smooth. Season the mash well with salt and pepper and use a wooden spoon to stir it so it’s even smoother. Transfer to a piping bag with a 3cm opening snipped off (if you like – see ‘Be a better cook’).
- Stir the peas into the lamb mixture and remove the herbs. Pour the lamb mixture into an oven dish (about 20cm x 30cm), then top evenly with the mashed potato, be it piped, scooped or spooned. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and slightly crisp on top.
- Recipe from January 2025 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 540kcals
- Fat
- 27g (14g saturated)
- Protein
- 25g
- Carbohydrates
- 40g (11g sugars)
- Fibre
- 6.7g
- Salt
- 0.8g
Buy ingredients online
Rate & review
Rate
Reviews
Share a tip
Save recipe
-
Easy
Save recipe
Christmas pies
Shepherd’s pie with creamy potato and parsnip topping
This shepherd’s pie with potato and parsnip mash has a...
-
Easy
Save recipe
Shepherd's pie
Spiced shepherd’s pie with feta and tahini mash
This spiced shepherd’s pie has all the comfort of the...
-
Easy
Save recipe
Shepherd's pie
Pressure cooker spiced shepherd’s pie
Make spicy shepherd’s pie with a pressure cooker using this...
-
Easy
Save recipe
Parsnips
Spiced parsnip and carrot shepherd’s pie
This spiced lamb recipe is a tasty alternative to shepherd’s...
-
Easy
Subscribe to our magazine
Food stories, skills and tested recipes, straight to your door... Enjoy 5 issues for just £5 with our special introductory offer.
Subscribe
Unleash your inner chef
Looking for inspiration? Receive the latest recipes with our newsletter
Shepherds pie doesn’t need / want garlic! Celery, onion, carrot – yes. Mixed herbs / bay leaves – absolutely. Chopped toms – maybe. Good stock – definitely. My Nan would have thought I was insane if I added garlic! It isnt a french or italian dish. She was born in 1911, garlic was never part of her diet as she grew up.
Hello, thanks for your feedback on this recipe. As writer Emily says in the intro, the recipe has evolved over the decades (now often including wine and Worcestershire sauce) and it’s interesting to hear garlic is a no for you in your shepherd’s pie! Thanks for sharing.