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ground lamb shepherd's pie in a casserole pan

Samosa Shepherd’s Pie

This lamb shepherd's pie recipe is adapted from The Dude Diet Dinnertime by Serena Wolf. It uses Indian spices to make it reminiscent of a samosa. The sweet potato mash is a fun variation and tastes fantastic with the spicy ground lamb.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes approximately 6 to 8 ounces each, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon divided
  • 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 2 cups finely chopped cauliflower florets about ½ small head of cauliflower
  • 1 cup finely chopped carrots
  • 1 small yellow onion minced
  • 3 large garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder plus extra for serving (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 12 ounces ground lamb preferably grass-fed
  • ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen sweet peas
  • Juice of ½ lemon

For serving (optional):

  • Freshly chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  2. Brush the cut sides of the sweet potatoes with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and place them cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes or until very tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Let cool slightly. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove their skins. (They should peel right off.) Transfer the flesh to a medium bowl, and add a teaspoon of olive oil, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and mash with a fork until very smooth. Set aside.
  3. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
  4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the cauliflower, carrots, and onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the cauliflower and carrots have softened slightly and the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, curry powder, chili powder; the remaining ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; the cumin, ginger, cayenne; and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 1 minute more to toast the spices. Add the lamb and cook for about 4 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until no longer pink. Stir in the chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and stir in the peas and lemon juice.
  5. Transfer the filling to a medium baking dish (a 9x9-inch or a 7x 11-inch dish is ideal) and top with the sweet potato mash, spreading it out in an even layer. Add a couple of dashes of chili powder if you like.
  6. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes, or until piping hot and bubbling around the sides. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro if you’re into that.