Cottage pie is pure comfort food! We love this classic dish, made with a savory beef and vegetable filling, and topped with creamy mashed potatoes. Baked until perfectly golden brown and bubbly!
This dish is a family favorite, especially during the cold winter months. It’s warm, hearty, and feels just like home. Plus, it’s make-ahead and freezer-friendly for an easy meal anytime.
One of my favorite winter comfort meals is this Beef Pot Pie, and today I’m excited to share another cozy beef recipe: the beloved and classic Cottage Pie!
This dish is made with a savory beef and vegetable filling, and a creamy mashed potato topping. It’s rich and perfectly thickened, packed with aromatics and hearty tomato flavors, which add so much depth.
You may have heard of shepherd’s pie, which is very similar to cottage pie. The key difference is that shepherd’s pie uses ground lamb, while cottage pie is made with ground beef. If you’d like to try both, check out my Skillet Shepherd’s Pie recipe too!
Why I love making this easy cottage pie at home:
- Ultimate comfort food. It’s extra hearty and filled with everything to make you feel cozy and warm.
- So flavorful! The filling is made with plenty of herbs, aromatics, and tomatoes.
- Make-ahead and freezer friendly. It doesn’t get much easier than this! I included instructions below.
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Ingredient Notes
Here are a few helpful notes on the ingredients I used for this easy cottage pie recipe. As usual, the ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
- Ground beef: Use 80 percent lean / 20 percent fat ground beef for best flavor.
- Onions, minced garlic: The aromatics that will build flavor for the dish.
- Carrots, celery: These hearty vegetables that give texture and flavor.
- Fresh herbs: I use fresh rosemary and thyme for lots of aromatic flavors.
- All purpose flour: To help with thicken the filling.
- Tomato paste: This tomato-based depth, like a rich umami flavor base.
- Canned diced tomatoes: Preferably fire roasted. Adds extra moisture to the beef filling, while also packing an extra punch of flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: A must-have ingredient for amazing flavor.
- Beef broth: To build the filling.
- Green peas: A traditional vegetable used in cottage pie. Frozen is fine.
- Other: Chopped parsley for garnish, olive oil, and salt and pepper
- For the mashed potatoes: Russet potatoes (about 4 pounds), butter, half-and-half, and seasonings.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Making a cottage pie is actually very straightforward and simple to make and assemble. Let me show you how I make it!
Step 1 | Make the mashed potatoes
First things first, preheat the oven to 400 F. Next, In a pot, bring enough water to a boil to fully cover the potatoes. Once boiling, add the potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain, then press the potatoes through a ricer and return them to the pot.
In a measuring cup, melt the butter and half and half in the microwave oven. Add it to the potatoes and fold until fluffy. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 2 | Make the beef filling
Over medium heat using a large deep skillet, cook the ground beef, breaking it apart, until fully cooked. Soak any excess grease with paper towel. Remove beef from pan then set aside.
Using the same skillet, sauté the onions, carrots, celery for about 6-8 minutes until softened then add in the minced garlic, thyme and rosemary for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then, stir in the all-purpose flour until all vegetables are coated.
Add the tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce. Return the cooked beef to the pan and add in the beef broth. Stir until everything is combined then let simmer. It will start to thicken. Let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the green peas.
Step 3 | Assemble cottage pie and bake
Transfer the filling to a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly. Then, spread the mashed potatoes over the top using a fork or spoon for a rustic look.
Next, carefully and gently brush with melted butter. To make it look beautiful, you can pipe the potatoes like I did here. This step is totally optional, but if you go for it, I’d recommend using a large piping bag with an extra-large tip.
Place the baking dish on a large sheet pan (to catch any juices that spill over). Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. Broil for another 2-3 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Tips for Success
- Consistency of the mashed potatoes: In order for them to hold their shape, make sure they are creamy but also firm consistency. Shouldn’t be runny or too thin so it holds their shape in the oven.
- Consistency of the filling: It should be thickened (like gravy) and not runny. If it’s too runny, add a cornstarch slurry. If too thick, add more broth a little bit at a time.
- You can make the mashed potatoes ahead and reheat before assembling.
- Feel free to use frozen vegetables for a speedier pie!
Make Ahead
Assemble ahead: This easy cottage pie is a wonderful make-ahead friendly dish for busy weeknights. Assemble the pie as directed but skip brushing with butter on top. Let it completely cool. Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Prep ahead: Alternatively, prepare the components ahead, and then assemble and bake when ready.
Reheating: Bake covered at 400 F for 30 minutes, or until warmed through in the center. Uncover and brush the top with melted butter. Broil until golden brown for 2 to 3 minutes.
Mashed Potatoes: I included my simple fluffy mashed potatoes recipe in the recipe card below, which can be made 2–3 days in advance. For a richer yellow color, try my Creamy Mashed Potatoes. For extra garlicky flavor, use Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Freezing Instructions
If freezing, I’d recommend assembling everything in smaller baking dishes. Or these Souper Cubes to portion out easier and reheat in the oven evenly.
Here’s how to assemble for freezing. Assemble as directed into smaller baking pans, but don’t brush the tops with butter. Let it cool completely. Cover tightly with a few layers of foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Bake from frozen at 400 F, covered, for about 1 hour or until the center is warm. Brush with butter and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the tops are golden brown. You can also thaw in the fridge overnight and bake for 30 minutes.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Cottage pie is already a very hearty meal, so I like pairing it with a salad or vegetables. Here are a few of my favorite sides!
- House Salad
- Kale Apple Salad
- Fall Harvest Salad
- Lemon Green Beans
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
Looking for more savory pies? Try my Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits or Classic Chicken Pot Pie!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can assemble the components, and assemble and bake when ready. Or assemble and refrigerate for up to 2 days until ready to make. Full instructions in the recipe card notes below.
The key is to ensure the meat filling isn’t watery and also that the mashed potatoes have a creamy yet firm consistency, rather than being too thin or runny.
Yes, they can be made ahead and warmed up so they are spreadable.
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Easy Cottage Pie
Equipment
- Extra large piping tips optional
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2 pounds ground beef - 20 percent fat
- Olive oil - for pan
- 1 medium onion - small diced
- 2 medium carrots - peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery - diced
- 6 cloves minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes - preferably fire-roasted
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups beef broth - plus more as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- Melted butter - for brushing
- Chopped parsley - for garnish
For the mashed potatoes:
- 4 pounds russet potatoes - peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter - plus more for brushing
- ¾ to 1 cup half and half - or as needed
- Garlic powder to taste
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Make the mashed potatoes:
- First, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil (enough to cover the potatoes). Add the potatoes, bring back to a boil, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until fork tender. Drain.
- Press the potatoes through a potato ricer and return to the pot.
- In a pyrex measuring cup, add the butter and half-and-half. Microwave for about 1-2 minutes until melted and warm. Gradually add it to the potatoes, folding, until fluffy and creamy but still firm in texture so they hold their shape later.
- Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Make the filling:
- In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, breaking it apart, until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside. Tip: The beef will release excess moisture or fat, soak it with paper towel and discard.
- In the same pan, heat a few drizzles of olive oil and sauté the diced onions, carrots, celery for about 8 minutes until softened. Then, add minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the all-purpose flour, and stir to coat the vegetables. Then, add tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Return the cooked beef, and stir in the beef broth until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally until thickened. Stir in the green peas.
Assemble and bake:
- Transfer the beef filling into a 9×13 inch baking dish, and spread it into a single layer.
- Carefully, spread the mashed potatoes over the filling, using a fork or spoon to create rustic design. Gently, brush the top with melted butter.
- Optional: You can also pipe the potatoes to make it look pretty! Use a large piping bag and an extra large piping tip, as well as a coupler (linked above).
- Bake in the preheated 400F oven for 25 minutes, uncovered. Then, broil for another 2 or 3 minutes until golden brown on top. Let it cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe fits a 9×13 baking dish. Feel free to also use individual baking dishes.
- Decorating option 1: Spread the mashed potatoes over, and use a fork to create decorative patterns.
- Decorating option 2: Use an extra large tip and large piping bag. I also use a coupler.
- Prep ahead: The mashed potatoes, and the beef filling can be made 2 days ahead. When ready, reheat each and then assemble and bake as directed.
- Make ahead: Assemble as directed but skip brushing top with butter. Let cool then cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Brush with melted butter, then bake (covered) for 30-40 minutes until bubbly and hot. Broil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
- Freezing: Assemble into smaller baking pans. Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake from frozen at 400 degrees F for 1 hour or until hot. Uncover then brush with butter and broil until golden brown.
- Meat: Ground lamb or turkey.
- Add cheese: Sprinkle some cheese on top of the mashed potatoes a few minutes before taking out of the oven so that it melts on top.
- Fresh herbs: If using dried herbs, use about ⅓ of the listed amount or to taste.
Feel free to use frozen vegetables for convenience.
Rodrigo says
Perfect Sunday dinner! Added a litte bit of red wine and some cheddar cheese into the mashed potatoes!
Tania says
Thank you Rodrigo! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Tania says
This is pure comfort food! My family loves this recipe. We sometimes make smaller batch since we have a small family, but it does freeze pretty well. Really delicious.