shepherd's pie — Credit:
Caitlin Bensel / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee

Active Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

2 hrs 20 mins

Servings:

A rich meat and vegetable filling under a blanket of creamy mashed potatoes gives shepherd’s pie its classic cozy appeal.
Browning the meat and aromatics before baking deepens flavor; once in the oven, the potato topping turns golden and slightly crisp.
This timeless staple of the U.K. and Ireland is hearty and family-friendly, perfect for weeknight dinners or casual gatherings.

Shepherd's pie, that iconic combination of flavorful minced lamb with a mashed potato topping, is one of the most beloved classics of the United Kingdom and Ireland. For this version, English chef Tom Aikens infuses milk and cream with fresh herbs before folding it into the potatoes to make each bite especially luxurious. This savory pie is perfect for a dinner party or family holiday meal.

What is the best meat for shepherd's pie?

Order shepherd's pie at a restaurant these days and you're likely to get a dish similar to this one, but made with seasoned ground beef. Though you may see it less often for reasons of cost or consumer taste, lamb is actually the traditional meat of choice — shepherds tend to flocks of sheep, after all — with the beef version sometimes called "cottage pie" to differentiate the two. Today, however, the two terms are used more or less interchangeably, and you'll also find both used for dishes made with ground chicken, turkey, or even (for a vegetarian rendition) mushrooms or lentils.

What seasonings do you put in shepherd's pie?

Aside from salt and pepper, a shepherd's pie typically gets its flavor from aromatics — onions and often garlic, plus vegetables like carrots and celery — and dried or fresh herbs. We use dried bay leaf and fresh thyme and rosemary in this recipe, but other common additions include parsley and sage. Many modern recipes also up the umami with tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and/or mustard. This shepherd's pie also includes a more uncommon seasoning: nutmeg, which we grate fresh into the creamy mashed potato topping. This spice adds a warm, fragrant, slightly sweet layer to the finished dish.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

For the smoothest, silkiest potato topping, it's best to use a potato ricer or even a food mill, which will make easy work of many pounds of potatoes while eliminating any chunks and bumps. If you don't have a potato ricer or food mill, you can press the potatoes with a spoon or spatula through a fine sieve or mesh strainer — or just use a good old-fashioned potato masher. Whatever path you take, remember: Even chunky potatoes will taste delicious here.

Suggested pairing

Hearty lamb dishes like shepherd's pie often bring red wine to mind. Red Rhône varieties like Syrah and Grenache from California's Central Coast have a spicy edge that would impress with this dish.

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Ingredients

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Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings

Lamb filling

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds ground lamb
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 large celery ribs, cut into 1/3-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 quart beef stock

Potato topping

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 (3-inch) rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs
Freshly grated nutmeg
2 1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
3 large garlic cloves, halved
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Set a colander over a bowl. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the lamb, season with salt and pepper, and brown over high heat, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Transfer the lamb to the colander; wipe out the pan.
Melt the butter in the Dutch oven. Add the onion, turnips, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and water, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes.
Return the lamb to the Dutch oven. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle with the flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the lamb to a 9 x 13-inch ceramic casserole dish. Let cool.
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, butter, oil, rosemary, bay leaf, thyme, and a pinch of nutmeg, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water. Add the garlic and a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat until the potatoes are tender, 12 minutes; drain. Return the potatoes and garlic to the saucepan and shake over high heat until dry. Pass the potatoes and garlic through a ricer into a large bowl. Strain the milk mixture over the potatoes and stir it in. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the mashed potatoes over the lamb. Bake in the upper third of the oven until the filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, until browned. (If using a glass casserole dish, skip the broiling.) Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.