Healthy shepherd’s pie recipe
If you’re looking for a healthy winter warmer, it’s hard to beat a classic home-cooked shepherd’s pie for flavour.
Ingredients for filling:
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil.
- 1 onion, chopped.
- 3 sprigs of thyme.
- 2 carrots, diced.
- 250g lean minced lamb.
- 1 tbsp plain flour.
- 1 vegetable stock cube, made up to 350ml/12fl oz stock.
- 227g can chopped tomatoes.
- 1 tbsp tomato purée.
- 400g can green lentils with no added salt, drained.
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
Ingredients for the topping:
- 750g potatoes, chopped.
- 1 tbsp semi-skimmed milk.
Cooking method
1. Cook the veg
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and thyme and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Then add the diced carrots and fry together for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to brown.
2. Make the filling
Stir in the mince to break it down. Fry for 2 minutes until it’s no longer pink. Stir in the flour then cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock and stir until thickened. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, lentils and Worcestershire sauce and season with pepper.
Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
N.B. You can make your shepherd's pie veggie - swap the mince for 400g tin of lentils and a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes.
3. Make the mash
Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Put all the potatoes into a large pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil, then simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
4. Bake and serve
Drain well in a colander, then tip back into the pan. Mash until smooth. Beat in the milk with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.
Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F.
Spoon the meat mixture into a 1.5 litre pie dish and remove the thyme. Top with the mash and smooth over with a knife.
Place the dish into the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until piping hot and serve.
Looking for some more inspiration? For more recipe ideas and healthy nutrition advice, visit nutrition tab on our Be Healthy hub.
