Easy Cottage Pie

Cottage pie recipe with cheesy mash - ultimate comfort food! 

The recipe for shepherd's pie is the same. The only difference between the two is cottage pie uses minced (ground) beef, whereas shepherd's pie uses minced lamb. 

This post may contain affiliate links, as an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases but of course, at no extra cost to you.

There's nothing quite like a big serving of hearty and delicious cottage pie on a cold winter's day. Bangers (sausage) and mash is another comfort food that I love.

It's also a relatively cheap meal as you can easily stretch it to serve more people without necessarily using more minced beef.

Why not add a can of kidney beans?

Kids LOVE baked beans!

Add a side of veggies, such as peas, broccoli, and cabbage greens.

Ingredients in 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

• salt and pepper to season

How to make Cottage Pie

In a large frying pan, heat the oil. 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, breaking it up as you go - a flat-ended wooden spoon is good for this.

Remove the thyme and discard. Add the tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, stockpot, and Worcester sauce to the mince mixture. Also, add 300ml of hot water.

Stir well and bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes to reduce. Taste and adjust the seasoning - add pepper, and salt if you think it needs it.

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 for 20-25 minutes or until piping hot and golden. Serve immediately.

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

easy cottage pie, cottage pie recipe, comfort food,

main, dinner

English

Yield: 4

Author: Jan Bennett

Easy Cottage Pie

Hearty, delicious cottage pie with a cheesy topping. You can make a quick gravy using gravy granules or powder if you like more gravy, as we do.

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
• salt and pepper to season

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
• a handful of Cheddar cheese

Instructions

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

1. Add salted cold water to a large saucepan and add the potatoes and boil the potatoes for 20 minutes or until soft. Drain well and allow to steam for 10 minutes.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the oil. Saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic on a medium heat until well softened.
3. 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.
4. Remove the thyme and discard. Add the tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, stockpot, and Worcester sauce to the mince mixture. Also, add 300ml of hot water.
5. Stir well and bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes to reduce. Taste and adjust the seasoning - add pepper, and salt if you think it needs it.
6. Once the potatoes have steamed, mash them well with the butter until the butter is melted. Add a splash of milk and the egg yolk and mix through.
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. Serve immediately.

Did you make this recipe?

@aglugofoil # aglugofoil