This Indian spiced shepherd’s pie is made with layers of buttery mashed potatoes and ground meat cooked with vegetables, and topped with grated cheese. It’s a truly mouthwatering and irresistible casserole! For more comforting casseroles you will love dabba gosht, spinach lasagna, and creamy chicken crepes! Make sure to check out these! While the name “Shepherd’s Pie” is debated (with some calling it Cottage Pie for beef versions), the key difference truly lies in the meat: lamb for Shepherd’s Pie and beef for Cottage Pie. My recipe, however, earns its “Indian Shepherd’s Pie” title by adding spices to elevate the flavor and create a spicier twist on the classic. The cooking method is close to the Indian style.
Ingredients
You will need mashed potatoes and ground meat sauce. Look below at the ingredients. I’ve added extra butter to the mashed potatoes and topped them off with a layer of grated cheese. This makes it extra rich and cheesy – you know you can never say no to extra cheese, right? It’s what makes this dish lip-smacking good! Do you crave fluffy clouds of mashed potatoes on your pie that collapse under the gentlest nudge of the fork? Check out these ingredients below to see how I achieve such mashed potatoes.
Potatoes: I used Russet potatoes in this recipe, but Yukon Gold and red potatoes are also fantastic options! Butter: Opt for high-quality butter for the best flavor. Salted butter works well for me here, but be mindful of the seasoning as it can affect the overall saltiness of your dish. Cheese: cheddar cheese is a classic choice for creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes. Use sharp cheddar for a bolder taste or mild cheddar for a gentler flavor. Milk: Whole full-fat milk offers the best texture for creamy mashed potatoes. Other nondairy milk will work too.
Let’s check the ingredients for the meat and veggie goodness!
Ground Meat: I have tried this recipe with both ground lamb and ground beef. In this recipe, I have opted for more flavorful ground beef. Just remember the fattier the better. Tomatoes: I simply blended tomatoes for a juicy and saucy minced meat base. You can sub with canned tomato puree or tomato paste. Anything equivalent to 3 whole tomatoes. Onion Peas: Fresh or frozen peas both work fine. Corns: Canned or frozen corn are both great options, depending on your preference. Carrots Ginger & Garlic: Freshly minced is best and adds a burst of flavor. Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds earthiness and umami to the gravy. Worcestershire sauce can be used too. Green Chili: Just to give an extra kick of heat to the dish. It is optional. Oil: Any neutral oil is fine. Cilantro: Cilantro is a staple at my place, parsley, rosemary or thyme would be great options too. Seasonings: red chili, cumin, oregano and thyme powder.
How to make this recipe?
Get your apron on and follow these steps for the Indian shepherd’s pie! Note: You’ll need a 1.5 lt casserole for this recipe in an oven. To make this in the air fryer, I divided the mixture into two smaller casseroles that would fit in my air fryer.
Variations
Like I always say make adjustments to this recipe as you like and make it yours. Creamy, well-seasoned mashed potatoes are the powerhouse of flavor that takes this dish to the next level. Shepherd’s Pie without oven: The ground meat and mashed potatoes both are cooked, we are baking just to melt the cheese. If you want to skip the baking part just heat the dish in the microwave. Garnish with herbs and serve. Storage: Freshly baked shepherd’s pie will be kept for about 2 days in the fridge. Refrigerate covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. While the groundmeat sauce can last for 3-4 days, it is starch in the mashed potato which can go bad quickly. So prepare mashed potato freshly, if you wish to store it longer. I do not recommend freezing shepherd’s pie as the veggies and mashed potatoes can release too much water upon freezing.
For us, 750 grams of potatoes work well. You might use 1000 grams (1kg) of potato if you want more potatoes than mince. Add or subtract veggies depending on the availability of ingredients and taste preferences. Adjust spice measure as needed for this spicy shepherd’s pie.
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📖 Recipe
