Cottage Pie
Ingredients
- 2 lbground beef
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbspsalted butter
- 1 mediumwhite or yellow onion
diced, about 1 cup
- 2celery stalks
finely chopped, about ½ cup
- 1 mediumcarrot
peeled and finely chopped, about ½ cup
- 3garlic cloves
minced
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- ¼ call-purpose flour
- 2 cbeef broth
- ½ cdry red wine
or water
- ½ cfrozen peas
- 2 tbspworcestershire sauce
- 4thyme sprigs
- 2dried bay leaves
- salt
- 2 ½ lbrusset potatoes
peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cwhole milk
- 5 tbspsalted butter
melted
- ¾ cgrated parmesan
about 1 1/2 ounces
Directions
- 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- 2
Prepare the filling: Heat an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium. Add ground beef and a large pinch of salt and cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until slightly pink and just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ground beef to a bowl and set aside. Leave about a teaspoon of fat in the pan and discard the rest.
- 3
To the same skillet, add butter, onion, celery and carrot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the carrot is just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring to coat, about 1 minute. Add flour and stir to incorporate.
- 4
Add broth, red wine, peas, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the consistency of thick gravy, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and add extra seasoning, if needed. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and stir in the ground beef. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- 5
Make the topping: To a large saucepan, add 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until knife-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put back into the saucepan. Add the milk, 4 tablespoons butter and ½ cup grated Parmesan. Mash with a potato masher until just creamy, avoiding over-mashing. Taste and add salt if needed.
- 6
Dollop the mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture in the skillet, carefully smoothing the mashed potatoes until it fully covers the beef mixture and reaches the edge of the pan. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over the top, sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan and bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Cottage Pie
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About this Recipe
Craving a truly comforting, stick-to-your-ribs meal that's also incredibly economical and perfect for feeding a crowd? This classic Cottage Pie recipe delivers all that and more, turning simple ingredients into a deeply satisfying dinner.
What makes this Cottage Pie a perennial favorite is its ability to stretch budget-friendly ground beef into a rich, flavorful experience. The hearty beef is simmered in a thick gravy with aromatic vegetables like carrots, onions, celery, and peas, creating a savory foundation. Topped with a generous layer of creamy mashed potatoes, it's a complete meal designed to satisfy.
You'll love how this savory pie combines tender, seasoned ground beef and a medley of vegetables with a velvety potato topping, offering a delightful contrast in textures. Each spoonful is packed with a comforting, robust flavor profile, thanks to the deep, rich gravy infused with garlic, tomato paste, and a touch of red wine and Worcestershire. The creamy mashed potatoes, enriched with butter and Parmesan, provide a perfectly golden crust when baked, completing this ultimate comfort food experience. This meal is easy to prepare and designed to feed many mouths, making it a fantastic main course for cozy fall or winter evenings, or even a traditional St. Patrick's Day feast. It's a truly satisfying dish that promises warmth and flavor in every bite.
This versatile Cottage Pie base welcomes your personal touch. Feel free to incorporate other vegetables like mushrooms or corn into the savory ground beef mixture. For a twist on the classic topping, you can easily swap the russet potatoes for mashed sweet potatoes, adding a subtle sweetness and different nutritional profile.
Serve this hearty Cottage Pie as the star of your dinner table, especially when you need an easy yet impressive main course. It's substantial enough on its own, but a simple green salad or some crusty bread would make it an even more complete meal for family dinners or casual get-to-gethers.