Cottage Pie – comfort food central! This English classic has a deeply savoury beef mince filling smothered in gravy topped with creamy mashed potato, baked until golden. One of the best cosy foods to make with ground beef!
Wondering what’s the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie? Same recipe except Cottage Pie is made with beef and Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb! (Because Shepherd’s herd sheep….)
Cottage Pie
Cottage Pie is a fabulous English classic, one that us Aussies have adopted as one of our beloved winter favorites! Or in my case, all-year-round-favourite.
Easy to make, economical, every day ingredients and 100% freezer friendly, it’s the sort of food that has universal appeal (well, putting aside vegetarians 😂)
There’s two components to Cottage Pie – the beef filling and the creamy mashed potato topping. The filling is beefy and deeply savoury and it WILL take willpower not to shovel it in your mouth as you’re cooking it…..
….then you get on with that creamy mashed potato filling and it WILL take serious willpower not to shovel THAT into your mouth too…
But you’ll hold out because you know that it’s worth the patience because when you pull the bubbling beauty of of the oven and see that crusty golden top, your chest will puff up with pride, everybody at the table will clap their hands with glee, and no matter how dismal the day, it’s just been made a whole lot better with your Cottage Pie.
What’s the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie?
There is quite often confusion over the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie. Both are made the same way – a beef mince filling in a gravy sauce that is topped with mashed potato, sprinkled with parmesan then baked. (That crusty top is everything!!)
The only difference is that Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb instead of beef. So if you want, just swap the beef in this recipe with lamb and you’ll have a Shepherd’s Pie!
What goes in Cottage Pie
Here’s what you need for Cottage Pie.
Feel free to switch the beef with any protein – this is delicious made with lamb (which makes it Shepherd’s Pie), chicken, turkey, pork. Also don’t fret if you don’t have carrot and celery – skip it or add other diced vegetables, like peas.
And here’s what you need for the mashed potato topping.
I like to put parmesan cheese on my Cottage Pie because it makes the top extra crispy and golden. But any melting cheese will work great.
Cottage Pie from scratch
This Cottage Pie is made from scratch, and it’s very straightforward. If you can make Bolognese and mashed potato, you can make Cottage Pie because it essentially follows the same steps!
Cottage Pie – 2 little tips
I just have 2 little tips to make your Cottage Pie a resounding success:
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To stop the potato from sinking into the filling, cool the filling first. But this isn’t a deal breaker, it’s just a visual thing ie if you don’t cool the filling, the potato “bleeds” into the beef mixture; and
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Ensure the filling reduces down enough (see video) to ensure you don’t end up with a watery filling after baking. It’s so disappointing when you break through the potato to be greeted with a beef sitting in a watery sauce!
How to freeze Cottage Pie
Cottage Pie is one of those rare foods that is truly perfect to make in advance. It will keep in the fridge for 4 days – assembled and ready to heat, or once cooked.
You can also freeze Cottage Pie 100% perfectly. You can bake from frozen – though it does take around 1 hour (it’s a formidable block of ice!!) or thaw then bake. Cooked leftovers also freeze well.
What goes with Cottage Pie
This is a meat and carb heavy dish, so it goes really well with fresh side salads like a Rocket Salad with Balsamic Dressing, or a Garden Salad with French or Italian Dressing. I recently served it with this Carrot Salad with a Honey Dijon Dressing which was a hit!
For a cosy meal on a cold winter night, try it with a side of Glazed Roasted Carrots and Sautéed Garlic Spinach. The only other thing you need is a glass of red and a crackling fire…
Or in my case, squatting by an ancient electric heater! 😂 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Cottage Pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 carrot , finely chopped*
- 1 celery , finely chopped*
- 750g / 1.5 lb beef mince (ground beef)
- 1/4 cup (40g) flour (plain / all purpose)
- 1/4 cup (55g) tomato paste
- 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock / broth , low sodium
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) red wine (or water)
- 1 beef bouillon cube , crumbled (stock cube, or 1 tsp stock powder)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or 3 sprigs fresh thyme)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Topping
- 1.2 kg / 2.5 lb potatoes , peeled and cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes
- 2/3 cup (165 ml) milk , warmed
- 2 tbsp (30g) butter
Parmesan Crust (optional)
- 2 tbsp (30g) butter
- 2 tbsp (20g) parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Then add carrots and celery. Cook for 3 minutes or until softened and sweet.
- Turn heat up to high. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned.
- Add flour and mix in. Add tomato paste, broth, red wine, bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
- Bring to simmer, then turn down heat so it is simmering rapidly - I have it on medium high. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces down to a gravy consistency (Note 1) (see video). Taste then add more salt if desired.
- Transfer to 6 cup pie dish (1.5 litre / quart). Cover, cool if you have time (even overnight). Cool filling = easier to top with mash (Note 2)
Assemble Pie
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Cook potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain then return to pot on turned off stove. Shake briefly and allow to steam dry for 30 seconds or so (Note 3).
- Add butter and mash until melted, then add milk and salt. Mash until smooth.
- Spread onto pie, use a fork to rough up the surface (rougher surface = more golden bits). Sprinkle with paremsan, drizzle with butter (or skip this and just drizzle with olive oil)
- Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden on top and bubbling on the edges. Stick a knife into the middle to ensure it is piping hot.
- Stand for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with fresh thyme leaves if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published October 2016. Updated 2020 with fresh new photos and video. No change to recipe – I wouldn’t dare!
More pie recipes
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Shepherd’s Pie (lamb – because Shepherd’s herd sheep!)
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Spanakopita (Greek spinach and feta pie)
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Browse all cosy Winter Warmers
Life of Dozer
That’s what Dozer looks like when he’s peeved. He’s cranky because he squeezed himself under this tiny table, waited so patiently for me to finish taking photos and he didn’t get a taste test!
Kerrie Thompson says
I love quite a lot of your recipes . Haven’t done this for a while . I really appreciate all your little hints and tips, even to the littlest of hint to freeze in single serves . I’m making a whole recipe me and hubby will probably take leftovers with plenty to freeze for a rainy day . Thankyou , keep them coming ❤️
jacqueline says
I doubled the recipe so I could enjoy leftovers, yeah… nah! Everyone had seconds, then thirds, then fell into a food coma. One of my family’s faves!
Pam says
Soooo delish! This recipe is a keeper. The wine adds so much depth of flavor. Made it according to directions and I wouldn’t change a thing!
Linda J says
YUM, YUM, YUMMY!!! I got rave reviews from my roommate and my elderly neighbor!!
Nagi says
That’s awesome Linda, how kind you are to share ❤️ N x
Cindy Vanderzalm says
Just want to say thank you Nagi for all your wonderful recipe. Love everything I’ve tried so far. This one is for dinner tonight.
Cat says
Great recipe. I couldn’t stop eating the mince mix whilst I waited for it to cool.
Love your recipes.
Tamara says
It tasted sooooooooooo amazing!!! Just like mums – thank you
Richelle says
So so SO good Nagi!
Doubled the quantities and made for family of 8 with leftovers. Definitely going into the regular rotation xx
Bonnie says
Definitely worth chilling as Nagi states. I didn’t have any celery but it was still very yummy without.
Paul Nelson says
Made this many times, and like all Nagi recipes, it’s vg! Send her recipes to family and friends in Singapore. They love them.
Paul Bishop says
have not had this this good since mum made 50 years ago
April says
Oh my! Oh my! Made this tonight and it is SO good! Nagi, you are always “spot on”! I am allergic to the MSG in bouillon, so I added 1 Tbsp of Braggs Liquid Aminos and it did the trick! (Do you have that in Australia? I’m in the US.) So very good! I will use this Cottage Pie recipe from now on!
Carli says
Everyone in my family loved this dish! It was much more savoury and flavourful than other cottage pie recipes I’ve tried. Classic comfort and I’ll be making it again… probably next week 😉
jackie says
all of my family loved this
Carol P says
Wow! I also just made this cottage pie and it is truly superb! Your recipes have been making this Sydney lockdown enjoyable 😊
Chas Chate says
I’ve eaten a lot of cottage pie in my life but Nagi’s recipe is the best and by some distance. Absolutely delicious! This is the only recipe I will use in future. Thank you for sharing Nagi.
Lizzie says
Loved this Nagi!…(I made with 500g pork mince & extra veggies)…I am loving all your recipes….You have made me into a proper home cook! Thank you!:)
Ellie says
So delicious! Very clear instructions. Can’t wait to make it again.
Robyn Skeates says
Great instructions and tips. A seriously delicious Cottage Pie especially for one who thought Cottage pie was bland and boring. This is definitely good enough for company
Sue says
I have been making a pretty good cottage pie for 40 years. Thought I’d give yours a go as we have loved so many of your recipes. Yours is definitely the best !
Nagi says
Woah what a compliment Sue, thanks so much!!! ❤️ N x