Classic British Shepherd's Pie with Cheddar & Rosemary
Shepherd's Pie
Comforting shepherd's pie topped with cheddar mash and rosemary—perfect for cosy British dinners.
This is the shepherd's pie my family comes back to on chilly evenings — hearty, unfussy and utterly comforting. Ground lamb simmers with onions, carrots and beefy gravy while a creamy cheddar mash crowns the lot, baking to a golden, bubbling finish.
I love how simple flavours sing here: Worcestershire and tomato paste give depth, rosemary lifts the earthiness, and the sharp cheddar on the mash adds a lovely savoury tang. It's a proper British dinner that's great for sharing.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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2
Place potatoes in a large pan, cover with cold water, season with a pinch of salt, bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 15–18 minutes.
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3
While potatoes cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and sautée for 6–8 minutes until softened.
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4
Add garlic and cook a minute more, then push veg to the side and add ground lamb. Brown the lamb, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains.
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5
Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and flour; cook 1–2 minutes. Gradually add beef stock, scraping up any browned bits, then simmer until the mixture thickens, about 8–10 minutes.
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6
Stir in peas, half the chopped rosemary and parsley, then season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
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7
Drain the potatoes, mash with butter, milk and Dijon mustard until smooth. Stir in the grated cheddar and remaining rosemary, reserving a little cheese for the top.
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8
Spoon the lamb filling into a 9x9-inch or similar shallow baking dish. Spread the cheddar mash over the filling, ruffle the top with a fork and sprinkle the reserved cheese.
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9
Bake for 20–25 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling. If you like extra colour, place under a hot grill for 2–3 minutes to crisp the top.
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10
Rest 5 minutes, sprinkle with chopped parsley, then serve straight from the dish with steamed greens or a simple salad.
Ingredients
- Olive oil:2 tbsp
- Unsalted butter:2 tbsp
- Yellow onion, finely chopped:1 pieces
- Carrots, diced:2 pieces
- Celery stalks, diced:2 pieces
- Garlic cloves, minced:2 pieces
- Ground lamb:1 lb
- Tomato paste:2 tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce:1 tbsp
- All-purpose flour:1 tbsp
- Beef stock:1 1/2 cup
- Frozen peas:1 cup
- Fresh rosemary, chopped:1 tbsp
- Fresh parsley, chopped:2 tbsp
- Salt:1 tsp
- Black pepper:1/2 tsp
- Maris Piper or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut:2 lb
- Milk:1/2 cup
- Cheddar cheese, grated:4 oz
- Dijon mustard:1 tsp
Tips & Notes
- For a smoother mash, warm the milk before adding it to the potatoes — it keeps the mash light and fluffy.
- If you prefer beef, use ground beef to make a cottage pie; the rest of the recipe stays the same.
- Make the filling a day ahead and reheat before topping with mash — it makes dinner day a breeze.
