Shepherd's Pie with Beef (Cottage Pie)

This easy shepherd's pie recipe is a delicious way to use up leftover roast beef! Meat and vegetables are covered in creamy gravy and then topped with a cloud of buttery mashed potatoes. During the last few minutes of baking the whole thing is sprinkled with Cheddar cheese so that each bite is gooey, buttery, creamy perfection.

You'll also find several variations and possible substitutions to make this recipe your very own.

Shopping list

I don't think there is a more family friendly comfort food than this easy shepherd's pie made with leftover roast.

• Cooked meat - leftover pot roast, cooked ground beef, etc.
• Carrots - canned is fine and it saves time
• Potatoes - you'll need to mash them, save time by buying potatoes that are already mashed and ready to go
• Green beans - canned is fine and it saves time
• Butter
• Milk - evaporated milk will make it even creamier
• Flour
• Cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Put leftover roast beef, cooked ground beef, cooked chicken, or whatever your protein is in the bottom of a greased casserole dish.
2. Cover with cooked green beans and carrots. Set aside.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in flour.
4. Cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.
5. Add the milk and whisk until smooth and thick.
6. Pour over the beef mixture in the casserole dish.
7. Cover with mashed potatoes.
8. Sprinkle with cheese.
9. Bake as directed.

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• Pot Roast with Jalapeno Cheese Grits are my favorite comfort food. The grits are creamy with gooey cheese and each bite bites you back a little thanks to the jalapenos! The butter tender beef is piled on top so the juices flow into the grits. Try this!
• Cajun Slow Cooker Pot Roast is a family favorite. The beef is slow cooked with cajun spices and flavorings until it just falls apart on your fork and melts in your mouth.

Timesaving tips

If you really want to save time in the kitchen it's smart to plan for leftovers!

One thing I like to do is make a large pot roast in the slow cooker on Sunday or early in the week. I'd always have a ton left and I'd spend time figuring out leftover pot roast recipes.

This is an easy recipe but I've learned to shave off a few minutes by using convenience food when I have to. Here are some of my favorite tips for making this cottage pie recipe.

• Jarred, prepared gravy is a great timesaver if  you are in a rush.
• Save time by using prepared mashed potatoes from the store. Costco has some that are really good.
• Shepherd's Pie can be assembled up to 2 days ahead of time - keep covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it.

FAQs

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

Do you cover shepherd's pie when baking?

Not usually because you want that top to develop a thin, golden crust of gooey cheese. If the top starts to brown too much or too quickly you can tent a piece of foil over it.

What are the layers?

That's really up to you. Since it is basically made of leftovers you could put in whatever leftover, cooked vegetables you happen to have in the fridge. Green beans and sliced or mashed carrots are common.

So the first layer is the meat, followed by the green beans and/or carrots. Add any cooked vegetable you like. Next you'll pour the gravy over the whole thing, add a layer of mashed potatoes, and then I like to add a layer of cheese even though it's not traditional.

Can cheese ever be wrong?

Do you put cheese on top?

Ah, you've got me.

Traditionally speaking there isn't normally cheese in or on shepherd's pie. However, personally I love cheese on top. Cheddar, smoked Gouda... any cheese that melts well will work.

Is it made with lamb or beef?

Well, technically shepherd's pie is made with lamb, and cottage pie (exactly the same except the meat) is made with beef.

Variations

There are plenty of ways to make shepherd's pie. If you don't have leftover pot roast try one of these variations.

• Vegetarian - substitute sauteed mushrooms, eggplant, or a combination for the meat in the recipe
• Gluten free - use 2 tablespoons cornstarch instead of flour for the thickener
• Use 3 1/2 cups cooked ground beef instead of leftover roast
• Use ground lamb instead of beef
• Use ground pork, or a combination of ground pork and ground beef
• Use ground turkey or chicken
• Use Pepper Jack or other cheese
• Use mashed sweet potatoes instead of potatoes - this is especially good with the turkey or pork versions
• You may add peas instead of green beans - or along with the green beans if you like
• Save some calories and carbs by using mashed cauliflower in place of the potatoes
• Chopped onions can be sauteed until tender in some butter and added over the meat layer
• Cooked, boneless chicken can be substituted for the beef.
• Pulled pork is a delicious variation to this recipe. I like to substitute corn for the carrots, and use BBQ sauce over the meat instead of gravy when using the pulled pork

Equipment

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A covered casserole dish is great to have because you can make it ahead and easily keep it covered until you are ready to bake it. Leftovers can be stored right in the same dish with its own cover. Very handy!

☕️ Kaffeeklatsch

It's really funny. My family is starting to get smaller. We are down to 4 kids at home now and they do not have the appetites of some of the kids who have moved out.

It's been much harder to learn to cook smaller portions again than it was to learn to cook huge amounts. I am at that in-between stage where I frustrate myself by having to throw out way too much food.

For the first time in decades I'm having to deal with leftovers.

I miss the big family chaos, a lot. I am not sure I will ever get used to it this quiet household -- and it's one of those things that was a season that is now passed -- no going back.

I am grateful that I was able to be a stay at home mom, to homeschool, and to spend all the time with them that I did. I can't think of a better way to have invested my life.

Once you try this you'll be hooked. It's so quick and easy that it makes a great weeknight dinner-- and you can even put it together a day or so ahead of time and bake it when you're ready to eat.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

4.46 from 55 votes

Easy Shepherd's Pie with Leftover Pot Roast

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Comfort food for a cold, rainy day - this shepherd's pie is made with leftover pot roast and plenty of mashed potatoes for an easy dinner the whole family will love. Easy beginner recipe.

Course Casserole,Main Dish - Beef

Cuisine Great Britain/Ireland

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings:8

Calories:530

Author:Marye Audet-White

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Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 pounds cooked beef, leftover pot roast works well shredded and then chopped coarsely
• 2 cups carrots, cooked
• 2 cups green beans, cooked
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/3 cup flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, (about 3 to 4 large potatoes)
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°.
• Grease a baking dish and add the leftover cooked beef in an even layer.
• Cover with a layer of the carrots, then the green beans.
• Set aside.
• Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a heavy frying pan.
• Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly until it is a golden color, about 2 minutes.
• Whisk in the milk and simmer, stirring often, until the gravy is smooth and thick.
• Pour over the meat and vegetables.
• Set aside.
• Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks.
• Boil them in salted water until they are very tender.
• Mash them with a potato masher or use a mixer, adding in the 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spoon over the meat and vegetables and sprinkle the cheddar over the top.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the cheese it bubbly and the dish is heated all the way through.

Notes

• Jarred, prepared gravy is a great timesaver if  you are in a rush.
• Save time by using prepared mashed potatoes from the store. Costco has some that are really good.
• Cooked ground beef can be used in place of the leftover roast beef - You'll need about 3 cups.
• Cooked, boneless chicken can be substituted for the beef.
• Pulled pork is a delicious variation to this recipe. I like to substitute corn for the carrots, and use BBQ sauce over the meat instead of gravy when using the pulled pork.
• Shepherd's Pie can be assembled up to 2 days ahead of time - keep covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it.
• Chopped onions can be sauteed until tender in some butter and added over the meat layer.
• Want to save some calories and carbs? Use mashed cauliflower in place of the potatoes.
• You may add peas instead of green beans - or along with the green beans if you like

Nutrition

Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 330mg | Potassium: 1173mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 6170IU | Vitamin C: 21.4mg | Calcium: 280mg | Iron: 7.6mg

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First published January 2015. Last updated March 2020 to increase page speed and readability.