St Patricks Day Shepherds Pie (Print)
Traditional Irish dish with lamb, veggies, and creamy mashed potato topping, perfect for festive gatherings.
# What You Need:
→ For the Filling
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1.5 pounds ground lamb
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup frozen peas
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 cup beef or lamb broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For the Mashed Potato Topping
15 - 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
16 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
17 - 0.5 cup whole milk
18 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
19 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
20 - 1 egg yolk, optional for extra richness
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground lamb and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess fat if needed.
03 - Add chopped onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add Worcestershire sauce, broth, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove bay leaf and stir in frozen peas. Set filling aside.
06 - Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 15–18 minutes.
07 - Drain potatoes and return to the pot. Add butter, milk, salt, pepper, and mash until smooth. Stir in egg yolk if using.
08 - Spoon the lamb filling into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top, creating decorative ridges with a fork if desired.
09 - Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and filling is bubbling.
10 - Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lamb filling develops this incredible depth that somehow tastes even better the next day
- That golden crust on the potatoes will make everyone sneak a bite the second it comes out of the oven
02 -
- Draining excess fat from the lamb prevents your final dish from being too greasy
- Creating ridges with your fork gives you more crispy golden edges which everyone will fight over
03 -
- Warm your milk before adding it to the potatoes to keep everything hot and prevent gluey mashed potatoes
- Spread the filling to the corners of the dish so every bite has that perfect potato to filling ratio