Shepherd’s Pie

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Serves: 4

Shepherd’s Pie is a classic, right? But it takes so long! Waiting for the water to boil and the potatoes to cook.  It’s one of those standing in the kitchen recipes and then by the time I get to the dinner table, I feel too exhausted to enjoy the meal. Until recently, it was one of my occasional meals that I only made if I felt like it and I had loads of time.

I found out I could cook potatoes in my Ninja cooker on the grill rack, as well as cooking a meal underneath. So Shepherd’s Pie went from being a boring recipe to make, to cooking everything in one pot, which also means less washing up! 

Boiling potatoes is something I rarely do, as it requires a lot of time, focus and I’ve already put in the effort to peel enough potatoes for everyone. So cooking potatoes in the Ninja was a game-changer for me. (Boiling potatoes hack link)

I also like to add in other vegetables to this recipe like leeks, sweetcorn or mushrooms. It depends if I have vegetables in the fridge starting to brown or fade away. Stewing vegetables which might otherwise go to waste is a great way to save those leftover, lost vegetables in your fridge. Mince can be cooked from frozen, so there’s no need to worry about remembering to defrost the meat the night before.

  • Ingredients
  • Steps
  • Leftovers
  • 450g lamb mince
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
  • 1 veg stock cube + 250 ml water
  • 110g frozen peas
  • 6 medium potatoes
  • 125ml milk
  • 50g Cheddar (optional)
  1. Select the Saute function on the Ninja and turn the heat to medium. Sprinkle a little oil into the pot and add the mince. Cook for 10 minutes, then drain the meat in a colander.
  2. While the meat is cooking, prepare your vegetables. Finely cut your carrot, onion and garlic.
  3. Add the vegetables to the now empty pot and cook them for about 6 minutes, stirring every now and again, so they don’t stick.
  4. While the carrot and onion are cooking, peel your potatoes. Put the remaining ingredients, except the potatoes and milk into the pot and stir. Add some extra water if you think the mixture looks too thick.
  5. Place the grill rack in the pot and spread the potatoes out on top.
  6. Lock the Pressure Cooker Lid into place and turn the valve to Seal. Change Function to Pressure Cook and set time to High for 15 minutes.
  7. When the Ninja timer finishes, manually turn the valve to vent to quickly release the pressure.
  8. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and mash them with the milk. (You could mash them in the ninja pot, once the shepherd’s pie mixture is in the oven dish)
  9. Spoon the mince into a large oven dish for 4 and spread the mashed potatoes on top.
  10. Sprinkle cheese onto the potato and put in the oven for 10 minutes.

How to Serve: This is a classic veg and meat all in one meal. It can be served straight out of the oven.

 

How to Freeze: Freeze the mince mixture, then cook potatoes on the evening of eating. Mashed potatoes taste better fresh.

 

How to Store: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. Unlike freezing, once the portion is heated up and the Shepherd’s pie stirred together, the mashed potatoes taste fine.