There are so many wonderful ways to use leftover pot roast. One of my favorite uses is this super-easy Shepherd’s Pie with Leftover Pot Roast. It’s comfort food from the British Isles.
Typically, when I make a slow-cooker pot roast I cook an extra-large beef roast for leftovers. With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, I thought now would be the perfect time to update this Shepherd’s Pie recipe with some fresh, new images.
Pot roast is a meal that can yield a lot of leftovers without much, if any, additional cooking time. Thus, I often work a Crock-Pot pot roast into my meal plan and am always looking for new and unique ways to use the extra roast.
Use whatever pot roast recipe you like to make this Shepherd’s Pie, but this Classic New England Slow Cooker Pot Roast is a good one, with or without the vegetables.
This is one of my all time favorite comfort foods.
How Did Shepherd’s Pie Originate?
It depends on who you ask. It’s a traditional English dish made with lamb or mutton, vegetables, and mashed potato. It dates back to the late 18th century or early 19th century when it was the solution to a family’s leftover meats and vegetables. The ‘shepherds’ in the name comes from the belief that they were the ones who predominantly ate it. There is another theory that says Scottish cooks conceived the dish, substituting ground beef for lamb/mutton and calling it “cottage pie.” Regardless, it remains a popular dish in the U.K. and Ireland.
Watch how easily this recipe comes together:
For your convenience, a printable recipe card with nutrition information is available at the bottom of this page.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 -3 cups shredded pot roast
- 2 cups beef gravy (leftover, canned or prepared from a mix)
- 1 bag peas and carrots, cooked
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes or prepared instant potatoes
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter a 9×13 baking dish or spray with no-stick cooking spray.
- Saute onion in butter until tender.
- Add the shredded beef, gravy, peas and carrots. Heat through and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour into a casserole dish. Add beaten egg into the potatoes, and spoon over the meat and vegetable mixture.
- Bake at 400 F for approximately 30 minutes, until bubbly.
FAQs
No. Ground beef, ground turkey and lamb are all good substitutes for the pot roast.
I have a tendency to make double the amount of potatoes that I need. I love using the leftover potatoes in recipes like this one. It makes a great snack, too! Use whatever mashed potatoes you fancy. Even frozen or refrigerated mashed potatoes will work. Check out my recipe for freezer mashed potatoes.
Add chopped herbs, like rosemary, thyme, or parsley, and Worcestershire sauce. If you want some heat, add paprika, cumin, or chili powder. You can also add a splash of red wine to give it some depth. And one of my favorite things to add is a layer of cheese on top. Cheddar will work nicely.
How To Store Shepherd’s Pie
Let the Shepherd’s Pie cool completely. Place it in an airtight container or cover it with plastic wrap. It can stay in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it by following the above steps for up to 3 months. When you want to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Then warm it up in the oven or microwave. Just make sure the center is completely heated through.
Shepherd’s Pie with Leftover Pot Roast
Equipment
- 9×13 casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 large onion. diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2-3 cups shredded pot roast
- 1 12 oz. bag frozen peas and carrots
- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Saute onion in butter until tender.
- Add the shredded beef, gravy, peas and carrots.
- Heat through and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour into a 9×13 greased casserole dish.
- Add beaten egg into the potatoes, and spoon over the meat and vegetable mixture.
- Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, until bubbly.
Nutrition
How do you use left over pot roast?
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