Air Fryer Shepherd’s Pie

Equipment

• Air fryer (basket or toaster oven style)
• 7-inch to 8-inch round or square oven-safe baking dish (ceramic, enamel, or silicone-coated metal that fits comfortably in your air fryer basket with at least ½-inch airflow clearance around edges)
• 10-inch skillet or sauté pan
• Potato masher or ricer
• Fork (for scoring peaks into the potato crust)

Ingredients

Savory Meat Filling

• 1 lb (450g) lean ground lamb (traditional) or 90/10 lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free)
• ¾ cup (180ml) low-sodium beef bone broth
• ¼ cup (60ml) dry red wine (such as Cabernet or Merlot) or additional beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• ¾ cup (100g) frozen sweet peas, thawed
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Garlic-Butter Mash Topping

• 1.5 lbs (680g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup (60ml) warm whole milk or heavy cream
• ¼ cup (25g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (promotes blistering and color)
• 1 large egg yolk (the secret to an airy, golden crust)
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place cubed potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until fork-tender. Drain completely. Return potatoes to the hot pan to steam-dry for 1 minute. Mash with melted butter, warm milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth. Once slightly cooled, beat in the egg yolk and half of the grated Parmesan. Set aside.
2. Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground lamb (or beef), diced onions, and carrots. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until browned. Drain off any excessive pool of grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor. Add minced garlic and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Stir tomato paste and flour into the meat mixture, cooking for 1 minute to remove raw flour taste. Pour in the red wine, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce, scraping any browned bits from the pan bottom. Add rosemary, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the gravy thickens into a rich, glossy glaze. Fold in the sweet peas, then remove from heat.
4. Transfer the warm meat filling into your 7-to-8-inch oven-safe dish, pressing it down gently into an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top, spreading evenly to seal against the edges of the dish.
5. Use the tines of a fork to cross-hatch and pull up rough peaks across the entire surface of the mashed potatoes. These ridges catch the direct hot convection air. Sprinkle the remaining grated Parmesan over the peaks.
6. Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3 minutes. Carefully place the assembled dish into the air fryer basket. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes. Check at the 10-minute mark: the filling should be bubbling along the edges, and the potato ridges should be deeply toasted, golden, and crisp.
7. Carefully remove the hot dish from the air fryer using heat-resistant tongs or silicone mitts. Let the pie rest on a heatproof trivet for 5 minutes before serving so the savory gravy thickens enough to scoop cleanly onto plates.

Nutrition

Calories: 445 kcal — · Protein: 29 g 58% · Fat: 22 g 28% · Carbohydrates: 33 g 12% – Dietary · Saturated Fat: 10 g 50% – Trans · Fiber: 4.5 g 16% – · Sugar: 5 g — · Sodium: 640 mg 28%