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Easy shepherd's pie

This easy shepherd's pie is a real people-pleaser, the ultimate comfort food!  It's also very versatile - not only you can make it advance but you can bake it either in a large dish or in individual ramekins which are ideal for parties. If you want it for a later date or midweek supper, once you've assembled the pie you can let it cool then pop it in the freezer. You can bake it straight from frozen at 160°C for about 80 minutes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 people
Cuisine: British
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 large carrots
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 500 g lamb mince
  • 2 Tbsp tomato purée
  • ¼ tsp Worcester sauce
  • 250 ml beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 900 g potato cut into chunks
  • 50 g butter/dairy free spread
  • Milk or oaty milk
  • Grated cheese optional

Method
 

  1. Finely chop the onion, carrots, celery and rosemary leaves.
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan or casserole dish, and gently soften the chopped vegetables for a few minutes.
  3. Add the lamb, turn up the heat, and stir until the mince gets brown. Tip off any excess fat, then add the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce and stir for a minute or two.
  4. Pour in the stock, add one bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cook under cover for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 10-15 minutes until you get a thick sauce.
  5. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water, with an added bay leaf, for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain, remove the bay leaf, then mash the potatoes with the butter, adding enough milk to get your desired creaminess.
  6. Spoon the mash on top of the mince, ruffle with a fork. Alternatively transfer the mince to ovenproof ramekins or a large shallow dish and top with the mash.
  7. Scatter some cheese on the top, if you like, and bake the pie or pies for 20-25 mins until the top is light brown and the mince is bubbling around at the edges.