Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cook the potatoes: Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly and allow them to steam-dry briefly.
- Make the mashed potatoes: Mash the warm potatoes with butter. Gradually add the warm milk until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Brown the beef: Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil if needed, followed by the ground beef. Cook, breaking it apart, until deeply browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Cook the vegetables: Add the diced onion and carrots. Cook for 5–7 minutes until the onion softens. Add the garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds.
- Build the filling: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Cook for another minute.
- Make the gravy: Slowly pour in the beef stock while stirring. Add Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes, until the gravy thickens.
- Add the peas: Stir in the peas and cook for a few minutes until heated through. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Assemble: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Transfer the beef filling to an oven-safe baking dish and spread evenly. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the filling and gently spread them into an even layer.
- Create the golden topping: Use a fork to create ridges across the mashed potatoes. These ridges will become beautifully crisp and golden during baking.
- Bake: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the potato topping is golden brown. For extra browning, broil for 1–2 minutes while watching carefully.
- Rest and serve: Remove from the oven and let the Cottage Pie rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
For the fluffiest mashed potatoes, drain them thoroughly and avoid over-mashing.
Russet potatoes create a fluffy topping, while Yukon Gold potatoes produce a naturally creamy and buttery mash.
The beef filling should be thick before it goes into the baking dish. If it looks watery, simmer it longer.
Browning the beef properly adds considerably more flavor to the finished Cottage Pie.
Create ridges in the mashed potatoes with a fork to achieve a crisp, golden topping.
Let the finished Cottage Pie rest for about 10 minutes before serving so the filling can settle.
Cottage Pie can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated before baking.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3–4 days or frozen for longer storage.
Traditional Cottage Pie contains beef and potatoes, so it is not vegetarian, vegan, keto, or low-carb. It is also not automatically gluten-free because flour, stock, and Worcestershire sauce may contain gluten; use certified gluten-free alternatives if needed.
Russet potatoes create a fluffy topping, while Yukon Gold potatoes produce a naturally creamy and buttery mash.
The beef filling should be thick before it goes into the baking dish. If it looks watery, simmer it longer.
Browning the beef properly adds considerably more flavor to the finished Cottage Pie.
Create ridges in the mashed potatoes with a fork to achieve a crisp, golden topping.
Let the finished Cottage Pie rest for about 10 minutes before serving so the filling can settle.
Cottage Pie can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated before baking.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3–4 days or frozen for longer storage.
Traditional Cottage Pie contains beef and potatoes, so it is not vegetarian, vegan, keto, or low-carb. It is also not automatically gluten-free because flour, stock, and Worcestershire sauce may contain gluten; use certified gluten-free alternatives if needed.