Traditional Cottage Pie

Traditional cottage pie combines a rich ground beef and vegetable filling with savory gravy, creamy mashed potatoes, and cheddar cheese for a hearty, satisfying meat-and-potato dinner.

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine British

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1

Resting Time 10

Total Time 1 35

Servings servings

Calories 582kcal

Author Diane Gail

Ingredients

For the beef layer:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion chopped
1 medium carrot peeled and chopped
3 ounces portobello mushrooms chopped
1 large garlic clove pressed
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup red wine
1 1/4 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
coarse ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the mashed layer:

2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt to taste
coarse ground black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, mushrooms, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
Pour in the red wine and lightly simmer for 3 minutes.
Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Remove 2 tablespoons of liquid from the skillet and whisk with the cornstarch until smooth. Pour the slurry back into the skillet and stir well.
Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the beef filling and gravy have thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside while preparing the potatoes.
Boil the potatoes until knife-tender. Drain in a colander and let them sit for 5 minutes.
Mash the potatoes with the butter, cream, half of the cheddar cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the beef filling and gently spread them into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes, until the cottage pie is hot and the top is golden brown.
Let the cottage pie rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

An 85/15 ground beef provides plenty of beef flavor without making the cottage pie overly greasy.
Use a dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir; avoid sweet wine or cooking wine.
Russet potatoes make a fluffy but substantial mashed potato topping that holds up well over the beef filling.
To make ahead, assemble and refrigerate the cottage pie before baking. Let the cast iron skillet lose its refrigerator chill before placing it in the preheated oven, and allow extra baking time.
For freezing, assemble the cottage pie in a freezer-safe baking dish rather than the cast iron skillet. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

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