Difference Between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie

If you have ever ordered a shepherd’s pie or a cottage pie, you probably couldn’t get enough of it. But do you know the difference between the two? What are the ingredients? How are they prepared? Let’s dive in and see the difference between the two popular dishes. 

What is Shepherd’s Pie?

With an origin from Northern England and Scotland, a shepherd’s pie is a pie that uses minced lamb or mutton as the main ingredients. The most common way of making the shepherd’s pie involves roasting lamb or mutton and covering it with mashed potatoes the day before. Most people also like their shepherd’s pie topped with pastry. While it was traditionally made with leftover minced lamb, it can now be prepared without leftover lamb. 

What is Cottage Pie?

This is a pie that uses minced beef as the main ingredient. Most cottage pie recipes involve adding vegetables such as sweetcorn, carrots, celery and even peas to the meat and covering it with mashed potatoes. Cottage pie is an easy-to-make dish. As such, it is a favourite for most people and also a common meal in most restaurants. Also, some people prefer to use mashed potatoes both at the bottom as well as the top. 

Similarities between Shepherd’s pie and Cottage pie

• Both contain a layer of mashed potatoes 

Differences between Shepherd’s pie and Cottage pie

Ingredients

A shepherd’s pie is a pie that uses minced lamb or mutton and mashed potatoes as the main ingredient. On the other hand, a cottage pie is a pie that uses minced beef and mashed potatoes as the main ingredients.  

Shepherd’s pie vs. Cottage pie: Comparison Table

Summary of Shepherd’s pie vs. Cottage pie

A shepherd’s pie is a pie that uses minced lamb or mutton and mashed potatoes as the main ingredient. On the other hand, a cottage pie is a pie that uses minced beef and mashed potatoes as the main ingredients. The main difference between the two lies in the use of minced lamb or beef. 

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