This easy cottage pie recipe is loaded with ground beef, vegetables, and cheesy mashed potatoes. This is the perfect comfort dish to serve on these chillier evenings for dinner. Cottage pie is easy to make and a hearty meal that the entire family will love.
INGREDIENTS
Cottage Pie Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 rims celery, chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 can tomato paste, 6 oz can
Mashed Potato Topping
- 8 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup milk or heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- INSTRUCTIONS
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Start by boiling the potatoes to prepare them to mash. Add the potatoes and smashed garlic to a large cook pot. Cover with water and place a lid on the pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for twenty-five minutes or until potatoes are softened.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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While the potatoes are simmering begin to make the cottage pie filling. Heat olive oil in a skillet on the stove and cook the onion and carrots for minutes.
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Add minced garlic and celery and cook for an additional two minutes.
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Add in the ground beef, salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning. Mix it altogether well and cook until the ground beef has browned thoroughly.
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Add in beef broth and tomato paste and let the mixture simmer on the stove for two minutes then remove from the heat. If you are not using an oven safe skillet, transfer the filling into an oven safe baking dish.
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When the potatoes have softened, drain the water and use a hand mixer to mash the potatoes.
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Add in butter, milk or cream, and cheddar cheese to the potatoes. Make sure it has all evenly mixed into the potatoes.
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Spread the mashed potatoes evenly and smoothly overtop the ground beef filling. Use a fork to make lines throughout the mashed potatoes.
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Bake for thirty minutes.
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Make sure to let the dish cool before serving. Garnish with fresh green onions (optional) and enjoy!
This cottage pie recipe is the perfect mix of seasoned ground beef, healthy vegetables, and cheesy mashed potatoes. This homestyle dish is the perfect comfort food that you are going to want to try.
How to Make Easy Cottage Pie
This recipe may seem overwhelming to just whip up on a week night but it really is simple to make. I make it all in one dish and serve it all on its own. Hearty, healthy, and very delicious.
To start, heat up some olive oil on a cast iron skillet and then add in the onion and carrots to cook for about five minutes. Then, add in the celery and garlic to cook for a couple more minutes. Finally, add in the ground beef and seasonings.
While the ground beef is browning prep the potatoes to mash. In a large pot add water and chopped potatoes and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for about twenty five minutes. I always add a couple cloves of garlic to the pot as well to give the potatoes added flavor. Just smash the cloves with a fork and throw them in to boil with the potatoes.
Now that the ground beef is browned add in beef broth and tomato paste. This will give the beef added flavor and a better "pie" consistency. If you feel the filling is runny add in a tablespoon of flour to thicken.
Now let's finish up those mashed potatoes. Drain the water then use a hand mixer to mash the potatoes. Add in butter, cream, and cheese and mix it all together well. Top the ground beef and vegetables with the mashed potatoes. Be sure to spread the potatoes evenly and smoothly over the top. Then, use a fork to make lines in the mashed potatoes before baking.
Now the cottage pie is ready for the oven. Bake for thirty minutes and then be sure to let it cool a bit before serving. Garnish with green onions and enjoy! This meal is hearty enough to serve all on it's own but if you decide to serve a side, butter bread is my favorite!
Is it called Shepherd's Pie or Cottage Pie?
This dish is more commonly known as "Shepherd's Pie" a classic Irish dish that consist of meat and vegetables and then topped with mashed potatoes. However, "Shepherd's pie" is when lamb is used as the meat. Hence, the term shepherd. The term "Cottage Pie" refers to beef being the meat in the dish. Whichever you decide to call it, you are going to love this classic and homestyle recipe!
Make this Cottage Pie a Freezer Meal
Prep this recipe ahead of time and freeze to serve at a later date. If you are a planner or just like to have a few freezer meals on hand for when you are in a pinch, this recipe is a perfect one. Just follow the same instructions for making the pie filling and the cheesy mashed potatoes. Assemble the pie in a foil pan and then freeze for up to two months. When you are ready to serve this meal bake on 350 degrees for one hour or until the potatoes are golden. If you thaw the dish in the refrigerator beforehand, you can cut the baking time in half.