75% Shepherd's Pie

Nan Would Be Proud

Shepherd’s pie is the kind of food that fixes bad days. It’s warm, it’s filling, and it tastes like someone cares about you.

This version keeps all of that. We just swapped most of the lamb for lentils and mushrooms — which, in a deeply savory, gravy-soaked pie, are genuinely undetectable.

The 75% Filling

Ingredients

The Filling

• 1 pack lamb mince (400-500g — or beef, technically cottage pie, but who’s counting)
• 2 cans green/brown lentils, drained
• 1 pack mushrooms, finely chopped (chestnut or button)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced small
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (check for vegan version if you care)
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 300ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

The Mash

• 1kg potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward — floury types)
• 50g butter (or vegan spread)
• Splash of milk (or oat milk)
• Salt and white pepper
• Optional: grated cheese on top

Instructions

1. Start the Mash

Peel and chop potatoes into chunks. Boil in salted water for 15-20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain, mash with butter and milk until smooth and creamy. Season. Set aside.

2. Brown the Lamb

While potatoes boil, heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet or deep pan. Brown the lamb mince, breaking it up. Remove and set aside — leave the fat in the pan.

3. Build the Filling

In the same pan, cook onion and carrots for 5 minutes until soft. Add mushrooms — cook another 5 minutes until they’ve released their liquid and started to brown.

4. Combine Everything

Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste, stir. Sprinkle in flour, stir to coat. Pour in stock and Worcestershire sauce. Add the browned lamb, lentils, thyme, and rosemary.

Simmer 10 minutes until thick and rich. Stir in the frozen peas in the last 2 minutes.

5. Top with Mash

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).

Transfer filling to an oven-safe dish if you haven’t been using one. Spoon mash over the top, spreading to the edges (seal those edges — stops the filling bubbling over).

Rough up the surface with a fork — those peaks go golden and crispy.

6. Bake

25-30 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.

7. Rest

Let it sit 5 minutes before serving. The filling needs to set slightly, and you need to stop yourself burning the roof of your mouth.

Total time: 60 minutes Difficulty: Intermediate Cost: ~£12 for 6 servings

Tips

Make it easier

• Instant mash exists and we don’t judge
• Use canned lentils — saves 30 minutes
• Pre-diced frozen veg for the filling
• Make it a day ahead — reheat at 180°C for 20 minutes

Make it different

• Sweet potato top: Swap regular mash for sweet potato mash. More vitamins, natural sweetness
• Cheesy crust: Mix grated cheddar into the mash, or sprinkle on top before baking
• Individual pies: Use ramekins for portion control and Instagram appeal
• Add a layer: Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard between filling and mash. Thank me later.

Be Kind to Future Self

This recipe feeds 8. Use it wisely:

• Eat half tonight (it’s comfort food, you’ll want seconds)
• Portion the rest into individual containers
• Freeze them — these reheat brilliantly at 180°C for 20 minutes from frozen

A frozen shepherd’s pie on a cold night is an act of self-love. Future you deserves it.

Why Mushrooms Are Your Secret Weapon

In the 75% kitchen, mushrooms are the MVP. They’re cheap, packed with umami (the “meaty” taste), and when finely chopped, they literally disappear into any dish. Bolognaise, chili, pie filling, burgers — mushrooms make everything taste more like meat.

Buy them on the reduced shelf. They work even better slightly wrinkly.

One dish. Feeds six. One pack of lamb stretched across an entire pie. Comfort food without the guilt. That’s the 75% promise.