Alton Brown's Delicious Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Shepherd's pie, cottage pie, or hachis Parmentier in French cooking, is a delicious dish made with cooked minced meat and topped with creamy mashed potatoes before being baked. It's also known as Sanders or Saunders.

Shepherd's Pie - Alton BrownPhoto byFood Network

You can use either pre-cooked meat or fresh mince, with beef and lamb being the most common choices. The terms shepherd's pie and cottage pie have been mixed up since they first appeared in the late 1700s and early 1800s, but some folks argue that shepherd's pie should specifically have lamb or mutton, while cottage pie is made with beef.

This Shepherd's pie is a great way to sneak some veggies into your kids' meals. Loaded with protein and fiber, Alton's delicious take on this classic U.K. dish will have your family feeling full and satisfied.

Ingredients you will need for this Shepherd's pie recipe

For the potatoes:

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

How to make this dish

Step 1: Start by peeling the potatoes and chopping them into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss them into a medium saucepan and cover them with cold water. Put it on high heat, cover it up, and wait for it to boil. Once it’s boiling, take off the lid, lower the heat to keep it at a simmer, and cook until they’re soft enough to crush with tongs, which should take about 10 to 15 minutes. While that’s happening, grab a microwave-safe bowl and mix in the half-and-half and butter, then heat it in the microwave for about 35 seconds until it’s nice and warm. After the potatoes are done, drain them in a colander and put them back in the saucepan. Mash them up, then mix in the half-and-half, butter, salt, and pepper, continuing to mash until it’s all smooth. Finally, stir in the egg yolk until everything is well blended.

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Step 3: While the potatoes are boiling, get the filling ready. Heat some canola oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, toss in the onion and carrots, sautéing them until they start to color up, which should take about 3 to 4 minutes. Then, add the garlic and mix it in. Next, throw in the lamb, along with salt and pepper, and cook until it’s browned and fully cooked, around 3 minutes. Dust the meat with flour and stir it around, cooking for another minute. Now, add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and thyme, mixing everything together. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover it up, and let it simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit.

Step 4: Mix in the corn and peas with the lamb mixture, then spread it out evenly in an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Layer the mashed potatoes on top, starting from the edges to form a seal that keeps the mixture from bubbling over, and smooth it out with a rubber spatula. Set the dish on a parchment-lined half sheet pan and pop it in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes start to turn golden brown. Once done, take it out and let it cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

This recipe was created by Alton Brown on Food Network.

What Food Network users are saying about this recipe:

Best Shepherd’s Pie recipe. Everyone *loved* it. Leftovers were delicious too. So glad I tried this one. So fun to make! Should have known it would be the best…since it was Alton’s!

Substituted diced chicken thighs as I don't eat lamb/beef/pork and I thought this turned out great! Used a mix of red and gold potatoes because the bag at Aldi was exactly 1.5lbs, left the skin on. Had 3 friends here and we finished the whole dish. Will definitely make again.

Amazing every time and you can easily adjust. I use hamburger if no lamb is available. Wish I could give this 10 stars! Thanks Alton.

I've been making shepherd's pie using this recipe (no modifications except for doubling or tripling for more people or to freeze) for several years now and it's a hit EVERY time!! Even the picky people in my family rave about it. And it thaws and reheats perfectly! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This recipe tastes amazing. I used ground beef because that's just what I had around and it worked great. I also doubled the potatoes (but we just love mashed potatoes). Will definitely make this many more times.