Shepherd’s pie is a popular comfort food, especially in the UK. Actually, Shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, Cottage pie is made with beef, and Cumberland pie is either one with cheese on top. Americans tend to refer to all of the versions as Shepherd’s pie. The French have their own version, and it is made with beef simmered in wine. It is called Hachis Parmentier, and is very popular. I recently made my own Cajun variation (with the French nuances) with leftovers rather than ground meat, and the following Cajun Cottage Pie is the yummy result. Most of us have mashed potatoes left over from Sunday dinner, and if we have pot roast, we have that too. So it’s only right to make some sort of variation of shepherd’s pie with the leftovers.

Rather than ground beef, this version contains leftover Cajun Pot Roast (done in the slow cooker with plenty of Cajun spices). To keep with the theme, I sautéed the Cajun Trinity (onion, green pepper, and celery) with a small amount of Andouille sausage and Cajun seasoning for the base. I then heated the beef in red wine and beef broth. I then made mashed potatoes in my Instant Pot. You, of course, can use leftover beef and gravy and leftover mashed potatoes.

8 Servings

6 ounces andouille sausage, cut lengthwise and sliced

1 large onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

2 cups cooked beef, diced (or substitute browned ground beef)

1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef broth


4 to 6 cups mashed potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a deep 9" x 9" glass casserole dish with non-stick spray.
2. Brown the andouille sausage in a large skillet; remove from the pan but keep any accumulated fat in the skillet.
3. Add the onion, celery, green pepper and Cajun seasoning. Brown well and cook until softened; set aside.
4. Add the beef and red wine to the skillet; bring to a boil and cook until the wine is reduced by half.
5. Add the beef broth and simmer for 5-10 minutes or it begins to thicken. Add the vegetables and andouille sausage; heat through.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes. Bake about 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 227 Calories from Fat 73
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 32% Protein 26% Carb. 42%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 8 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 38 mg
Sodium 717 mg
Total Carbohydrate 24 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 15 g

Vitamin A 15% Vitamin C 57% Calcium 0% Iron 11%