Masala Shepherd's Pie with Peas and Spiced Mash
A family favourite given a curry house twist: spiced lamb and peas under a fluffy cumin scented mash.
Made with Curry base sauce (onion and tomato). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.31 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Peel and chop the potatoes. Boil them in salted water for 15 minutes, until a knife slides in easily.
15 min - 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat. Brown the lamb mince for 8 minutes, breaking it up. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 6 minutes.
14 min - 3
Stir in the ground cumin, coriander and tomato purée for 1 minute. Add 300 ml of your ready made curry base sauce (see the base recipe) and the water and simmer for 15 minutes, until thick. Stir in the peas and garam masala.
15 min - 4
Drain the potatoes and mash with the butter, milk, cumin seeds and salt until smooth.
- 5
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Spoon the mince into a baking dish, cover with the mash and rough it up with a fork.
- 6
Bake for 25 minutes until golden on top and bubbling at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
25 min
Tips
- Cook the mince until the liquid has cooked off and it browns. This gives a deeper flavour than simmering it from raw.
- The filling should be thick enough to hold up the mash. If it looks wet, simmer a few more minutes.
- Fork ridges in the mash crisp up well in the oven.
- Cool leftovers fast and use within 2 days, as mince is a high risk food if kept warm.
Storing and freezing
Cool quickly and chill within 1 to 2 hours. Keeps 2 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer, unbaked or baked. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Is shepherd's pie always made with lamb?
Yes. Shepherd's pie uses lamb and cottage pie uses beef. You can use beef mince here and call it a curried cottage pie.
Can I make it dairy free?
Yes. Mash with dairy free spread and oat milk instead of butter and milk.
Can I assemble it in advance?
Yes. Build it up to 24 hours ahead, keep it covered in the fridge and add 10 minutes to the baking time.
More made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Lamb Phall (The Hottest Curry House Curry)
GFEFNFGoan Prawn Masala Pasties
NFHPHyderabadi Lamb Dalcha (Lamb and Lentil Curry)
DFEFNFPrawn Dhansak (Parsi Prawn and Lentil Curry)
DFEFNFSee every dish made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.