Shepherd's Pie

Since I'm in England I thought it was only fair to post an English recipe. But this isn't just any English recipe, this is one of the comfort foods from my youth and a recipe passed on to me by my mother. If you don't feel like topping the minced meat with mashed potatoes to make Shepherd's pie you can serve it over spaghetti, inside rigatoni, with cheese sauce to make lasagna, add it to a bean chili, or add some taco seasonings and throw it in a taco shell/wrap it in a tortilla and enjoy! This is truly one versatile recipe, and one that my family enjoyed over and over again as I was growing up.

The other benefit of this recipe is you can assemble the Shepherd's pie the night before you are going to eat it. Then when it's close to dinner time remove it from the fridge, pop it in the oven and you're ready to go! Minced meat can also be stored in the freezer for the next time you are ready to use it.

Side Note: Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with ground lamb. When it's made with beef it is referred to as Cottage Pie. But for me, this recipe is Shepherd's Pie.

Minced Meat

• 1 medium onion, diced


• 1 lb ground turkey


• 1 lb ground lean beef


• 1 can diced plum tomatoes


• 1/2 oxo beef stock cube


• sprinkling of herbes de provence

Place the diced onion in a large frying pan over medium heat, cook until translucent. Add equal parts ground turkey and ground lean beef. Cook until all the meat is browned. Add diced plum tomatoes, oxo seasoning cube, and herbs. Simmer until fluid no longer remains and meat is soft.


To Make the Shepherd's Pie
mashed potatoes
minced meat (as above)

Place minced meat in a round casserole dish*. Top with mashed potatoes (amount depends on size of casserole dish) using a fork to make designs in the top of the potatoes. Bake in oven at 350F until top is golden and crispy and liquid around meat is bubbling (approximately 30 min). Enjoy!


*If you want more veggies in your shepherd's pie you can mix the minced meat with peas and diced carrots before placing it in the casserole dish.