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Healthy shepherd's pie recipe

Healthy shepherd's pie recipe

73 ratings

This healthy shepherd's pie is topped with a deliciously crunchy parsnip and parsley potato rosti. With melt-in-the-mouth lamb coated in a rich tomato sauce, this hearty family favourite is perfect on chilly nights. See method

  • Serves 6
  • 10 mins to prepare and 1 hr 20 mins to cook
  • 346 calories / serving
  • Freezable
  • Healthy

Ingredients

  • 625g parsnips, peeled
  • 2 leeks, trimmed
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled
  • 3½ tbsp olive oil
  • 300g diced lamb leg
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 500ml lamb or vegetable stock
  • large handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 400g large, waxy potatoes, peeled
  • steamed green vegetables, to serve
If you don't have any leeks, try using spring or white onions instead

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    1455kj
    346kcal     17%

  • Fat

    13g 18%

  • Saturates

    3g 16%

  • Sugars

    15g 17%

  • Salt

    1.1g 19%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 44.7g Protein 15.6g Fibre 9.6g

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Cut half the parsnips and all the leeks, sweet potato and carrots into generous, bite-sized pieces. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and spread out on a baking tray. Roast for 20-25 mins until just beginning to brown.
  2. Meanwhile, put 1 tbsp of olive oil in a deep frying pan and set over a high heat. Add the lamb and brown on all sides then remove to a plate and reduce the heat to low-medium. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook gently for 10 mins, stirring often. Return the lamb with the garlic and tomato purée, cooking gently for a minute or so.
  3. Combine the cornflour with 3 tbsp of the stock in a cup to make a paste. Whisk this into the remaining stock then turn the heat up slightly and add to the lamb mixture, stirring often to prevent lumps forming. Bring to the boil, partially cover and simmer gently for about 15 mins, until thickened. Stir in half the parsley then remove from the heat and stir in the roast vegetables. Spoon this filling into a medium-sized ovenproof dish (about 20cm x 30cm). Reduce the oven temperature to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C.
  4. While the lamb mixture simmers, coarsely grate the remaining parsnips. Grate the potato separately and wring out in a clean tea towel, to remove as much liquid as possible. Toss the dried-out potatoes and parsnips together with the remaining 1½ tbsp of olive oil and remaining parsley. Add a good seasoning of salt and pepper.
  5. Arrange this rosti mixture on top of the filling in an even layer. Bake for about 40 mins, until well-browned and tender on top and bubbling beneath. Rest for 5 mins before serving with steamed green vegetables.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer

See more Lamb recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

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