Cottage Pie
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
499 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
Cottage Pie
Description
This Cottage Pie starts with lean ground beef browned with diced onion, carrots, celery, and garlic for a flavorful base. Incorporating flour and simmering in beef broth enriched with Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste creates a thick sauce. Parsley, thyme, and a bay leaf add herbal notes while peas add color and texture. Seasoning balances the savory components.
Mashed potatoes made from peeled russet or Yukon gold potatoes are mixed with melted butter, warm milk, and shredded cheddar cheese, resulting in a creamy, fluffy topping. Assembling the meat mixture beneath the potato layer and baking at 400°F produces a golden crust with a soft, rich interior.
Cottage Pie serves as a filling main course, suitable for family dinners. It can be complemented by steamed vegetables or a green salad for balance. Variations include using frozen vegetables or quick gravy substitutes for convenience.
Chilling the meat layer prior to topping helps maintain separation between layers. Leftover pie keeps well refrigerated up to four days and freezes well for extended storage. Baking on a rimmed pan with parchment protects against spills in the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrot ½ inch diced
- 2 ribs celery ½ inch diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon parsley dried
- ¼ teaspoon thyme dried leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- ⅔ cup pea
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 pounds russet potato or Yukon gold potatoes
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- ⅓ cup milk warm
- 1 cup cheddar cheese optional, shredded sharp
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large pot of cold salted water.
- Bring the potatoes to a gentle boil and cook 13-16 minutes or until fork tender.
- While potatoes are cooking, combine ground beef and onion in a large skillet, brown until no pink remains.
- Add carrots, celery, and garlic to the ground beef mixture. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until slightly tender.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Simmer for 20 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Remove bay leaf, add peas, and season with salt and pepper.
- Drain the potatoes well and mash until smooth. Stir in the butter. Add warmed milk a little bit at a time until the potatoes are smooth and fluffy, you may not need all of the milk. Stir the cheese into the potatoes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Top the meat mixture with the potatoes and place in the oven. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden.
Notes
- Chill the meat filling before adding mashed potatoes to keep layers distinct.
- Frozen vegetables can replace fresh, no need to chop or pre-cook.
- Gravy mix or condensed tomato soup can be used to quicken sauce preparation.
- Adjust sauce thickness by increasing flour and liquid quantities as preferred.
- Bake on a parchment-lined rimmed tray to catch spills during cooking.
- Store leftover cottage pie covered in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze portions for longer keeping.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 499 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 499 | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 39g | 13% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 89mg | 30% |
| Sodium | 673mg | 28% |
| Potassium | 1151mg | 24% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 4018IU | 80% |
| Vitamin C | 20mg | 22% |
| Calcium | 219mg | 22% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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