Let me share one of my all-time favorite comfort dishes – a hearty shepherd’s pie that’s perfect for cold winter evenings. This British classic combines savory, slow-cooked minced meat with creamy mashed potatoes for a complete meal that’s both satisfying and comforting. Whether you choose lamb for a traditional shepherd’s pie or beef for a cottage pie, this recipe delivers rich, deep flavors that will warm you from the inside out.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

After years of perfecting this recipe, I’ve found that the secret lies in properly developing the flavors – from thoroughly browning the meat to letting the wine reduce completely. The result is a rich, complex filling topped with creamy potatoes that form a golden crust in the oven.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

1. Ground Meat: Lamb mince is traditional for shepherd’s pie, however, you can also use beef mince which will make it into a cottage pie! You could use a mixture of beef and lamb mince if that is what you prefer. Choose 20% fat content for best flavor and juiciest. Bring your mince to room temperature before cooking and remember to break up larger chunks while browning for even cooking.
2. The Mirepoix base: the classic trio – carrots, onions and celery. This adds flavour and sweetness to your sauce. Finely diced the vegetables for even cooking.
3. Mushrooms: mushrooms adds umami depth to your sauce and adds meatiness as well. I used button mushrooms which is traditional. Alternatives: Cremini, Portobello, dried mushrooms (rehydrated)
4. Red Wine: Adds depth and flavour to your sauce. If you cannot consume alcohol, you can omit this completely and replace with more stock. Dry red wine is preferred.
5. Stock: Beef stock is the best option for richness. Use low-sodium stock so you can control the salt content better. Mushroom stock is also a great alternative.
6. Potatoes: use a potato ricer for a smooth mash. Or if you don’t have one, you can mash up the potatoes with a fork and it will probably come out a lil lumpy like mine 🙂 Starchy varieties best (Russet, Yukon Gold)

Pro Tips for Perfect Pie

• Meat: Brown meat properly in batches to achieve even browning. Overcrowding can lead to boiling/steaming of mince. Scrape bottom of pan when adding liquids
• Wine: Let wine reduce completely and the alcohol to cook off.
• Mash: place the potatoes in cold water and then bring it to a boil. Salt water generously as potatoes need salt. Use potato ricer for smoothest results

Make-Ahead and Storage

• Assemble up to 2 days ahead and then bake 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve.
• Refrigerate covered for up to 2 days. Freeze up to 3 months
• Reheat by placing it in the oven until hot. Finish it off under broiler. If your top is already too brown, you can place a piece of foil over the top to prevent it from burning.

Whether you choose lamb or beef, this comforting pie is sure to become a family favorite. The key is patience – let the filling develop its flavors and the potato topping get properly golden. Serve hot with your favorite vegetables or a simple green salad!

Ingredients

800g beef mince (for Cottage pie) or lamb mince (for Shepherd’s pie)
2 carrots, peeled and finely cubed
1 large onion, finely cubed
2 celery stalks, finely cubed
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
5 button mushrooms, finely cubed
1/4 cup plain flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups beef or mushroom stock
2 sprigs rosemary

5-6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
parmesan

Method

1. Prepare the mash. Cook the potatoes in a pot of boiling water until fork tender. Drain then mash. Add in the butter, milk and parmesan. Mix well until combined.
2. In a pan over medium heat with a bit of olive oil, brown your ground beef mince.
3. Add the chopped up onion, carrot, celery, garlic and mushroom into the pan and saute for around 10 minutes.
4. Add in the flour and stir so that everything is coated in the flour evenly. Cook the flour for 2 minutes.
5. Add in the tomato paste, worcestershire sauce and red wine. Scrap what’s stuck on the bottom of the pan and let the wine reduce.
6. Add in the stock and rosemary and simmer until the sauce is nice and thick (mine took around 20 minutes), stir occasionally . Then remove the rosemary sprig and season to taste. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
7. Transfer the mince over to a baking dish then top with the potato mash. Create a pattern on top of the mash if you want then bake for 20-30 minutes or until the top of the mash is golden and crispy.