Classic Cottage Pie

Name: Classic Cottage Pie
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Baking
Ingredients: 1 lb (500 g) minced beef; 2 lb (900 g) potatoes, for mashing; 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter; ¼ cup milk; 1 onion, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 1 cup (135 g) frozen peas; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1½ cups beef stock; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour; to taste salt and pepper

Savoury minced beef under a fluffy mashed potato crust.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time1 hr

YieldServes 6

Before You Start

Proper comfort food: rich, gravy-soft beef and vegetables under a golden mash. Rough up the top with a fork so the peaks crisp, and let the filling cool a little before topping so the mash sits on top rather than sinking in.

Instructions

1
Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, then mash with the butter and milk until smooth. Season.
2
Meanwhile brown the beef in a large pan, then scoop it out. Cook the onion and carrot in the fat until soft.
3
Stir in the flour and tomato paste, cook for a minute, then pour in the stock and Worcestershire sauce.
4
Return the beef, add the peas and simmer for 10 minutes until thick. Season, then tip into a baking dish.
5
Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Spoon the mash over the filling and rough up the top with a fork.
6
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges bubble.

🛒 Our baking picks

Tools for foolproof bakes

Weighing beats scooping every time. These inexpensive tools make every recipe more reliable.

Digital kitchen scale Weigh to the gram, the single most accurate way to bake. Shop on Amazon → Measuring cups & spoons A solid stainless set for when a recipe calls for cups. Shop on Amazon → Glass measuring jug Read millilitres and cups at a glance for liquids. Shop on Amazon →

As an Amazon Associate, GramCups earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

💡 Baker's tips

Rough up the mash with a fork. The peaks crisp up in the oven.
Let the filling cool a little before topping, so the mash sits on top instead of sinking.

🔀 Make it your own

Use minced lamb instead of beef and it becomes a shepherd's pie.
Mix grated cheddar into the mash, or scatter it on top for the last 10 minutes.

📦 Storing & freezing

Keeps 3 days in the fridge, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat until piping hot in the middle.

❓ Frequently asked

What is the difference between cottage pie and shepherd's pie?

Cottage pie uses beef, shepherd's pie uses lamb. The method is the same.

Which potatoes mash best?

Floury ones like Maris Piper or russet give the fluffiest mash. Waxy potatoes can turn gluey.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

Play GramCups Café 🎮