Easy Shepherd's Pie

Name: Easy Shepherd's Pie
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp Olive oil; 500 g Lamb mince (Lean); 1 Onion (Chopped); 2 Carrots (Finely chopped); 2 Celery stick (Finely chopped); 1 tbsp Plain flour; 1 tsp Dried thyme (Or fresh if you have it); 1 tsp Dried sage (Or fresh if you have it); 500 ml Hot beef stock; 2 tbsp Tomato puree; 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (Or Henderson's Relish); Salt and pepper (To taste); 1 kg White potatoes; 2 tbsp Butter; Salt and freshly ground black pepper

This classic comfort food dish is the perfect antidote to a cold winter’s day (or any season, for that matter). A simple Shepherd’s Pie recipe that you can make time and time again for the whole family. This traditional British recipe is also ideal for batch cooking and freezing for another day’s easy dinner win.

A golden-topped shepherd's pie in a pan, with a portion missing and spoon serving.

I love love LOVE it when a dinner can be prepped in advance, makes a spare for the freezer AND squeezes in a pile of vegetables.

This is a classic tasty Shepherd’s Pie recipe that does all that and really hits the spot for comfort and indulgence, while staying low cost and relatively healthy.

I like to make a double batch of this on a weekday or weekend when I have a little more time, and can pop one in the freezer for another day when I need a quick reheat job.

But, if you’re putting aside a day for a giant batch cook, this one has GOT to be on the list – your future self will appreciate it!

Why is this the best Shepherd’s Pie recipe?

⭐️ Simple and low cost

⭐️ Hearty, rich and comforting

⭐️ Perfect for batch-cooking

I’ve yet to find a Taming Twins recipe that isn’t 1) Easy to follow. 2) Easy to adapt (celery hater so added peppers instead). 3) Baby weaning friendly by watching the salt content. 4) Utterly delicious.

Sarah’s recipes make my life that little bit easier. Thank you for delicious recipes that I can make even when life is not always easy!

– Sarah

Sarah’s notes

This humble British classic dates back to the 18th century and was born out of frugal creativity and still stands the test of time today.

A Shepherd’s Pie, named because it’s made with ground lamb, is also wonderfully versatile and robust, allowing you to tweak its ingredients to what you have in stock or prefer.

This recipe makes enough for 6 people, or 4 if hungry, and can easily be made gluten-free by substituting flour for cornflour.

Yes, it is very similar to Cottage Pie recipe (which uses ground beef mince instead), and while we’re on the subject of pies, a Cumberland Pie refers to any type of meat pie that’s topped with mashed potatoes and a layer of breadcrumbs.

While not strictly traditional, a sprinkling of grated cheese over your mash on your Shepherd’s Pie (or Cottage Pie for that matter) is so delicious.

Shepherd’s Pie Ingredients

Raw ingredients laid out on a counter top for shepherd's pie, including mince, vegetables, tomato puree, herbs, Worcestershire sauce and flour.

Olive oil – Sunflower or vegetable oil if you prefer.
Large onion – Fresh or pre-chopped frozen is fine.
Carrots – Chopped finely.
Celery – This adds a savoury depth of flavour.
Lamb mince – Try to get as lean as possible.
Plain flour – Substitute for cornflour (corn starch in the US) to make gluten-free.
Dried thyme and sage – Or fresh if you have it.
Beef stock – Made from a cube is fine.
Tomato puree – Buy good quality if you can.
Worcestershire sauce – Or Henderson’s Relish.
Salt and pepper – Use plenty in this dish.
White potatoes – Go for something floury and fluffy in texture like King Edward or Maris Piper. My preference would be Desiree though.
Butter – I like salted.

How to make Shepherd’s Pie

1. Fry the mince until browned over a medium heat, add chopped vegetables and cook (according to the recipe below).

2. Add the flour, pour in beef stock, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Simmer.

3. Peel, chop and boil your potatoes, then drain and mash with butter and salt and pepper.

4. Add the meat mixture to an ovenproof casserole dish, followed by the creamy mashed potatoes. Bake.

Hint: Cooking time for the mince – this will vary depending on the type of pan you are using. I say 30 minutes, by which time the sauce/gravy should be thick, deep brown and very tasty. If it’s not, cook for a further 10 minutes at this point.

Substitutions

Vegetables – You can use anything you like in a Shepherd’s Pie, but any veggies that will stay intact (like root veg) while it’s cooking is ideal. Peas work well, as does swede, leeks or sweetcorn.

Leftovers or Make Ahead

A Shepherd’s Pie is the perfect make-ahead food.

In the fridge Cook up to point 11 in the recipe below and you can keep this recipe in the fridge for 2 days. Then bake as normal.

How to freeze this Shepherd’s Pie Once your pie is assembled (point 11 in the recipe below) you can chill and then freeze for up to one month. When you are ready to use the pie, defrost in the fridge over night, then bake as normal from point 12 in the recipe. It may take a little longer than normal to bake, as always, check it is piping hot inside before serving.

Technically, it can also be cooked from frozen – cook at 160℃/325F fan 140℃/275F or gas 3 for 1 hr-1 hr 20 mins until piping hot in the centre. I have to say I prefer to defrost overnight first as the pie won’t dry out as much.

Recipe Tips

Baking dishes

If you don’t want a pie dish out of action in the freezer, or you’re cooking a few batches, you can use foil trays with lids, like these ones from Amazon.

This lovely enamelware baking dish is what I use to cook the pies in. I swear by these!

Easy creamy mashed potato

To make life easier, use a ricer-style potato masher to get your mash just right. I think this one is brilliant and makes it so much easier.

Other lamb mince recipes

If you enjoy this, you might like these other easy lamb mince recipes: Easy Lamb Keema, Homemade Doner Kebab and Lamb Koftas.

More classic pie recipes…

Comfort Food

Cowboy Pie {Mash-Topped Sausage & Beans}

Fish

Easy Fish Pie {with Crunchy Cheese Topping}

Vegetarian

The ULTIMATE Vegetarian Cottage Pie

Winter Warmers

Chicken and Mushroom Pie

FAQs

Is this a healthy Shepherd’s Pie recipe?

Because Shepherd’s Pie uses lamb mince, it can be quite high in fat. You can buy lean lamb mince but it’s quite difficult to find.

To reduce the fat content, you could drain some of the fat from the pan when you brown the mince, before adding the other ingredients.

Can I make this Shepherd’s Pie gluten free?

Yes. To make this Shepherd’s Pie recipe gluten free, substitute the plain flour for cornflour/corn starch (check your packaging to ensure it is gluten free) or any gluten free flour. Check all other ingredients too of course.

What’s the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie?

They’re similar dishes but a Shepherd’s Pie uses minced lamb (hence the name) and Cottage Pie is made with minced beef, with its name coming from its Victorian-era heritage as a low-cost meal that was popular for farm workers at the time.

What should I serve with Shepherd’s Pie?

I like onion gravy, steamed cabbage or braised red cabbage, or the classic – baked beans and brown sauce!

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

This post was originally published on February 7th, 2019. It was updated on September 22nd, 2025 to add additional step-by-step videos and new images.