“Sam's Shepherd's Pie is built slowly from lamb, vegetables and a quietly brilliant savoury trick: white anchovies and Marmite melt into the gravy, leaving only deep, rounded flavour. Beneath its crisp potato topping is the kind of comforting dish made for a table full of people.”
This recipe now belongs to every family who cooks it.
The method
1Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 12–15 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly, then let them steam in the colander for 2 minutes to remove excess moisture. Return to the pot and mash with the butter, milk or cream, salt and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
2Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 6–8 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3Push the vegetables to the edge of the pan. Add the lamb mince, break it up with a wooden spoon and cook for 5–7 minutes, until browned. Drain excess fat if needed, but keep a little for flavour.
4Stir in the white anchovies and Marmite for 1–2 minutes, allowing both to melt into the lamb. Add the tomato purée and flour, then cook for another 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
5Gradually pour in the stock, stirring as you go. Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered over a low heat for 15–20 minutes, until glossy and thickened. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the peas and season carefully with salt and pepper.
6Heat the oven to 200°C. Transfer the lamb filling to a deep baking dish, then spoon the mashed potato across the top and spread it to the edges. Drag a fork over the surface to make crisp ridges and sprinkle with Cheddar, if using.
7Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the filling bubbles at the edges and the potato peaks are golden and crisp. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
A visual guide
See the key stages
Key moments to look for as you cook. Use these visual cues alongside the written method.
Step 4
Melt in the savoury layer
The finely minced anchovies and Marmite disappear into the browned lamb. Cook the tomato purée and flour through before adding stock.
Step 6
Rake deep potato ridges
Spread the mash right to the edges, then drag a fork across the surface. Those raised ridges are what turn crisp in the oven.
Step 7
Bake until the peaks are golden
Look for bubbling filling around the edge and deeply golden potato peaks. Rest the pie for ten minutes before serving.
Cook's notes & swaps
A little help from the OPR kitchen
These are optional pointers for making the recipe your own while keeping the spirit of the original.
The secret savoury layer
The anchovies and Marmite dissolve into the lamb rather than tasting fishy. Together they give the gravy its deep, rounded savouriness. Taste before adding extra salt, as both are naturally salty.
Why white anchovies?
White anchovies, or boquerones, are milder and fruitier than standard dark, salt-cured anchovies. Finely mince them so they melt seamlessly into the filling.
Families who've made this
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Helpful answers
Questions about Sam's Shepherd's Pie
Do the anchovies make shepherd's pie taste fishy?
No. The finely minced white anchovies melt into the lamb with the Marmite, leaving a deeper, rounded savoury flavour rather than a fishy taste.
Which anchovies does Sam use?
Sam uses white anchovies, also called boquerones. They are milder and fruitier than dark salt-cured anchovies and should be finely minced so they disappear into the filling.
How do you keep the mashed potato from becoming watery?
Drain the cooked potatoes thoroughly and leave them to steam in the colander for two minutes before mashing. This removes excess moisture.
How do you make the potato topping crisp?
Spread the mash to the edges of the dish, drag a fork across it to create raised ridges and bake until those peaks are golden. Cheddar can be added before baking if you like.
