Our version pretty much duplicates Diane's. Leftover roast or steak cut into chunks, peas, carrots (canned/tinned) is fine. Beef gravy or stock. Mushrooms if you are creative and, of course, lots of lovely mash spread over the top with shredded cheese. I was born in the UK but this recipe has evolved over the years! Wonderful stuff.

hey this sounds really good :) but how many people does it serve??

Hi Ally,

This makes 6-8 servings, depending upon appetite, what else is being served with it, etc.

-- CM

I save all the leftover vegs and buy fresh hamburger, brown it with a gravy, put it all in casserole with mashed potatoes on top, put in oven until browned .. (I only use it to use up litle bits of left over vegetables). Always comes out delicious.

Is there anything similar that uses leftover chicken?

Well Im from Florida USA..and we here brown the meat and onions..add some corn to it (stretches the meal) then put in casserole dish...cover with well seasoned mashed taters..spread layer of cheese and bake till bubbly..and two hours is way too long for that...happy eating

I make it with the minced lamb, peas, carrots, chopped onion and very buttery mashed potato on top. I sometimes put cheese on top but prefer without.

For the cottage pie version I'll sometimes use minced beef, with baked beans mixed in or minced beef with gravy and mixed vegetables such as carrots, corn and peas.

I don't think there are any mutton shops in the US...What the heck is a mutton?? My mother was Australian and she used hamburger living here in the states. I was going to make an attempt and I have found your comments helpful and infinitely amusing!

Derbyshire born and bred, though I like some of the variations, good old lamb/mutton, carrots, peas and onions stewed with worcestershire sauce to taste, then strained placed in a bowl topped with mashed potato and baked for about 40 minutes till browned on top. Serve with the rest of the gravy and other vegggies if you like.

I have been wanting to make shepherds pie and after reading this I have decided that tonight is the night. My father is British and still lives in England...he makes it with cheddar. Also, since he is a vegetarian he uses soy meat. I cant wait to make this for my boyfriend tonight. Thanks all!

this is no more british than I am chinese

For shepherds pie, 1 tin low sugar/salt baked beans or frozen peas with chopped carrots. 1 x lamb oxo and 1 veg oxo
For cottage pie, add a tin of corned beef once the minced beef is browned. With the onions add grated courgette, carrots and basil, 1 beef oxo & 1 veg oxo.

for goodness sake ... there are a thousand variations of this recipe !!!

Shepherd's Pie at our house has always had cheese and since we do not like lamb I have always used ground beef and recently started using shredded leftover roasted deli chicken. I also layer it like a lasagna and have used cream of mushroom soup with the ground beef when I did not have flour or corn starch to make gravy.

I don't use any tomatoes but do use beef cubes and a touch of steak sauce and always ground lamb and beef. No cheese. Everybody alway's asks for more.

This recipe sounds good but, I have a really simple way of making it. Brown ground beef with a couple of garlic cloves and 1 minced onion,salt and pepper put in a casserole pan and layer with stewed tomatoes (green beans, and or corn if you want). Put mounds of homeade or instant potatoes on top and cook for about 1 hour. And I also like cheese on top.