Do you know the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie? Cottage pie is traditionally made with beef, while Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb. My easy Shepherd’s Pie is the perfect way to use up leftover lamb from my Herb-Rubbed Lamb Shoulder Roast. I don’t just use the meat; I also incorporate the roasted onions and rich gravy from the original dish, which adds incredible depth of flavor with almost no extra effort.
This is one of the simplest and most satisfying leftover makeovers I know. Frozen mixed vegetables and store-bought mashed potatoes (I especially like Bob Evans) make it quick enough for a busy weeknight while still tasting completely homemade. It’s hearty, comforting, and delicious, and no one ever guesses it started as a semi-homemade meal built around leftovers.
The lamb for this recipe came from Sterling Farms, who raise cattle, hogs, and Dorper sheep locally, with animals born, raised, and USDA-inspected close to home. Their careful, low-stress handling and responsible farm-to-table practices produce lamb that is fresh, clean-tasting, and consistently high quality. Sterling Farms specializes in farm-to-table sales, including Rancher’s Reserve meat boxes, honey, pickled quail eggs, seasonal salsas, and a variety of pantry items, with meats that are expertly aged and vacuum sealed for freshness. Visit their online store to browse their products or to make a purchase from their March lamb special.
One of the things I appreciate most about Sterling Farms lamb is its mild, clean flavor. Unlike grocery store lamb, it doesn’t have a strong gamey taste. The Herb-Rubbed Lamb Shoulder Roast cooked up tender and juicy with a beautiful rosy interior, and the leftovers were perfect for chopping and transforming into this warm, comforting Shepherd’s Pie, a second meal that’s just as satisfying as the first.
Ingredients
4 Tbsp. butter + 2 Tbsp. for the top
1 container mushrooms, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
Leftover roasted onions, chopped
2 cups broth, leftover from the lamb roast
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. bouillon (I used beef Better Than Bouillon)
1 cup red wine
1 packet dry onion soup mix
Leftover lamb roast, chopped (about 1-1/2 lb.)
1-2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup water
Salt and pepper
2 family-sized containers prepared mashed potatoes (I like Bob Evans, but you can use your favorite or make homemade)
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat the butter. Sauté the mushrooms, garlic and celery until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the leftover roasted onions. Add salt and pepper. Stir.
Add the leftover broth, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, red wine, tomato paste and onion soup mix. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat for a light boil. Add more salt and pepper to taste (we are layering the salt and pepper at each step). Cook down for about 5 minutes. Taste to adjust the seasonings. If you think you have added enough salt and pepper, you do not have to add any more.
Add the lamb and mixed vegetables.
The frozen peas are optional, but I like the bright green color, plus I like more peas than the frozen vegetables provide. Add a little more salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes to take the chill off the lamb and vegetables.
Make a cornstarch slurry, whisking 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and water. Pour into the filling mixture. Stir until your desired thickness is attained. If you like a thicker texture, you can add some more cornstarch slurry.
Transfer the filling into a greased casserole dish.
Stir in plenty of salt and pepper into the mashed potatoes. I use a ready-made mashed potato side dish from the grocery store as a helper for a quick meal. You can certainly use homemade mashed potatoes as long as they are creamy and spreadable. Mashed potatoes require a hefty amount of salt and pepper. Taste to adjust as you stir it in. Alternatively, you could use mashed cauliflower if it is a thicker consistency to keep it lower in carbs.
Spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling. Smooth it out with a spatula.
Dot with cubes of butter.
Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
Shepherd’s Pie with Mushroom and Onion Gravy Sponsored by Sterling Farms
Equipment
- 1 knife
- Measuring spoons
- 1 measuring cup
- 1 large skillet
- 1 Large spoon
- 1 large casserole dish
- 1 baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp. butter + 2 Tbsp. for the top
- 1 container mushrooms sliced
- 2 ribs celery sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Leftover roasted onions chopped
- 2 cups broth leftover from the lamb roast
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. bouillon I used beef Better Than Bouillon
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix
- Leftover lamb roast chopped (about 1-1/2 lb.)
- 1-2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 cup frozen peas optional
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- Salt and pepper
- 2 family sized containers prepared mashed potatoes I like Bob Evans, but you can use your favorite or make homemade
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the butter.
- Sauté the mushrooms, garlic and celery until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add the leftover roasted onions.
- Add salt and pepper.
- Stir.
- Add the leftover broth, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, red wine, tomato paste and onion soup mix.
- Stir well.
- Bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat for a light boil.
- Add more salt and pepper to taste to layer the seasoning at each step.
- Cook down for about 5 minutes.
- Taste to adjust the seasonings. If you think you have added enough salt and pepper, you do not have to add any more.
- Add the lamb, mixed vegetables and frozen peas.
- Add a little more salt and pepper if needed.
- Cook another 5 minutes to take the chill off the lamb and vegetables.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by whisking 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with water.
- Pour into the filling mixture and stir until your desired thickness is attained. If you like a thicker texture, you can add some more cornstarch slurry.
- Transfer the filling into a greased casserole dish.
- Stir in plenty of salt and pepper into the mashed potatoes and taste to adjust the seasoning.
- Spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling.
- Smooth it out with a spatula.
- Dot with cubes of butter.
- Place casserole dish on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes.
- Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
