Classic British Cottage Pie
Tender ground beef simmered with vegetables in a rich gravy, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden. A quintessential British comfort dish, simple enough for weeknights but impressive enough for family dinner.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 628
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 2 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1.5 cup beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 0 salt and pepper
- 1.75 lb russet potatoes
- 3 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup whole milk
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 400°F and wait until the indicator light or beep confirms it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Place the potatoes on a cutting board and cut each one in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 2-inch chunks so they cook evenly.
- 3
Fill a large pot with water, set it on the stove over medium-high heat, and bring to a rolling boil, about 8 minutes.
- 4
Add the potato chunks to the boiling water and cook for 12–15 minutes until a fork pierces the largest piece with no resistance, then drain in a colander.
- 5
Place the drained potatoes back into the warm pot off the heat.
- 6
Add the butter and milk to the potatoes and mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth and creamy with no large lumps remaining.
- 7
Taste the mash and add a pinch of salt and pepper, then set the pot aside.
- 8
Place the onion on a cutting board and cut it lengthwise from root to tip into four quarters, then slice each quarter crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces so they cook evenly.
- 9
Place the carrot on the cutting board and cut it crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds that look like coins, about 1/4 inch thick.
- 10
Place the celery stalk on the cutting board and slice it crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces, like cutting a straw into rings.
- 11
Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about pencil-tip dots—so they blend smoothly into the meat.
- 12
Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and wait until the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates on contact, about 90 seconds.
- 13
Add the ground beef to the hot pan and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon every 20 seconds, until no pink remains and it looks crumbly and browned, about 5 minutes.
- 14
Pour off any excess liquid that has pooled in the pan by tilting the skillet and spooning the fat into a cup, then discard it.
- 15
Add the diced onion, carrot slices, and celery pieces to the beef and stir constantly for 2 minutes until the vegetables smell fragrant and the edges begin to soften.
- 16
Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir continuously for 30 seconds until the garlic fills the air with a strong, pungent smell.
- 17
Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir constantly for 1 minute, making sure it coats all the meat and vegetables evenly.
- 18
Pour in the beef broth slowly while stirring, scraping up any stuck-on brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- 19
Add the Worcestershire sauce and dried thyme to the pan and stir until everything is mixed throughout.
- 20
Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally every 30 seconds, for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the meat.
- 21
Taste the filling and add a small pinch of salt and pepper if needed, stirring gently.
- 22
Pour the beef filling into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer, breaking up any large lumps with the spoon.
- 23
Spoon the mashed potatoes onto the beef filling and spread them into an even layer covering the entire surface using a rubber spatula.
- 24
Place the baking dish in the preheated 400°F oven on the center rack for 15–18 minutes until the top turns golden brown, like caramelized honey.
- 25
Remove the dish from the oven using oven mitts and let it rest on the counter for 3 minutes before serving so the filling sets slightly.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch skillet
- large pot
- colander
- potato masher or fork
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- wooden spoon
- rubber spatula
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- oven mitts
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
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