This is your traditional Pakistani lamb keema in the form of a gorgeous Shepherd's Pie. This is sure to be a hit at any party! My Lamb Keema Shepherd's pie is a fusion masterpiece that combines the traditional flavors of lamb keema with the hearty goodness of a classic shepherd's pie.

Why Make Lamb Keema Shepherd's Pie?
This dish brings together the bold and aromatic spices of keema with the creamy, comforting goodness of mashed potatoes. One of the main reasons to try this fusion dish is its versatility. Whether you're hosting a dinner party, craving comfort food on a cozy night in, or looking for a creative twist on a classic recipe, Lamb Keema Shepherd's Pie fits the bill perfectly. Plus, it can also be a great way to use up leftover keema and transform it into a whole new dish.
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Origins of Shepherd's Pie:
Shepherd's pie, also known as cottage pie, has origins rooted in British and Irish cuisine. It's traditionally made with minced meat (often lamb or beef), vegetables, and topped with mashed potatoes. Its name is said to originate from the use of mutton or lamb – meats commonly tended by shepherds.

Inspiration Behind the Recipe:
My inspiration for creating this dish came from a visit to an Indian restaurant in LA called Baar Baar LA. I thought the fusion presentation was just fantastic and ingenious! A traditional Lamb keema is spicy and cooked with quartered or halved potatoes so this combination with mashed potatoes is genius!
Watch how to make Lamb Keema Shepherd's Pie:
How to Make Lamb Keema Shepherd's Pie:
- ⅓ cup of oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder (adjust heat to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 green chilies (adjust heat to taste)
- 3 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup green peas
- 1-2 teaspoon garam masala
- Cilantro and julienned ginger, for garnish
Ingredients for Potato Mousse:
- 3-4 large potatoes, quartered
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2-3 tablespoon hot milk
- Salt, to taste
- Fried onion, for final garnish

Preparing Lamb Keema:
- Heat oil in a pan and sauté chopped onion until translucent.
- Add ground lamb and sauté for 2-3 minutes until browned.
- Stir in ginger and garlic paste, ground cumin, ground coriander, red chili powder, ground black pepper, salt. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Mix in tomato paste and sauté for additional 2 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes and green chilies, cover, and let it cook for 10 minutes until tomatoes break down.
- Uncover and stir until tomatoes are well incorporated.
- Add green peas, mix well, cover, and cook on low to medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
- Finish by sprinkling garam masala, chopped cilantro, and julienned ginger. Set aside.
Preparing Potato Mousse:
- Peel and quarter potatoes, then boil in salted water until fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
- Mash the potatoes with butter and salt until smooth and velvety.
- Gradually add hot milk while mashing until desired consistency is achieved.
Assembling Keema Shepherd's Pie:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Transfer the prepared lamb keema into an oven-safe dish.
- Top the keema with the mashed potatoes, spreading evenly to cover.
- Bake for 30 minutes, brushing with soft butter halfway through.
- Turn on the broiler towards the end for a few minutes to help with browning.
- Remove from the oven and top with crispy fried onion and chopped cilantro before serving.

Lamb Keema Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
Lamb Keema
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 green chillies adjust to taste
- 3 tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup green peas
- 1-2 teaspoon garam masala
- Cilantro and julienned ginger for garnish
Potato Mousse:
- 3-4 large potatoes quartered
- 1-2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon hot milk
- Salt to taste
- Fried onion for final garnish
Instructions
Lamb Keema
- In a pan, heat oil and sauté chopped onion until translucent. Add ground lamb and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and spices (except garam masala). Sauté for another 2 minutes, then add tomato paste and sauté for 2 more minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until tomatoes soften.
- Remove the lid and mix until tomatoes break down. Add green peas and cook covered for 5-10 minutes on medium heat.
- Sprinkle garam masala, chopped cilantro, and julienned ginger to finish.
Potato Mousse
- Boil quartered potatoes until tender. Drain and mash with butter, hot milk, and salt until smooth.
- Assembly: Transfer lamb keema to an oven-safe dish and top with mashed potatoes.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Halfway through, brush with butter and broil for a few minutes for a golden crust.
- Garnish with crispy fried onion and chopped cilantro before serving. Enjoy with naan!
Eman Nizami
I made this recipe for my family and we had never tried something like this before. Everyone loved it so much! It was so unique and tasty! Highly recommend!
Rookie With A Cookie
It's such a unique way of serving such traditional recipe, isn't it? I'm SO happy your family enjoyed it! Thank you for leaving a review Eman:)
Muneerah
Hey Izza!
Your recipes have been a staple to my dinner rotations !! Every single dish I've made from your site has been a hit with my husband - an extreme foodie lol. I hope youre able to post more 🙂 What do you think about substituting lamb keema for beef keema?
Rookie With A Cookie
Thank you for the review Muneerah! Lamb and beef are interchangeable in my books and you can easily swap any of those. Let me know if you have any recipe suggestions
Muneerah
Thank you so much for replying! I made the shepherd's pie and it was so flavourful! I now use the keema recipe to make burritos too. Do you think you could do a haleem and nihari recipe?
Rookie With A Cookie
That's amazing Muneerah! I have a Nihari recipe that I need to reshare and will add Haleem to my upcoming reels. Thanks for the suggestion.