Cottage Pie

Cottage Pie is a classic comfort food casserole made with ground beef, and vegetables in a delicious gravy, topped off with cheesy mashed potatoes.

Serve ground beef Cottage Pie with Bacon Green Beans, a Green Salad and Garlic Bread for a complete meal.

Cottage Pie VS Shepherd’s Pie

Cottage Pie is often called Shepherd’s Pie, the difference though is that while cottage pie is made with ground beef, Shepherd’s Pie is made with ground lamb. It’s a traditional British dish that has been around for centuries.

Ingredients Needed For Cottage Pie

• Lean Ground Beef
• Onions ~ Coarsely chopped.
• Carrots ~ Sliced thin.
• Celery ~ Sliced thin.
• Potatoes ~ Peeled and cut into chunks.
• Olive Oil
• Butter
• All Purpose Flour
• Beef Broth
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Tomato Sauce
• Granulated Garlic
• Dried Thyme
• Kosher Salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• Milk
• Cheddar Cheese ~ Shredded.
• Sour Cream

Step By Step Directions for Ground Beef Cottage Pie

STEP 1 Add olive oil to a large skillet with onions, carrots and celery. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened. Set aside.

STEP 2 Cook ground beef in another large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking apart as it cooks until crispy brown. Drain the browned ground beef and place in the skillet with the cooked vegetables and set aside. Discard excess grease.

STEP 3 Add butter to the skillet that the ground beef was cooked in and place over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and stir until well browned.

STEP 4 Pour in the beef broth, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce stirring until sauce starts to thicken. Reduce heat and stir in the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.

STEP 5 Add the gravy, 1 cup at a time to the ground beef and vegetable mixture until desired consistency is reached, we added 3 cups. Simmer 15 minutes. Keep reserved gravy warm for serving.

STEP 6 Meanwhile preheat the oven and boil potatoes until tender. Drain well.

STEP 7 Add butter and milk to the pan and place over low heat. Add the drained potatoes, sour cream, shredded cheese, salt and pepper.

STEP 8 Beat with electric mixer or use a potato masher until potatoes are fluffy.

STEP 9 Pour ground beef mixture into a 11 x 9 inch casserole dish and spread evenly.

STEP 10 Carefully spoon mashed potatoes over the filling, spreading evenly. Scrape the potatoes with a fork and sprinkle with finely grated cheese.

STEP 11 Place the casserole on a rimmed baking sheet in case of boil over and cook in the oven for 35- 40 minutes.

STEP 12 Turn the oven onto broil and watch carefully, cooking 3- 5 minutes until potatoes are lightly browned.

STEP 13 Remove from oven and rest 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

• Vegetables: This is a great recipe to add additional vegetables like English peas or corn.
• Storage: Store leftovers in a covered dish in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Place in an oven safe skillet and place on the stovetop over medium heat. Cook until filling starts to bubble. Remove from heat and place under the broiler for 5 – 6 minutes until potatoes are heated through.

More Ground Beef Recipes to Try

Cottage Pie is a hearty meal perfect for Sunday dinners with the whole family and will satisfy comfort food cravings.

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4 from 1 vote

Cottage Pie

Cottage Pie is a classic comfort food casserole made with ground beef, and vegetables in a delicious gravy, topped off with cheesy mashed potatoes.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course: Ground Beef

Cuisine: British

Keyword: British comfort food, ground beef casserole, ground beef recipe, Meat and potatoes casserole, Shepherds pie, St Patrick’s Day dinner

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 1048kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2 small onions coarsely chopped
• 3 medium carrots peeled and sliced thin
• 3 stalks celery sliced thin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
• 3/4 cup butter divided
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper divided
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1.4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups finely grated cheddar cheese divided

Instructions

• Add olive oil to a large skillet with onions, carrots and celery. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened. Set aside.
• Cook ground beef in another large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking apart as it cooks until crispy brown. Drain the browned ground beef and place in the skillet with the cooked vegetables and set aside. Discard excess grease.
• Add 1/4 cup butter to the skillet that the ground beef was cooked in and place over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and stir until well browned.
• Pour in the beef broth, , tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce stirring until sauce starts to thicken. Reduce heat and stir in the garlic, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Add the gravy, 1 cup at a time to the ground beef and vegetable mixture until desired consistency is reached, we added 3 cups. Simmer 15 minutes. Keep reserved gravy warm for serving.
• Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375°.
• Place potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water. Boil potatoes until tender. Drain well.
• Add butter and milk to the pan and place over low heat. Cook 2 minutes, add the drained potatoes, sour cream, shredded cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
• Beat with electric mixer or use a potato masher until potatoes are fluffy.
• Pour ground beef mixture into a 11 x 9 inch casserole dish and spread evenly.
• Carefully spoon mashed potatoes over the filling, spreading evenly.
• Scrape the potatoes with a fork and sprinkle with finely grated cheese.
• Place the casserole on a rimmed baking sheet in case of boil over and cook in the oven for 35- 40 minutes.
• Turn the oven onto broil and watch carefully, cooking 3- 5 minutes until potatoes are lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and rest 10 minutes.
• Serve with reserved gravy.

Notes

Vegetables: This is a great recipe to add additional vegetables like English peas or corn.

Storage: Store leftovers in a covered dish in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Reheat: Place in an oven safe skillet and place on the stovetop over medium heat. Cook until filling starts to bubble. Remove from heat and place under the broiler for 5 – 6 minutes until potatoes are heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 1048kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 70g | Saturated Fat: 34g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 1613mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g