Are Shepherd's Pie And Cottage Pie Really That Different?

The most puzzling pies out there have to be shepherd's pie and cottage pie, leaving many people scratching their heads, unsure whether there's any difference or if they're just the same. With names that conjure up images of shepherds and quaint cottages, the real surprise is that neither of these dishes are pies in the pastry sense. Instead, they're classic casserole dishes made with ground meat and topped with mashed potatoes.

And shepherd's pie and cottage pie remain different, and today, that main difference comes down to the protein contents. Shepherd's pie is made with minced lamb or mutton (easy to remember since shepherds herd sheep, right?), while cottage pie uses minced beef. Much like the comforting old-fashioned chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie and cottage pie are beloved pub staples and ultimate comfort foods across the British Isles. These hearty, easy-to-make dishes have humble, frugal roots, born from the need to transform leftovers and inexpensive meat cuts into a filling meal for the entire family. 

It's difficult to pinpoint the exact origins of both cottage pie and shepherd's pie. However, the first recorded use of the name "cottage pie" dates back to the mid to late 1800s, with cottage referring to the modest homes of working-class people who lived in cottages living tough, impoverished lives. Yet, the dish itself predates way more than the popularization of the name and likely came before shepherd's pie, which only appeared in print around the 1849 in The Practice of Cookery and Pastry, a cookbook from Edinburgh, Scotland. Interestingly, some historians suggest that early versions of cottage pie may have used a dough crust, as potatoes didn't become widespread in Britain until the 18th century. Potatoes were first introduced to the British Isles around 1586, when English naturalist Sir Thomas Harriot brought them back from Sir Walter Raleigh's North Carolina colony.

The exact geographical origin of shepherd's pie has long been debated, but cottage pie is more closely linked to Britain, while shepherd's pie is associated with Ireland, partly due to the entangled economic and political histories of both countries. Beginning in the 17th century and continuing into the 18th, under England's widespread colonization of Ireland, Irish tenant farmers lived in poverty and relied on lamb or mutton, which were cheaper than beef, making them the key ingredient in Irish shepherd's pie. Meanwhile, in England, where beef was more accessible, the dish evolved into what is known as cottage pie. Though the two pies are similar, these economic differences shaped their regional identities.

Though British in origin, both pies have been widely appreciated in the U.S. Jeff Zeanah, an analytics chef, compared various recipes for shepherd's pie and cottage pie in both the U.S. and the UK and discovered unique regional variations via Zouschef. According to Zeanah, "It is the choice of vegetables and the flavors that create the differences [in a cottage pie and a shepherd's pie]," aside from the meat choices. 

While both versions use carrots, peas, and corn, U.S. recipes tend to include more peas and corn, whereas UK recipes rely more on fresh tomatoes, with U.S. versions using tomato paste. Additionally, U.S. recipes for cottage pie emphasize the use of rosemary and thyme more than their UK counterparts.

But whatever those differences may be, and regardless of which flavors you prefer, the unique "potato crust" is what truly unites both pies. While the emphasis is often placed on the meat, the "potato crust" also defines these dishes. So, as your beef or lamb is slowly simmering, don't overlook the most important part — the mashed potatoes, and be sure to avoid the common mistakes that might ruin this essential element of your pie.