Best Cottage Pie - Ground beef with mashed potatoes (video)
This flavorful cottage pie is sautéed ground beef topped with mashed potatoes. Ground beef and potatoes are all you need because the rest are pantry staples. A perfect make-ahead dish for busy days.
About this cottage pie
This is comfort food with meat and starch all in one pan. The mashed potatoes are flavored with butter and rich while the ground beef is lightly seasoned with garlic, thyme, and veggies. The sausage meat or bacon gives this dish a huge boost of flavor, so I highly recommend it. There are two components to this dish.
- The ground beef - which can be made up to two days ahead of time and kept in the fridge.
- The mashed potatoes - which also can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for 2 days.
You can then assemble the dish just an hour before you are ready to serve. Perfect for busy days or when you plan to entertain guests.
Useful tips and tools
- Use a heavy bottom saute pan when making pies as it prevents sticking on the bottom. I like to use my cast-iron skillet as it retains heat nicely.
- And, a clean chopping board and a utility knife work best for cutting the veggies.
- Also, I like to use a flat rubber spatula when stirring the beef so it does not break the grains.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Sausage meat - I like to add a little sausage meat in ground beef. It's not much but really adds a nice boost of flavor to this dish. If you don't have sausage meat you can also use bacon.
- Veggies - The classic onions, carrots, and celery are always perfect for dishes likes these pies.
- Garlic - I like using fresh, but 1/4 tsp of powder will also work.
- Herbs - I use thyme and parsley. And yet, you can also use 1/2 tsp of Italian herbs
- Potatoes - Use russet, Yukon gold, or a combination of the two.
- Cheese - Adds a nice flavor, sharpness, and texture to the dish.
How to make an easy cottage pie - ground beef with mashed potatoes (save/pin)
Mashed potatoes
- Peel and dice the potatoes into 2-inch cubes.
- Boil them in a large pot of salted water until soft to touch.
- Darin and mash with a potato masher (or a potato ricer).
- Add the butter, cheddar, parmesan.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Set aside until ready to use.
Ground beef
- In a skillet or cast-iron skillet, add the oil.
- Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until almost tender.
- Add the ground beef and sausage meat.
- Sauté until no longer pink, making sure to break the meat into smaller pieces.
- Then, add the garlic and crushed tomatoes.
- Followed by the parsley and thyme.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook on low for 8 minutes.
- Then, add stock or water and cook a minute more.
- Set aside until ready to assemble.
Assemble
- Preheat the oven at 200 C / 390 F.
- Top the ground beef with the mashed potatoes (see video).
- Grate some parmesan and cheddar on top.
- Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and slightly crisp.
Cottage Pie - Ground Beef with Mashed Potatoes
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Ingredients
Beef
- 500 grams (1 lb) Ground beef
- 100 grams (4 oz) Sausage meat or 2 slices of bacon
- 1 tbsp Olive oil or cooking oil
- 1/2 cup Onions finely diced
- 1/2 cup Carrots finely diced
- 1/2 cup Celery finely dices
- 1 tsp Garlic finely minced
- 1 cup Tomatoes crushed 1/2 can
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1/2 cup Parsley or cilantro
- 1 tbsp Thyme fresh
- 1/2 cup Stock or water
Mashed Potatoes
- 900 grams (2 lb) Potatoes russet or Yukon gold
- 60 grams (2 oz) Butter
- 1/2 cup Cheddar grated
- 1/4 cup Parmesan grated
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
Top crust
- 1/4 cup Parmesan
- 1/4 cup Cheddar
Instructions
Mashed potatoes
- Peel and dice the potatoes into 2-inch cubes.
- Boil them in a large pot of salted water until soft to touch.
- Darin and mash with a potato masher (or a potato ricer).
- Add the butter, cheddar, parmesan.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Set aside until ready to use.
Ground beef
- In a skillet or cast-iron skillet, add the oil.
- Saute the onions, carrots, and celery until almost tender.
- Add the ground beef and sausage meat.
- Saute until no longer pink, making sure to break the meat into smaller pieces.
- Then, add the garlic and crushed tomatoes.
- Followed by the parsley and thyme.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook on low for 8 minutes.
- Then, add stock or water and cook a minute more.
- Set aside until ready to assemble.
Assemble
- Preheat the oven at 200 C / 390 F.
- Top the ground beef with the mashed potatoes (see video).
- Grate some parmesan and cheddar on top.
- Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and slightly crisp.
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Frequently asked questions
A ground meat pie will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to a month.
You can certainly use ground chicken in place of ground beef. If you use ground chicken, the cooking time will need to be shortened so you don't overcook it.
No, this cottage pie is like a casserole. Layered with a ground meat sauce on the bottom and mashed potato on the top. This is then baked until bubbling.
Yes you can add 1/2 cup red wine to this cottage pie.
Absolutely. While onions, garlic, carrots, and celery are very common in cottage pie. Also, other veggies such as parsnip, green beans, spinach are a great addition. No matter what veggies you use, it is important not to overcook them. No one likes mushy veggies in their pie.
This pie has meat and potatoes both in so it's pretty much a complete meal. A side salad would be a great addition of course. Try my cabbage salad, carrot salad, celery salad or tomato mozzarella salad.
A few vegetables on the side would be a great idea - you can even make them in patties or fritters.
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Sue
This is great - thank you for all the make-ahead tips. It makes weeknight meals much easier!
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely, Sue. Thanks
Angela
Love cottage pie! This recipe is simply perfection! Will definitely be on rotation in my house. Thanks so much for sharing.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Angela. Let me know how it was.
Dannii
You can't beat classic comforting cottage pie. We ate this a lot when I was a kid.
Veena Azmanov
Yes, the classics always remind me of my childhood too Dannii
Sisley White
A great dish and so easy to make, a few family favourite.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Sisley
Ryan
You had me at ground beef and mashed potatoes. This looks so good and I can't wait to try this.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Ryan.