Cottage pie

Cottage pie

This great-value family favourite freezes beautifully and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 10

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 35 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 50 mins

Freezable

Method

  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan and fry the mince until browned - you may need to do this in batches. Set aside as it browns. Put the rest of the oil into the pan, add the vegetables and cook on a gentle heat until soft, about 20 mins. Add the garlic, flour and tomato purée, increase the heat and cook for a few mins, then return the beef to the pan. Pour over the wine, if using, and boil to reduce it slightly before adding the stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45 mins. By this time the gravy should be thick and coating the meat. Check after about 30 mins - if a lot of liquid remains, increase the heat slightly to reduce the gravy a little. Season well, then discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks.
  2. Meanwhile, make the mash. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes in salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Drain well, then allow to steam-dry for a few mins. Mash well with the milk, butter, and three-quarters of the cheese, then season with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper.
  3. Spoon meat into 2 ovenproof dishes. Pipe or spoon on the mash to cover. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. If eating straight away, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook for 25-30 mins, or until the topping is golden. Or follow the steps (below) to freeze.
Try

OUR TOP TIPS

To get really smooth, creamy mash, use a potato ricer or sieve. To stop the mash sinking into the filling, allow the meat to cool before topping with the mashed potato. Freeze in individual ovenproof dishes for an easy meal for one. For a really crisp, golden topping, flash under the grill for a few mins before serving.

FOOLPROOF FREEZING

Make sure the pie is completely cold, then cover it well with cling film and freeze. Always freeze the pie on the day that you make it. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then cook as per the recipe. Alternatively, to cook from frozen, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, cover with foil and cook for 1½ hrs. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7, uncover and cook for 20 mins more, until golden and bubbling.

IF YOU WANT TO USE A SLOW COOKER...

Brown your mince in batches then tip into your slow cooker and stir in the vegetables, flour, purée, wine, stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs with some seasoning. Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours. Make the mash following step 2, above, and then oven cook to finish according to step 3.

Per serving

600 kcalories, protein 37.0g, carbohydrate 40.0g, fat 34.0 g, saturated fat 16.0g, fibre 4.0g, sugar 7.0g, salt 1.15 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2010.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 61-80

  • Binder photo foody123

    28 May 2011

    foody123 commented on this recipe

    Very very nice cottage pie - make sure the meat isn't piping hot when you put the mash over the top otherwise it'll start to sink! YUM!

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  • Binder photo kaughtknee

    11 June 2011

    kaughtknee rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    I left the red wine out, which may have been a mistake. Taste was okay, though a bit bland. My partner commented it was rather "carrotty". Overall felt the result was not worth the time taken.

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  • Binder photo veinoz

    22 June 2011

    veinoz rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Perfect recipe, this cottage pie is delicious. I made it exactly as the recipe said and also with a few changes of vegetables. Will be keeping this recipe for a long long time.

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  • Binder photo johnjustice

    27 June 2011

    johnjustice rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this for a second time and it is as good and consistant as ever. I ommitted the celery, increased the carrots and added a small parsnip which proves in a small way like other contributors that the recipie can be tinkered with quite succesfully provided the main ingredients remain. My wife loves the fact that it can be made earlier and popped in the oven just before family comes round. If I am feeling generous then making up an extra pie for family to take home is, I think a superb small "gift"as well as showing of my "extraordinary"cooking skills.

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  • Binder photo Becks

    19 July 2011

    Becks rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Sensational! I added a few finely chopped pre-roasted parsnips instead of celery and halved the amounts but otherwise stuck to the recipe. Easily the best cottage pie I've ever had...and I'm a Yorkshire lass ;) I'm currently living in Australia and just served this to guests. After eating it, one of the guests admitted that when he learned what I was making he was very apprehensive as his mother makes a cottage pie by boiling mince and gravy mix and then adding instant mash on the top(!). He finished every last scrap! I served it with peas and steamed cabbage, with just a dash of golden syrup, butter and pepper into the cabbage - delish!

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  • Binder photo janee

    25 July 2011

    janee rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Really tasty recipe, especially the mash on top. I added a tbsp of gravy powder to thicken the sauce.

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  • Binder photo Haggis

    09 August 2011

    Haggis rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    So yummy, all the family loved it and could eat it for days !!

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  • Binder photo Manfa

    09 August 2011

    Manfa rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    My husband, 5yr old, 3yr old and 1yr old absolutely love this cottage pie when I make it. It disappears so fast. Definitely worth the time and effort. The good thing if you're busy at home is that you can make it in stages. I've even made the meat part one day and finished it off the next. Much, much better than the cottage pie that I remember being subjected to when I was a child.

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  • Binder photo sgeddes

    05 September 2011

    sgeddes rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this last week and it was delicious. It took me ages, as I am new enough to cooking, but the resulting dish was well worth it.

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  • Binder photo janee

    08 September 2011

    janee commented on this recipe

    Really nice comfort food. I chucked in a handful of gravy powder to thicken the sauce.

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  • Binder photo sarahadams83

    10 September 2011

    sarahadams83 commented on this recipe

    This was absolutley lovely and really easy to make.

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  • Binder photo sarahlou

    14 September 2011

    sarahlou rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Followed the recipe but without bay leaves and made the mashed potato with grated mozarella sprinkled on top as I can't get cheddar here. I am wondering if the people who didn't find it tasty tried to cheat on the cooking time as it definately needs the full time to develop and the celery does need to be chopped really small but makes a huge difference to the flavour. Husband is a chef and said it is the best meal I have done yet and 8 year old daughter said mummy is a much better chef than daddy and wants this dish every day.

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  • Binder photo Sandra Henry

    19 September 2011

    Sandra Henry rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo highlander

    22 September 2011

    highlander rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    very good..... Worth a try

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  • Binder photo jennie

    03 October 2011

    jennie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    cook this all the time, a little time consuming and i end up with lots of washing up but definitely worth it... it's delicious

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  • Binder photo Annie

    19 October 2011

    Annie commented on this recipe

    I did this for an elderly people's lunch club and without exception, they loved it. I found that the stock took much longer to reduce than the recipe says so in the end I added some more flour.

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  • Binder photo Gourmercillas

    28 October 2011

    Gourmercillas commented on this recipe

    Trying it out tonight... smells divine... did use large glass of wine... not sure I need two dishes though....

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  • Binder photo Pat

    29 October 2011

    Pat commented on this recipe

    Yes this is so yummy! I have adapted my own cottage pie recipe over the years and this is exactly the same as I use the only difference was garlic so I added 1 clove this time. I also used to grate the carrot to hide it from my granddaughter, however she is now 9 and loves this so much that I don't need to hide anything. Also added some finely chopped swede this time, the more veg the better.

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  • Binder photo Pat

    29 October 2011

    Pat commented on this recipe

    Yes, tis a good idea to allow meat to cool before putting potato on top, also try spooning mash on in even amounts so the weight is evened out, it then won't sink into the meat, then use a fork to spread it out and to form peaks which along with the cheese gives a nice crispy top.

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  • Binder photo Pat

    29 October 2011

    Pat commented on this recipe

    Yes, tis a good idea to allow meat to cool before putting potato on top, also try spooning mash on in even amounts so the weight is evened out, it then won't sink into the meat, then use a fork to spread it out and to form peaks which along with the cheese gives a nice crispy top.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 10

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 35 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 50 mins

Freezable

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1¼kg beef mince
  • 2 onions , finely chopped
  • 3 carrots , chopped
  • 3 celery sticks, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • large glass red wine (optional)
  • 850ml beef stock
  • 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • few thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves

FOR THE MASH

  • 1.8kg potatoes , chopped
  • 225ml milk
  • 25g butter
  • 200g strong cheddar , grated
  • freshly grated nutmeg
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Per serving

600 kcalories, protein 37.0g, carbohydrate 40.0g, fat 34.0 g, saturated fat 16.0g, fibre 4.0g, sugar 7.0g, salt 1.15 g

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