Description
This classic Cottage Pie recipe features a hearty ground beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes and baked to golden perfection. A comforting and satisfying one-dish meal, perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Potato Topping
- 2 pounds russet potatoes (peeled and quartered)
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
Meat and Vegetable Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 large carrots (peeled and diced)
- 2 celery stalks (diced)
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes: Place the peeled and quartered russet potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 13-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Mash the potatoes: Drain the cooked potatoes thoroughly and return them to the pot. Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese, milk, butter, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Mash until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and fully combined.
- Sauté the onion and garlic: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for about a minute until fragrant and slightly translucent.
- Add vegetables and meat: Stir in the peeled and diced carrots, diced celery, and ground beef. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula as it browns evenly.
- Add the flavor: After draining any excess fat from the pan, pour in the beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the chopped fresh rosemary and thyme along with salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture simmer gently for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the peas: Stir in the frozen peas until well distributed throughout the meat and vegetable mixture. Turn off heat and press the mixture flat and even in the pan using the back of your spatula.
- Top with mashed potatoes: Spoon dollops of the mashed potato mixture over the meat filling and spread it out evenly to the edges of the pan. Create texture on top using a fork or spoon if desired, which helps develop a beautifully crisp crust during baking.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mashed potato topping is slightly golden and bubbling. Optionally, broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end to achieve a golden brown crust on top.
Notes
- Use russet potatoes for a fluffy and creamy mash topping.
- Fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme add authentic flavor but dried can be substituted if needed.
- Broiling at the end enhances the potato crust but watch carefully to avoid burning.
- For extra richness, cream can be substituted for milk in the mashed potatoes.
- To make ahead, prepare the meat filling and mashed potatoes separately, assemble, and bake just before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
