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This cottage pie recipe is filled with ground beef and veggies in a rich brown gravy. It’s topped with cheesy potatoes and baked until browned and bubbly.
- Skill level: Easy! Perfect for beginners or home cooks looking for a cozy, homemade meal.
- Swaps: Swap ground beef for ground turkey or lamb. Use sweet potatoes for a twist on the topping.
- Time-Saving Tip: Use store-bought mashed potatoes and/or frozen mixed veggies to cut down on prep time.
- Freezing: Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven until heated through.
Cottage Pie vs. Shepherd’s Pie
While both pies contain vegetables and a rich gravy cooked under mashed potatoes, the difference is in the meat. Shepherd’s pie contains ground lamb while a cottage pie contains ground meat like beef, chicken, turkey, or a combination.
Ingredient Tips For Cottage Pie
- Meat: I use lean ground beef but you can use any ground meat.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, and peas add flavor. Other great additions include corn, chopped mushrooms, or even chopped kale.
- Potatoes: While cheese is not traditional, I love the flavor a bit of cheddar adds. You can save time and use leftover mashed potatoes.
- Sauce: The gravy-like sauce is easy to make with beef stock or broth and seasonings. For a shortcut add a can of cream of mushroom soup or leftover beef gravy.
Variations
- No time to make mashed potatoes? Top cottage pie with frozen tater tots instead. You can also use mashed sweet potatoes.
- Green beans can be used in place of peas. Toss in a bag of frozen vegetable medley to cut down on prep time.
Tip for Easy Cleanup: Brown the ground beef in an oven-proof 10-inch skillet. Top it with the potatoes and bake it right in the skillet for fewer dishes to wash.
Leftovers and Storage
Keep leftover cottage pie in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat portions in the microwave or the oven covered with foil until heated through. Freeze in freezer-safe containers and thaw overnight before reheating.
More Cozy Ground Beef Casseroles
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Cottage Pie
This hearty cottage pie recipe is easy to make with ground beef and veggies in a rich gravy, topped with cheesy mashed potatoes.
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large pot of cold salted water.
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Bring the potatoes to a gentle boil and cook 13-16 minutes or until fork tender.
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While potatoes are cooking, combine ground beef and onion in a large skillet, brown until no pink remains.
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Add carrots, celery, and garlic to the ground beef mixture. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until slightly tender.
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Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.
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Simmer for 20 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Remove bay leaf, add peas, and season with salt and pepper.
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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.
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Top the meat mixture with the potatoes and place in the oven. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden.
- If time allows, chill the meat layer for 20 minutes before adding the potatoes to keep the layers separated.
- Use thawed frozen veggies in place of fresh, no need to chop or cook them.
- For a quick version, use a packet of gravy mix and simmer until thickened, or replace the sauce with a can of condensed tomato soup (no water needed).
- If you’d like it extra saucy, you can increase the flour and sauce ingredients.
- Bake cottage pie on a parchment-covered rimmed baking sheet in case it spills over.
- Keep leftover cottage pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze portions in covered containers, thaw overnight, and reheat as desired.
Calories: 499 | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 673mg | Potassium: 1151mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4018IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 219mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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