Since opening two years back in Uptown’s Post Oak Place, Rumi’s Kitchen has brought Houston some of the city’s most exciting Persian flavors. Chef Ali Mesghali showcases dishes like charred saffron-orange shrimp kabob, grape-molasses glazed lamb ribs, roasted corn ribs with black seed dukkah and three-bone pomegranate short rib. Flawlessly spiced and artfully presented, the dishes pair gorgeously with inventive cocktails and a world-class wine list; while weekend brunch service brings delights from Iranish coffee to shakshuka.
When something extra special for dinner is called for, reach for this rack of lamb recipe.
With Dijon mustard, rosemary, and garlic this rack of lamb is oven-roasted to juicy, tender perfection.
Enjoy this elegant dish with roasted potatoes and homemade mint sauce.
Ingredients For Roasted Rack of Lamb
Rack of lamb is savory and flavorful – yet relatively easy to make.
Rack of Lamb – The rack comes from the rib section of a young lamb and includes a layer of fat surrounding the rib bones and tender medallions of meat. A full rack from both sides of the animal will have 16 portions, while a half rack serves 8. Select the size that suits your needs, (or the size of your cooking vessel). The rack is cooked whole and then cut apart when serving.
Seasoning Rub – Dry rosemary and thyme are added to the butter, garlic, and Dijon mustard rub. Stir in alternative herbal blends with the rub if you desire.
How to Cook a Perfect Rack of Lamb
Prep the lamb:
In a small bowl, combine the oil, herbs, and garlic (recipe below).
Trim the fat away from the lamb, leaving a thin layer.
In an oven-proof skillet, brown the lamb on all sides.
Roast the lamb:
Brush the lamb with mustard and coat it with the herb mixture.
Place the lamb, fat side up, back into the skillet and oven-roast until the internal temperature reaches 125° for medium rare.
Transfer to a plate and rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
Tips for the Best Lamb
Don’t trim away all the fat. Leave a thin layer to keep the lamb moist.
For the best flavor, don’t overcook. Use a meat thermometer, and keep in mind that the lamb will continue to cook as it rests.
For medium to medium well, remove the lamb when it reaches an internal temperature of 140.°
Let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting, to ensure the juices are retained.
More Elegant Entrees
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Herbed Rack of Lamb
Seasoned and then roasted until juicy and tender, this Rack of Lamb recipe is an easy yet impressive entree!
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 40 minutesminutes
Rest Time 15 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Preheat the oven to 400°F and adjust the oven rack to the center position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine butter, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, parsley, rosemary, thyme and ¼ each teaspoon salt and pepper
Trim the fat on the lamb to a very thin layer and pat the racks of lamb dry with a paper towel. Season with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 ½ tablespoons oil medium-high heat until smoking. Add one rack of lamb and brown for 3 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining lamb and let the racks cool for 5 minutes.
Brush the racks of lamb with mustard and coat the lamb with the butter herb mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
Place the lamb, fat side up, on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 14 to 18 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 125°F for medium-rare.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting between the bones to separate.
*Remove the lamb from the fridge 30 minutes before preparing Store leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat under the broiler just until heated through.
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This is an extra fast weeknight version of a traditional Shepherd’s Pie recipe.
The Shepherd’s Pie has saucy ground meat and vegetables covered in a a mashed potato crust, sprinkled with shredded cheese, and baked to bubbly perfection.
A Quick Shortcut Shepherds Pie
Shepherd’s Pie is a comforting and hearty dish that is perfect for an easy dinner.
Use frozen mixed veggies and pre-made mashed potatoes to make prep and cook time quick.
The shortcut sauce options in the recipe below make it easy to customize the dish to your pantry.
Useleftover meat, veggies, gravy, or mashed potatoes.
This dish freezes and reheats beautifully!
Ingredients for Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie can be prepared fresh, but it’s also a great way to use up any leftover meat, veggies, gravy, or mashed potatoes.
Ground Meat –You can use any ground meat in this recipe. Lamb is traditional for a shepherds pie recipe, although I most often use ground beef (which technically makes this a cottage pie). Leftover roast meat also works well.
Vegetables – Frozen mixed vegetables make preparation quick and easy, but you can use leftover roasted veggies too. If using fresh vegetables, steam them until tender or cook them with the beef before adding them to the dish.
Sauce – Shepherd’s Pie is versatile, and I’ve provided a couple of shortcut sauces in the recipe below. However, you can use leftover gravy (or gravy mix) and tomato sauce, or any sauce you like.
Mashed Potatoes – Traditional mashed potatoes are what I most often use, but garlic mashed potatoes add great flavor to this dish! If you’re in a hurry, you can use store-bought mashed potatoes. While it’s not traditional and it’s totally optional, I love cheese on top.
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie
Make Mashed Potatoes: If you have leftover mashed potatoes, use those. Simmer baking potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender. Mash them with butter and cream. Tater tots make a great topping too!
Brown Meat: Brown lamb (or beef) in a skillet with onion. If using fresh veggies, they can be diced and cooked along with the beef and onion.
Add Sauce: Stir in the seasonings and sauce per the recipe below. Stir in the veggies.
Layer and Bake: Pile the potatoes on top. A sprinkle of cheese is not traditional, but it is delicious!
Prep Ahead and Tips for Shepherd’s Pie
From Scratch: This recipe is a shortcut recipe; if you’d like, you can find my homemade version here.
Layering: After prepping the meat mixture, cool it and chill it in the fridge for 20 minutes to keep the mashed potato layer separated.
Prep Ahead:Assemble the Shepherd’s Pie up to one day in advance and refrigerate it. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Quick Clean Up: If your baking dish is very full, place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet to avoid any juices spilling into the bottom of the oven.
How to Freeze Shepherd’s Pie
Prepare as directed and cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Freeze.
Thaw overnight in the fridge. Bake for 45 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered.
What is Shepherd’s Pie?
Shepherd’s pie is a delicious combo of ground lamb (although many people use beef) that has been cooked with vegetables in a gravy or sauce. The lamb mixture is then topped with a crust of creamy mashed potatoes and baked.
Can You Make Shepherd’s Pie With Ground Beef?
This casserole is traditionally made with ground lamb. Many people make this recipe with ground beef however, if you use ground beef it’s actually called Cottage Pie! (You can also replace the meat with a vegetarian lentil version).
Does Shepherd’s Pie Have Cheese on Top?
Traditionally, a shepherd’s pie is not topped with cheese. That said, cheese is my love language, so I like to add a bit on top. If you’d prefer, brush the potatoes with some butter and skip the cheese.
How Do You Bake Shepherd’s Pie?
Bake this easy shepherd’s pie recipe for 25-30 minutes. If you’ve made it ahead of time and it’s chilly from being in the fridge, bake it a bit longer, about 30-35 minutes, or leave it out on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.
It’s a full meal on its own and really doesn’t need sides. If you’d like to stretch it a little further, bread and salad are great additions.
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Did you make this Easy Shepherd’s Pie recipe? Leave a comment and rating below!
4.99 from 111 votes↑ Click stars to rate now! Or to leave a comment, click here!
Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
This Shepherd’s Pie is a twist on the classic Irish dish. It’s made with ground lamb, peas, and carrots, topped with mashed potatoes & cheddar cheese!
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 40 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook lamb (or beef), onion, and garlic over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
Stir in mixed vegetables, tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, basil, and pepper.
Transfer the ground beef mixture into a 3-quart or 9×13 inch casserole dish and spread into an even layer.
Spoon mashed potatoes over top and sprinkle with cheese if using.
Baked for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Broil 2 minutes if desired.
Remove from the oven and cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Ground lamb is traditional in shepherd’s pie. When made with ground beef, the dish is called cottage pie. This is a shortcut recipe, view our from scratch shepherd’s pie recipe here. Substitute the tomato soup in this recipe for one of the following:
10.5 oz of cream of mushroom soup
1 packet of gravy mix prepared as directed and simmered until thickened
leftover homemade beef gravy.
To make homemade potatoes, boil 2lbs of peeled and diced russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes in a large pot of salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain well and mash with a potato masher. Add 4 tablespoons of butter, ¾ teaspoon salt, and up to ¾ cup of warmed half and half as needed.
Originally a meat pie made with minced (or ground) meat and mashed potatoes was known as a Cottage Pie (and it was even sometimes made with pastry many years ago). It is very popular in Ireland, Scotland, and England as well! In the late 1800s, the pie was named Shepherd’s Pie if made with lamb (since the shepherd looked after the sheep) and if made with beef it was called Cottage Pie.
Regardless of the name, this recipe is a classic Shepherd’s Pie recipe loaded with flavor and the perfect make-ahead meal to serve all year long!
