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Spiced shepherd’s pie with feta and tahini mash

Name: Spiced shepherd’s pie with feta and tahini mash
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: Serves 4-6
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 4 anchovy fillets in oil, drained; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced; 2 celery sticks, sliced; 750g lamb mince, preferably 20% fat; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp smoked paprika; ¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 tsp dried mint; 2 tbsp harissa; 400ml chicken stock; 150g frozen peas; 60g pitted green olives; 15g coriander, chopped; 15g mint, chopped; For the topping; 800g floury potatoes such as maris piper or king edward, peeled and quartered; 120ml oat milk; 60g unsalted butter; 1 tbsp tahini; 150g feta, coarsely grated or crumbled; 2 tbsp sesame seeds

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 27 Dec 24
Updated: 6 Jan 25

Spiced shepherd’s pie with feta and tahini mash

This spiced shepherd’s pie has all the comfort of the beloved lamb dish, but with a warming harissa and olive-spiked mince, plus creamy feta and tahini mash.

“When the time came to switch things up and re-create (improve) shepherd’s pie, I jumped at the chance. Shepherd’s pie nay-sayers: fear not, I’ve finally made this pie something to shout about!” says recipe developer Pollyanna Coupland. “The original dish does have one major thing going for it: the lamb. Rich and bold in flavour, lamb is an incredible vehicle for other strong flavours. Tagine, moussaka, shawarma – just three big-hitter lamb dishes that prove the meat is a natural partner for spice.”

“My twist stays true to the original in some ways – saucy lamb, onion, carrots and peas topped with potatoes – but throws in heaps of warming cumin, coriander, cinnamon and nutmeg. Including both fresh and dried mint echoes a moussaka while acknowledging the classic British pairing of lamb with mint sauce. And a nod to tagine by way of green olives adds pops of briny tang.”

“The potato topping gets an upgrade too. After a brief dalliance with an over-tahini-ed mash (I’ve been in love with the combination ever since I discovered Sabrina Ghayour’s crushed new potatoes with tahini butter), I’ve dialled things back, reducing the tahini and adding a hit of sharp feta too. The combo ensures the mash is packed with flavour without being too rich. I use oat milk as I find the flavour goes well with tahini and it’s lighter than regular milk.”

“My pie was good but it was missing that little something – which turned out to be a bit of heat. A few dollops of harissa in the sauce balanced everything out perfectly. The result is a delicious combination of richly spiced lamb with a tangy, nutty, crispy mashed potato topping – a clear upgrade on the original if you ask me!”

Try our best-ever classic shepherd’s pie recipe next and compare the two…

Easy
January 2025

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4-6
Prep time 10 min. Cook time 1 hour 40 min

This spiced shepherd’s pie has all the comfort of the beloved lamb dish, but with a warming harissa and olive-spiked mince, plus creamy feta and tahini mash.

Try our best-ever classic shepherd’s pie recipe next and compare the two…

Nutrition: Per serving (for 6)

Calories: 624kcals
Fat: 37g (18g saturated)
Protein: 36g
Carbohydrates: 33g (8.1g sugars)
Fibre: 7.2g
Salt: 2.3g

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Before you start

Make ahead The lamb mix is a brilliant candidate for batch cooking and a wonder in its own right. Freeze in portions, then serve as a stew with rice or over baked potatoes. The base works with a mixture of lamb and beef too, which keeps costs down if you’re going for a big batch.

Before you start

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
4 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
2 celery sticks, sliced
750g lamb mince, preferably 20% fat
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp dried mint
2 tbsp harissa
400ml chicken stock
150g frozen peas
60g pitted green olives
15g coriander, chopped
15g mint, chopped

For the topping

800g floury potatoes such as maris piper or king edward, peeled and quartered
120ml oat milk
60g unsalted butter
1 tbsp tahini
150g feta, coarsely grated or crumbled
2 tbsp sesame seeds

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Method

Add the oil and anchovies to a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Stir for a minute, breaking up the anchovies into a paste, then add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery and cook for around 8 minutes until softened. Add the lamb mince and turn up the heat. Break it up with a wooden spoon and stir regularly until not merely cooked but starting to crisp and caramelise. You’ll probably need to spoon out and discard some of the liquid the mince expels, as you want the meat to fry not boil.
Once the lamb has browned and caramelised, add the spices, cinnamon stick, dried mint and harissa, stir for a minute, then add the stock. Simmer for 30 minutes, then stir in the peas, olives and chopped fresh herbs.
Meanwhile bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes or until soft. Drain, then mash; a potato masher is fine, but for really smooth mash use a ricer or push the potatoes through a fine sieve with the back of a spoon – a little time consuming but worth it. Return the mash to the pan with the oat milk, butter, tahini and most of the feta, reserving a handful to sprinkle on top. Taste and season with salt; as feta is naturally salty, it won’t need as much as usual.

Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Transfer the lamb to an ovenproof dish and spoon over the mash. An even covering with peaks in the mash is advantageous for crispy bits. Sprinkle over the remaining feta and the sesame seeds and bake for 35-40 minutes. Leave to sit for 5 minutes before serving.