Traditional Shepherd's Pie with Roasted Root Vegetables

A comforting British classic featuring savory slow-cooked ground lamb in a rich gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes, served alongside tender roasted root vegetables for a complete meal.

• Prep: 45 min
• Cook: 1 hr 45 min
• Total: 2 hr 30 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: British
• Difficulty: Hard

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• bake
• comfort food
• savory
• classic
• crowd-pleaser

Ingredients

• 2 pound ground lamb shoulder
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 yellow onions (large, diced)
• 4 carrots (medium, diced)
• 2 celery stalks (diced)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cup dry red wine
• 2 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 fresh rosemaries (sprigs, divided)
• 4 fresh thymes (sprigs, divided)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 pound Russet potato (peeled, quartered)
• 0.5 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 parsnips (large, peeled, chopped)
• 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground lamb and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off excess fat and set lamb aside.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add yellow onions, 3 carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with dry red wine, scraping up any browned bits. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
5. Stir in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Return the cooked ground lamb to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Remove bay leaf, rosemary sprig, and thyme sprigs before topping.
6. While the lamb mixture simmers, place Russet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
7. Return drained potatoes to the hot pot. Add whole milk and 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Mash until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
8. For the roasted root vegetables, toss remaining 1 carrot and parsnips with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized. Add remaining 1 sprig fresh rosemary and 1 sprig fresh thyme for the last 10 minutes of roasting.
9. If using, stir frozen peas into the lamb mixture. Pour the lamb mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top evenly with the mashed potatoes, using a fork to create ridges.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the mashed potato topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving with the roasted root vegetables.

Notes

Allowing the pie to rest for a few minutes after baking helps the filling set, making it easier to serve. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 710
• Protein: 52.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 49.3 g
• Fat: 33.6 g
• Fiber: 9.4 g
• Sodium: 780 mg
• Saturated Fat: 14.5 g
• Sugar: 7.1 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg