Irish Shepherd's Pie

4.7
(536)
426 Reviews
114 Photos

This Irish shepherd's pie is a lovely alternative to the much more common corned beef and cabbage you may have been planning for St. Patrick's Day dinner.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
Allrecipes' editorial guidelines
Updated on November 20, 2024
114
Shepherd's Pie in a blue enameled skillet with a serving scooped out of it
114
114
114
Prep Time:
25 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 35 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
1 (9x13-inch) casserole
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 2 pounds lean ground lamb

  • 1 onion, diced

  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoon ketchup

  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

  • 2 ½ cups water, or as needed

  • 1 (12 ounce) package frozen peas and carrots, thawed

  • 2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved

  • ¼ pound Irish cheese (such as Dubliner), shredded

  • ¼ cup cream cheese

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

  2. Place olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in ground lamb and onion; cook and stir until meat is brown and crumbly, about 10 minutes.

  3. Stir in flour until incorporated. Mix in garlic, ketchup, rosemary, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

  4. Stir in water, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring mixture to a simmer; cook and stir until thick, 5 to 6 minutes.

  5. Remove lamb mixture from heat, then stir in peas and carrots until combined.

  6. Spread lamb mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish; set aside.

  7. Place potatoes into a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and return potatoes to the pot.

  8. Mash Irish cheese, cream cheese, butter, and cayenne pepper into potatoes until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.

  9. Whisk together egg yolk and milk in a small bowl; stir into mashed potato mixture.

  10. Top lamb mixture in the baking dish with mashed potatoes; spread evenly to cover.

  11. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling up around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes.

    a serving of Chef John's Irish Shepherd's Pie in a bowl

    Chef John
1,095 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

517 Calories
28g Fat
37g Carbs
29g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 517
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 13g 67%
Cholesterol 132mg 44%
Sodium 301mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 14%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 29g 58%
Vitamin C 7mg 7%
Calcium 155mg 12%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 426mg 9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.