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This is an American version of Shepherd’s Pie. Traditionally Shepherd’s Pie would be made with ground lamb or mutton. This is technically considered a Cottage Pie since it is not made with lamb. Most Americans call either version Shepherd’s Pie and aren’t usually sticklers on the traditional name.
Shepherd’s Pie is perfect for using up leftovers, you can use almost any leftover meats, potatoes, gravy, and vegetables. I made this with Leftover Pot Roast and gravy made from the roast drippings. If you don’t have leftover roast you can use browned ground beef, lamb, turkey, or pork. If using ground meat you will probably want to add some extra seasoning. I would add Worcestershire sauce and garlic pepper to taste.
This dish can be prepped ahead of time and refrigerated for up to three days before baking. You may need to extend the cooking time for 5-10 minutes when cooking from a refrigerated state.
I used a mixture of white and orange cheese, cheese is optional. If you don’t want to use the cheese you can just brush the potatoes with a little bit of butter before baking.
As you can see I filled my pan a little too full trying to use up as many leftovers as I could. Luckily I could tell it was too full before I baked it. I placed a cookie sheet underneath the casserole dish, so no messes in the bottom of the oven, yeah.
Leftover Roast Beef Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups leftover roast beef, diced
- 1 10-12 oz. package frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
- 2 cups brown or beef gravy (homemade, or prepared from a mix)
- 4 cups mashed potatoes (leftover, freshly made, or store-bought)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease or spray a 2-quart casserole dish ( I use a 9" x 11").
- Combine the roast beef, gravy, and vegetables. Pour into the bottom of the casserole dish. Spread the mashed potatoes on top. Sprinkle cheese on top of the potatoes.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. If the casserole was chilled before cooking you may need to add another 5-10 minutes to the cooking time.
