If you like shepherd's pie then you'll love our cheesy shepherd's pie recipe. It's the ultimate comfort food when it's cold outside, but also something we enjoy early spring when we want something hearty but not too heavy.
We've filled it with classic ingredients such as lamb mince, onion, herbs and red wine. Plus, we've got our creamy mash potato topping - but we've gone one step further by adding grated Parmesan for an irresistible crunchy finish.
Serve with a glass of red wine (we suggest a pinot noir) and a green side salad for a complete meal. Enjoy with friends and family.
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Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
55 mins
Cal/Serv:
640
Ingredients
450g
minced lamb
1
large onion, finely chopped
1
fresh rosemary sprig or a large pinch of dried rosemary
225ml
red wine
500g
tub chilled Napoletana pasta sauce
900g
floury potatoes, peeled
50g
butter
50g
coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Step 1
Brown the minced lamb in a large non-stick pan, stirring well to break up any lumps. Allow a good 5-7min to do this, as getting the mince a dark golden brown colour at this stage will add bags of flavour to the finished sauce.
Step 2
Remove the mince and set aside. Add the onion to the pan with the rosemary (there should be enough fat left from the mince without having to add any extra oil) and fry for about 10min over a high heat until the onion is soft and golden.
Step 3
Return the mince to the pan, keeping it over a high heat, then stir in the wine, which will bubble immediately. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any crusty bits, then leave the wine to bubble gently until roughly half of it has evaporated. Stir in the pasta sauce, then simmer uncovered for about 20min.
Step 4
While the meat sauce is simmering, cut the potatoes into large chunks and cook in boiling salted water for 10-12min until very tender. Drain the potatoes well and return to the hot pan to dry off any excess moisture. Mash with the butter and half the Parmesan.
Step 5
Preheat the grill to high. Spoon the meat sauce into a medium-sized ovenproof dish. Top with the mash (there's no need to be too neat), then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Step 6
Brown under the grill for 2-3min before serving. Alternatively, cool the pie, then cover and keep in the fridge for up to two days until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) mark 6, then cook the pie for 25-30min until piping hot and golden on top.
GH Tip
If you haven't got any wine, you can substitute with lamb or beef stock.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
