Ground Lamb Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

with Biscuit Lids

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Shepherd’s Pie is a kitchen staple that most people love. You can top it off with other items besides mashed potatoes, though. With this recipe, the potato has been swapped out for biscuit lids instead.

The result is one of our favorite ground lamb recipes. It’s rich, satisfying and everyone will want a second helping. It’s also made up of ingredients that most people will have in their kitchens already. It’s not quite dump-and-go, but it’s pretty close.

If you have unexpected dinner guests, or had a bad day at work, it’s quick and easy to put together. The only real prep work you need to do is to chop up the celery and shallot—it’s that simple.

We love this recipe because it is so easy. You can add extra ingredients if you like, and make it your own.

What Ground Lamb is Best

A leaner lamb will work well here. Aim for about 85 percent lean meat if possible. You’ve got plenty of flavor from the herbs, so you don’t need a lot of fat at all. Choose meat from a reputable supplier to get the best possible flavor.

What to Serve with It?

Shepherd’s pie is a one-and-done meal. You can serve it as it is. In our recipe, we’ve split it up into individual ramekins so that each portion is perfect. You could, if you prefer, put everything into one big oven-proof dish and then dish up the portions yourself.

This is a good idea if you decide that you want to serve some sides with it. Sides that will work well are glazed carrots, corn, or maybe even potatoes. We know that there are carrots in the pie, but that doesn’t really matter – glazed carrots will taste different.

You could also serve it with a green salad to get more nutrients in but to still keep the sides light.

Make a Second Meal from the Leftovers

Our recipe makes enough for six people. You can double up and freeze the extra for another meal if you like. If you are going to do that, only use the biscuit mixture on the portion that you’re eating right away.

It’s easy enough to whip up the biscuit mix another day, and biscuits are always better when fresh. It’ll also save you some space in the freezer to do things this way. Allow the second portion of minced meat to cool completely. Place it in an airtight container or bag and freeze.

It will last for up to three days in the refrigerator and up to three months in the freezer. The recipe will taste better the next day, but not cold. You should heat it through thoroughly. If you’re preparing a frozen portion, allow it to thaw thoroughly before putting it in the oven.

Can I Change Things Up A Bit?

As always with our recipes, we encourage our visitors to adjust the recipe to their liking. Try changing out the biscuit mix if you like, or if you’re making mashed potatoes tonight, double up so that you can make the more traditional version of shepherd’s pie the next day.

This can be a great way to plate up leftover vegetables like roast pumpkin or butternut squash. Just mash them up and use them in place of the biscuits.

If you have fussy eaters, you can grate the carrots, so they’re less noticeable. If you want it to go a little further, add in a tub of grated mushrooms. This gives it extra flavor, and no one will be the wiser–not even that kid that can spot that speck of onion on a plateful of food.

You could also add a potato or two if you like. Cube them, parboil them, and then add them.

You can swap half of the milk for cream in the biscuits if you want them to taste even richer, but it’s not necessary.

If you prefer, you can leave out the cheese. Again, it adds a nice flavor, but it’s not essential to the overall appeal of the dish. It’s also not present in a traditional shepherd’s pie, so if you’re going for strict authenticity, then we suggest leaving it out.

The base is a versatile recipe and can easily be used in other dishes as well. It can be made into a passable moussaka by adding some eggplant and white sauce before it goes into the oven. Just salt and rinse the eggplant, fry them briefly and then layer with the mince in an oven proof container.

Pour the white sauce over the top, and you’ve got a quick and easy moussaka. You can use this mince base for a range of dishes, like lasagna and bolognese as well. They may have a slightly different flavor to what you’re used to, but this is not a bad thing.

If you plan to make something like lasagna with the leftovers, it’s better to leave the rosemary out entirely. It’s not a train smash if you leave it in and then decide later that you’re going to make Italian pasta.

Tips and Tricks

• Usually, we’d prefer to use fresh herbs over dried, but here it doesn’t make much of a difference. If you do decide to go with fresh herbs, use double the amount listed in the recipe.
• It’s not a traditional addition, but you can add a bit of chili powder to give it a bit more kick if you like. You could also use this as a base for chili if you leave out the rosemary and add in some cooked beans.  
• If you have thyme, and the time, you can opt to make the tomato sauce from scratch. This will give the whole dish a richer flavor. If that’s too much of a mission, though, store-bought will be just fine as well.
• This is a great dish to throw together when you’re in a hurry.  
• In this case, you don’t have to sweat the little things. Unlike most recipes, the meat is browned here before the onions are added. This is important, so don’t skip it.
• This recipe makes an excellent base for a toasted sandwich. Top it with cheese before toasting it for even more flavor.
• A couple of rashers of bacon added in with the lamb while it’s browning will add a bit more flavor and fat if the mince is too lean.
• Don’t waste the pan juices – use them to create a tasty gravy. You can always keep it for the next night’s supper.
  
  All that’s left now is to eat and enjoy—rich, flavorful, and nutrient-dense lamb that doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg. It doesn’t get any better than this.