Classic comfort food alert! Here’s a straightforward, hearty Cottage Pie recipe — savory ground beef topped with creamy mashed potatoes, baked until golden and bubbling.
🥧 Classic Cottage Pie
🕒 Total Time: About 1 hour
Serves: 6
🧾 Ingredients:
For the Filling:
-
1½ lbs ground beef (or lamb for shepherd’s pie)
-
1 medium onion, finely chopped
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
2 large carrots, diced
-
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
-
2 tablespoons tomato paste
-
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
-
1 cup beef broth
-
1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary
-
Salt and pepper, to taste
-
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
-
3 lbs potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), peeled and chopped
-
4 tablespoons butter
-
½ cup milk or cream
-
Salt and pepper, to taste
-
Optional: ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
🔪 Instructions:
1. Prepare Mashed Potatoes:
-
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender (about 15-20 minutes).
-
Drain and mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper until creamy. Set aside.
2. Make the Filling:
-
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
-
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
-
Sauté onions, carrots, and garlic until softened (5-7 minutes).
-
Add ground beef, cook until browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if needed.
-
Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
-
Pour in beef broth, simmer until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes).
-
Stir in peas if using. Remove from heat.
3. Assemble:
-
Spread the meat mixture evenly in a baking dish (9×13-inch or similar).
-
Spread mashed potatoes over the top, smoothing with a spatula.
-
Optional: sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top.
4. Bake:
-
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and filling is bubbling.
-
For extra browning, broil for 2-3 minutes at the end (watch closely).
5. Serve:
-
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
🍽️ Tips:
-
Swap beef for ground lamb for classic Shepherd’s Pie.
-
Add herbs like parsley or chives to mashed potatoes for extra flavor.
-
Use sweet potatoes for a twist on the topping.