This shepherd’s pie recipe is perfect for a cozy dinner on a cold night. A thick gravy made with ground lamb and subtly sweet prunes pairs perfectly with fluffy mashed potatoes.
Shepherd’s pie is the perfect recipe for a cozy midweek meal or a celebratory St. Patrick’s Day dinner.
Shepherd’s pie was one of my favorite meals growing up. Granted, we always ate ours with beef, which was technically cottage pie. Regardless of the name, it was one of my favorite dishes. My dad always added corn and peas to the beef and topped it with a thick layer of mashed potatoes and melted cheese. It was so comforting and warmed you on even the coldest day!
Whether making shepherd’s pie or cottage pie, I like to start with a base of ground meat, aromatics, red wine, and beef stock. I lean into my Irish Guinness Beef Stew Recipe and add prunes to this shepherd’s pie recipe. The prunes add the perfect amount of subtle sweetness and melt into the lamb gravy beautifully. I gave a portion to my neighbor, who couldn’t get over the delicious addition of the prunes! I think you will love it, too! If you don’t have prunes, you could use chopped dates or a spoonful or two of fig jam.
How to make this shepherd’s pie recipe
This recipe has just two main components: the lamb gravy and the mashed potatoes. Neither is terribly difficult to make.
What you need
- Lamb gravy: The gravy starts with dried prunes and ground lamb. I add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic as the aromatic base. The gravy is thickened with flour, wine, and beef stock. Worcestershire sauce adds a nice, savory punch. Lastly, I finish the gravy with a bay leaf and fresh thyme for a deeper flavor. I finish the gravy with frozen peas for extra veggies!
- Mashed potatoes: The potatoes are made with Yukon gold potatoes, milk, butter, and chives.
How to make it
- Step 1: Soak the prunes. Soak the prunes as you prepare the shepherd’s pie. After the prunes soak, drain them and roughly chop them.
- Step 2: Brown the lamb. Cook the lamb in a wide pot until cooked through. Season it and transfer it to a bowl.
- Step 3: Saute the aromatics. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and sauté for a few minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook until the paste deepens in color. Add the flour and toss to coat.
- Step 4: Make the sauce. Add the red wine and whisk until a thick slurry forms. Add the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce and continue whisking until smooth. Add the cooked lamb, chopped prunes, bay leaf, and thyme to the pot. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. After the gravy simmers, discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs and season the gravy to taste.
- Step 5: Make the mashed potatoes. Boil the potatoes and drain them. Use a food mill, ricer, or potato masher to mash until mostly free of lumps. Add the milk, butter, and chives and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Step 6: Finish the gravy by adding frozen peas.
- Step 7: Assemble and bake the shepherd’s pie. Transfer the gravy to a baking dish. Add the potatoes and transfer the shepherd’s pie to the oven for 30 minutes. You can broil the potatoes for a couple of minutes to brown them further.
Do you have to pipe the potatoes? Of course not! I think they look pretty, but you can spoon the potatoes on top and smooth them out with the back of your spoon. If you want to pipe them as I did, use a piping bag with a star tip. Create rows of 2-inch-sized stars and fill in the gaps with tiny stars to create a little dimension.
After baking the shepherd’s pie, let it stand for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. You can finish it with freshly minced chives, parsley, or thyme leaves.
Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup pitted prunes
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
- 2 carrots (peeled and diced)
- 2 ribs celery (trimmed and diced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ cups beef stock
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2¼ pounds Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1″ cubes)
- 6 tablespoons butter (softened)
- ½ cup whole milk (plus more if needed)
- 1 tablespoon chives (finely minced, plus more for serving)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Soak the prunes:
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Cover the prunes with water and soak them for 20 minutes. Drain the prunes and roughly chop them. Set aside.
Brown the lamb:
- Heat the neutral oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb and cook for 12–15 minutes until browned. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Transfer the cooked lamb to a paper towel-lined plate. Strain off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot.
Cook the vegetables:
- Turn the heat on the pot to medium. Add the yellow onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the gravy:
- Add the tomato paste and minced garlic to the vegetables. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, mashing the paste into the vegetables as it cooks.
- Add the flour and toss to coat. Cook for 2 minutes more.
- Pour in ½ cup red wine and turn the heat to medium-high, stirring to create a thick slurry. Add the Worcestershire sauce and 1½ cups beef stock. Whisk until a thick sauce forms.
- Return the lamb to the pot along with the chopped prunes, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
Simmer the gravy:
- Bring to a boil, taste, and season the gravy with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water or beef stock if the liquid reduces too quickly.
- Finish the gravy:
- Taste the gravy once more. Add the frozen peas and stir until incorporated. Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
Make the potatoes:
- Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Add 2 teaspoons kosher and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
Mash the potatoes:
- Send the potatoes through a ricer or food mill or mash them with a potato masher until free of lumps.
- Add the softened butter, whole milk, and minced chives to the potatoes and mash until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add more salt if desired.
Prepare the shepherd’s pie:
- Pour the gravy into a 9×13 baking dish. Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes on top. I used a piping bag with a star tip and piped 2-inch dots across the baking dish. I filled in the gaps with smaller dots.
- Transfer to the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Broil the shepherd’s pie, optional:
- Turn on the broiler.
- Broil until the potatoes turn golden brown on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the broiler and let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of freshly minced chives.
To serve:
- Spoon the shepherd’s pie onto plates. Enjoy!
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