Description
A hearty and comforting traditional cottage pie made with rich beef filling and topped with creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
- 1 large white onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 150 g mushrooms, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 kg ground beef
- 120 ml dry red wine
- 600 ml beef stock
- 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 heaped tbsp gravy granules
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Olive oil as needed
- 2 kg baking potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3–4 heaped tbsp butter
- 1/4–1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 250 g cheddar cheese, grated
- 120 ml cream or whole milk
Instructions
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large deep pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook until softened and lightly browned.
- Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Pour in the red wine and let it simmer for a few minutes.
- Stir in beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, gravy granules, tomato puree, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 40-45 minutes until thickened.
- Remove bay leaf, adjust seasoning, and transfer the beef mixture to a baking dish. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and let them sit to remove excess moisture.
- Mash the potatoes with butter, cream or milk, and half of the cheese. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 200 C.
- Spoon the mashed potatoes over the beef mixture evenly, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp on top. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Allowing the beef layer to cool helps prevent the mash from sinking.
- Use starchy potatoes like Russets for the best mash texture.
- Red wine can be omitted or replaced with extra stock if preferred.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 720 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
