Best Cottage Pie Recipe

So, what's the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie?

They are the same recipe, except cottage pie is made with beef, and shepherd’s pie is made with lamb.

Because a shepherd herds sheep, so it's made with lamb - simples!

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There's nothing quite like a big serving of hearty and delicious cottage pie on a cold winter's day.

Although on the luxury side, it's still easy to make! 😉

Bangers (sausage) and mash is another comfort food that we love.

What to serve with cottage pie

Although this recipe may seem a little on the luxury side, it's still a relatively cheap meal because you can easily stretch it to serve more people without necessarily using more minced beef.

• Kids may like baked beans!

• Peas

• Broccoli

• Cabbage greens

• Kale

• Carrots

• Green beans

Ingredients in the cottage pie filling

• vegetable or rapeseed oil

• onion 

• carrots 

• celery

• garlic cloves 

• lean beef mince (ground beef)

• thyme 

• tomato puree (paste)

• Coleman's English mustard

• Worcestershire sauce

• balsamic vinegar (or a little tomato ketchup)

• good quality tinned tomatoes

• Knorr Rich beef stockpot

• salt and pepper to season

How to make Cottage Pie

Full recipe including the mashed potatoes in the printable recipe card below 😉

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan.

Saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic on a medium heat until well softened.

Now add the minced beef and the sprig of thyme.

Turn up the heat for 6-8 minutes and fry until the mince is browned.

Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes to reduce. Remove the thyme and discard.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding pepper and salt if needed.

Pour the mince mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with the mash. Sprinkle over the chives and top with the cheese.

Bake uncovered on the middle shelf of your preheated oven until piping hot and golden.

You might also like Cottage Pie with Guinness. 😋

Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!

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main, dinner

English

Yield: 4

Author: Jan Bennett

Best Cottage Pie Recipe

Hearty and delicious luxury cottage pie.

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 20 M

Ingredients

For the cottage pie filling

• 1 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
• 1 onion - peeled and finely diced
• 2 carrots - peeled and finely diced
• 1 celery stalk - ribs removed and finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves - peeled and minced
• 500g lean beef mince (ground beef)
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 2 tbsp tomato puree (paste in the US)
• 2 tsp Coleman's English mustard
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or a little tomato ketchup)
• 400g good quality tinned tomatoes
• 1 x Knorr Rich beef stockpot - diluted in 300ml of hot water
• salt and pepper to season

Cheesy mashed potato topping

• 900g/2lb floury potatoes such as Maris piper - peeled and halved
• 115g/4oz butter
• 125ml/4½fl oz milk
• 1 x egg (yolk only)
• a few snipped chives - if you wanna be all fancy!
• a handful of Cheddar cheese - leave out the cheese for plain mash

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180°C fan oven (or 200°C) 400°F

1. Add salted cold water to a large saucepan, add the potatoes and gently boil them for 15-20 minutes or until soft.
2. Drain well, then mash with the butter, add a splash of milk and the egg yolk and mix well. Leave to one side and get on with the cottage pie.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic on a medium heat until well softened. Don't rush this!
4. Now add the minced beef and the sprig of thyme. Turn up the heat for 6-8 minutes and fry until the mince is browned, breaking it up as you go - a flat-ended wooden spoon is good for this.
5. Add the tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, diluted stockpot, Worcester sauce, balsamic and mustard to the minced beef mixture.
6. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes to reduce. Remove the thyme and discard. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding pepper and salt if needed.
7. Pour the mince mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with the mash. Sprinkle over the chives and top with the cheese.
8. Bake uncovered on the middle shelf of your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until piping hot and golden.
9. Serve immediately. Want more gravy? Make a quick gravy using gravy granules.

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