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A skillet of shepherd's pie with a golden brown potato topping.
Victoria Haneveer

Stovetop Shepherd's Pie

Ground lamb, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes and optional baked beans are topped with creamy mashed potatoes and browned with a kitchen torch for a hearty shepherd's pie with no oven required.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: British
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
 

For the Filling
  • Cooking oil, as needed
  • 2 yellow onions, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 carrots, diced small
  • 12 mushrooms, diced
  • 10 ⅔ ounces (300g) lean ground lamb
  • 28 ounces (800g) canned chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato concentrate
  • 2 bouillon cubes (stock cubes), crumbled
  • 4 teaspoons gravy granules
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 14 ounces (400g) canned baked beans, optional
  • Rosemary, to taste
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Mashed Potatoes
  • 28 ounces (800g) potatoes, peeled and cut into even chunks
  • Salt, for the cooking water
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup (60ml) milk, plus a little more if needed
  • Black pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • Large skillet or frying pan
  • Medium or large saucepan
  • Potato masher
  • Wooden spoon
  • Fork
  • Instant-read food thermometer
  • Kitchen torch

Method
 

  1. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Add salt, bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
  2. While the potatoes cook, add enough cooking oil to lightly coat the bottom of a large skillet. Set it over medium heat and cook the onions and garlic until the onions soften and begin to brown.
  3. Add the ground lamb. Break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until browned.
  4. Add the carrots and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes, stirring often.
  5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato concentrate, crumbled bouillon cubes and rosemary. Simmer until the carrots are tender and the filling has reduced.
  6. Stir in the baked beans, if using. Mix the gravy granules with the 6 tablespoons water, then stir this into the filling. Cook until thickened.
  7. Check the center of the lamb filling with an instant-read thermometer before adding the potato topping. It should register at least 160°F (71°C). Taste the filling, add black pepper and add salt only if needed.
  8. Drain the potatoes thoroughly. Return them to the hot saucepan for a minute so excess moisture can evaporate, then mash with the butter. Taste and season with black pepper and more salt if needed.
    9. You might not need all the milk. Pour it in gradually until the potatoes are creamy and spreadable but still firm enough to hold fork marks.
  9. Remove the skillet from the burner and put it on a clear, heatproof surface. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling and spread them to the edges. Run a fork over the surface to make ridges.
  10. Keeping flammable items well away, sweep the kitchen torch over the raised potato ridges until browned to your liking. Keep the flame moving rather than holding it over one spot.
    11. Make sure there's nothing flammable around you when using a kitchen torch, and ensure the shepherd's pie is on a flat and stable surface.
  11. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Beef: Replace the ground lamb with the same amount of ground beef to make stovetop cottage pie.
  • Rösti topping: Grate the potatoes instead of boiling them. Squeeze very dry in a clean towel and fry in a little cooking oil until browned. Spoon the rösti over the cooked filling and press it down lightly.
  • Baked beans: Leave them out if you don't want them. Let the tomato mixture reduce until the filling is thick before adding the potato topping.
  • No kitchen torch? The lamb filling and mashed potatoes are already fully cooked, so you can serve the pie without browning the top.
  • Storage: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C).