Total Time: 1 hr 25 min
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr
Ingredients
Mashed Potato Layer
- 4–5 medium potatoes, peeled
- Salt (for boiling)
- Water (for boiling)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1½ cups milk
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Ground Beef Gravy Layer
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, cut into small pieces
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup broth (any: beef, chicken, or veg)
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- ¾ lb (around 340 g) ground beef
Instructions
1. Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Boil peeled potatoes with salt until fully cooked.
- Drain and return them to the pot.
- Add butter, milk, and nutmeg.
- Mash over low heat until smooth and thick.
- Set aside.
2. Make the Beef Gravy
- Heat oil in a skillet. Sauté onions until soft.
- Add garlic; cook 1 minute.
- Add carrots; mix.
- Pour in tomato sauce and broth.
- Add rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and bay leaf.
- Cook over medium–low for about 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and salt to taste. Remove bay leaf.
- Add ground beef and cook 2–3 minutes until just browned and mixed into the sauce. Remove from heat.
3. Assemble the Cottage Pie
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Spread all the beef mixture into a 13×9 inch casserole dish.
- Spread mashed potatoes evenly on top (make a smooth layer).
- Bake 20 minutes, or broil 5–10 minutes until golden brown on top.
Notes
- To make traditional Shepherd’s Pie, replace beef with ground lamb.
- You can add peas, corn, beans, lentils, or cayenne for variations.
- Leftovers: Cover and refrigerate in the same dish.
- Freezer-friendly: Assemble, freeze solid, then bake from frozen—add 10–15 minutes extra bake time.
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- Calories: 351
- Fat: 20 g
- Carbs: 28 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Fiber: 5 g
