Why Make a Cottage Pie For Dinner?

Winter dinner favorites! This comforting family dish includes herby beef mince with root vegetables topped off with buttery mashed potato for an unforgettable dining experience! Not to mention it makes fantastic leftovers!

Utilizing vegetable scraps is an ideal way to cut back on food waste, and this delicious side dish does that! Quick and simple preparation makes this meal just as delightful at room temperature or hot!

Nourishing

Cottage pie is an indulgent meal that will satisfy even the heartiest appetites. Packed with protein and delicious veggies like carrots, peas, potatoes, and fiber as well as vitamins A,C & K this cosy classic features classic grass-fed British beef stewed in herby tomato sauce with an irresistibly creamy mashed potato topping for the perfect cozy night-in dining experience!

For this nourishing dish, simmer beef with stock, tomato paste, and garlic in a large saucepan for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender, adding herbs such as thyme, sage, and rosemary for additional flavor. While that simmers away, prepare a delicious mashed potato topping – boiling, steaming, or microwaving potatoes until soft before mashing with buttermilk and some additional thyme until spread on top of the beef mixture evenly before topping off with cheese for 30 minutes of baking until heated through and golden on top.

A tart salad can provide the perfect complement to the rich flavors of cottage pie. Simply combine finely chopped apples, cubes of beet, and goats’ cheese into a bowl with olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and black pepper as desired for an irresistibly fresh dressing.

Add some nutrition and flavor with garlic broccolini for an easy side dish that pairs perfectly with cottage pie filling, while providing essential iron and vitamin A. For something lighter try leek gratin or baked eggplant; or for something different you could even whip up some homemade potato chips!

Cozy

Cottage pie’s hearty, comforting filling is ideal for cold autumn and winter evenings, when its comforting warmth makes an appearance in our lives. A classic cottage pie features rich beef mince, various root vegetables, and creamy mash as its foundation, with ample root vegetables as a delicious side. Plus, its easy preparation makes this meal ideal for busy people!

Add an extra special touch to your homemade cottage pie by topping it off with shredded cheese for an added flavor and satisfying crunch! Or switch out meat for some wilted spinach or red lentils for a vegetarian alternative!

Make this delectably herby chicken cottage pie on a weekend afternoon for an easy weeknight dinner, then feast upon it later that evening! The recipe is straightforward and can even be prepared from frozen, making this an excellent solution!

Another delicious idea is creating a veggie cottage pie, which can be just as filling and hearty as its classic version. This version uses wilted spinach, red lentils, chestnut mushrooms, and an assortment of herbs and spices such as oregano, chives, and paprika for extra flavor enhancement.

To create this tasty and nutritive meal, simply prepare the vegetables according to their package instructions and boil potatoes with some added salt in a pot of water until soft – drain and then mash with butter and milk! Finally, spread over stewed vegetables before placing them back in the oven until golden brown in color.

Cost-Effective

Cottage pie is a classic dish, featuring grass-fed British beef mince stewed in herby tomato sauce and topped with creamy mashed potato. It is quick, easy, and satisfying meal that won’t make you feel heavy afterward, plus leftover mashed potatoes can be used up effectively to keep costs under control! This cottage pie recipe makes a budget-friendly dinner.

Cottage pie is a delicious and comforting one-pot dish that’s sure to win the hearts of your family and friends. Packed with flavor, this recipe takes less than an hour from start to finish – ideal for lazy nights when you want something delicious without too much work involved!

This hearty recipe offers a delicious and nutritious meal full of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins that is ideal for autumn or winter meals as it provides warmth and filling comfort. Furthermore, its cost-effective nature allows plenty of leftovers for lunches or dinners!

To create this dish, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to boil. Chopper your potatoes into 2cm cubes (peeling first if you prefer) and add them directly into the saucepan, letting them simmer for 18-20 minutes before draining, returning back into the pan, mashing with butter milk and salt as desired.

Add the mashed potato to the cottage pie mixture and spread evenly. Top with 75g of grated cheese before placing it under a hot grill for six to eight minutes until it becomes golden brown and crisp. Accompanied this meal with a simple green salad for optimal enjoyment.

Nutritious

British classic fish pie combined with creamy mash is an easy and delicious way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet while keeping you fuller for longer, helping you reach weight loss more quickly.

Make this comforting meal healthier by exchanging beef for lean mince and increasing vegetable content. Additionally, this version of cottage pie is gluten and dairy free – perfect for vegetarian diets!

Make this dish healthier by opting for ready-made gravy packets, as these tend to contain much less fat than homemade sauce. Doing this can reduce your oil usage while still tasting deliciously satisfying, though avoid buying pre-shredded cheese bags since these contain anti-clumping chemicals that could prevent proper cheese melting.

After your potatoes have cooked, drain and mash them using butter, milk, salt, and pepper until you achieve a creamy consistency. If desired, you may return it briefly over heat to drive off some excess moisture before mashing.

As soon as your oil is hot, add your garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and leeks and fry them until softened – around 10-15 minutes. Next add your mince and fry over a medium heat while breaking it up using a wooden spoon while breaking up into small pieces as you go. Stir in tomato puree, stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, and mixed herbs, and then reduce the heat until simmering for 40 minutes – remove any lumps along the way!

Flexible

Cottage pie is one of those meals you can make any time of year using frozen vegetables and seasonings. It makes it highly customizable; add or subtract meat as you please or switch out different kinds of veggies for topping.

This dish makes an easy, delicious dinner that can be prepared beforehand. It will keep well in the refrigerator or can even be frozen to be enjoyed as a quick, convenient lunch later on. Reheating can take about 45 minutes in an oven but be sure to let it stand a few minutes before serving so all elements stay hot throughout.

Classic Cottage Pie Recipe

Approximate Prep Time: 20 minutes

Approximate Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 onion diced
• 2 carrots ½ inch diced
• 2 ribs celery ½ inch diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 ½ cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• ⅔ cup peas
• ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper each

Mashed Potatoes Topping

• 2 pounds Yukon gold or white potatoes
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• ⅓ cup warm milk
• 1 cup sharp cheddar shredded (optional)

Preparation Directions

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large pot of cold salted water.
• Bring the potatoes to a gentle boil and cook 13-16 minutes or until fork tender.
• While potatoes are cooking, combine ground beef and onion in a large skillet and brown until no pink remains.
• Add carrots, celery, and garlic to the ground beef mixture. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until slightly tender.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.
• Simmer for 20 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Remove bay leaf, add peas, and season with salt and pepper.
• 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.
• Top the meat mixture with the potatoes.
• Bake cottage pie on a parchment-covered rimmed baking sheet in case it spills over.
• Place in the oven and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Cook’s Notes

• If time allows, chill the meat layer for at least 20 minutes before adding the potatoes, this will keep the layers separated.
• Keep leftover cottage pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze portions in covered containers, thaw overnight, and reheat as desired.

Servings

• Makes approximately six servings.