Cottage pie is the definition of cozy winter comfort food! A rich and flavorful ground beef filling is topped with a layer of creamy mashed potatoes. Finally, it’s sprinkled with freshly shredded cheese that gets beautifully melted and bubbly in the oven. It is a hearty and comforting meal that your whole family will love!
Cottage Pie vs. Shepherd’s Pie. What’s the difference?
Many people use Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie interchangeably. However, traditionally the difference between the two is the type of meat you use. Cottage Pie uses ground beef, and Shephard’s Pie actually uses lamb! Both are great, but ground beef is a bit more economical and can be easier to find in your local grocery store than ground lamb. Feel free to substitute lamb if you want to!
How to make a Cottage Pie:
Prepare the mashed potatoes
Peel and cut the potatoes into 1 – 1.5 inch cubes. Place in a pot of boiling, salted water and cook for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and return to the pot. Add the milk and butter and mash until creamy. Season to taste.
Make the Filling
In an oven-safe skillet over medium heat, cook the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute before adding the beef to the pan. Cook the beef until browned, about 7 -10 minutes. Add the dried rosemary and thyme and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Deglaze the pan with red wine (you could substitute beef stock if desired). Add the frozen veggies, mix until combined, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.
Assemble the Cottage Pie
Make sure the beef filling is spread in an even layer in the skillet. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top of the beef, and run a fork over the top to create ridges for texture (optional). Sprinkle the top of the cottage pie with freshly shredded gruyere cheese.
Bake at 450 for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to get brown and bubbly. You can speed this process up by using the broiler, but keep an eye on it to make sure the cheese doesn’t burn.
This dish is simple, yet delicious and utterly cozy. Best served with a glass of red to warm the soul.
Cottage Pie
Ingredients
- 3 Lb (About 3-4 Medium Sized) Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes
- 3 Tbsp Butter
- 1/2 Cup Milk
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, Diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 Lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 Tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1/2 Tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 Cup Red Wine (See Notes)
- 1 Cup Frozen Corn
- 1 Cup Frozen Peas + Carrots
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
- 5 Oz Gruyere Cheese, Freshly Shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Peel and dice the potatoes into 1 – 1.5 inch cubes. Place cubed potatoes into a pot of boiling, salted water. Boil for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.
- Drain the cooked potatoes and return to the pot. Add the butter and milk, and mash until creamy. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
- In a large oven safe skillet over medium heat, cook the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until browned through, about 7-10 minutes. Add the dried rosemary and thyme along with salt & pepper to taste, and cook for another minute.
- Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook until reduced. Add the frozen corn, peas and carrots and mix to combine. Taste for seasoning & add salt and pepper if needed.
- Spread the beef filling into an even layer at the bottom of the skillet. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the beef filling. Use a fork to score ridges in the surface of the mashed potatoes for texture (optional). Sprinkle the top with freshly shredded gruyere cheese.
- Bake the cottage pie until the cheese on top is brown and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Beef stock can be substituted for the red wine if desired.
To speed up the browning process, you can pop the skillet under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Keep a close eye to make sure the cheese doesn’t burn.
Nutrition Facts
Cottage Pie
Serves: 4-6
| Amount Per Serving: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 531 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 27.9g | 41.5% | |
| Saturated Fat 14.3g | 70% | |
| Trans Fat | ||
| Cholesterol 83mg | 27.7% | |
| Sodium 533mg | 22.2% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 39.8g | 13% | |
| Dietary Fiber 6.3g | 24% | |
| Sugars 6.7g | ||
| Protein 21.9g | ||
| Vitamin A | Vitamin C | |
| Calcium 435mg | Iron 3mg | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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