This easy Cottage Pie recipe is healthy comfort food at its finest!

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Who needs a comforting casserole to get them through these cold winter months? May I suggest this Cottage Pie recipe?

I’ve been focused on more recipes using ground beef lately, like I did in this Cowboy Soup recipe. It’s an easy protein source, relatively inexpensive, and provides important nutrients like zinc, which improves immune system health, iron, which helps energy levels and prevent anemia, and vitamin B12, essential for our nervous system and heart health. These are all important for me, of course, but even more so to my developing children.

This Cottage Pie recipe was a perfect way to incorporate ground beef into dinner. It’s a family favorite during the cold months and I think your family is going to love it, too.

Why This Traditional Cottage Pie is the Ultimate Comfort Food

A comforting pie can be the whole family’s favorite because it has everything from meat to fluffy mashed potatoes that satisfy the cravings just right. Besides being a delicious meal, here’s what makes this ultimate cottage pie the best:

Balanced Ingredients: You get a vegetable filling with fresh carrots and other veggies, along with a meat mixture that offers protein. You can add a pinch of salt and other seasonings to bring out rich flavors. This combination turns the dish into a complete meal without extra fuss.

Fuss-Free Cooking: The steps of making a pie don’t overwhelm me. I brown the meat on medium heat, add a few ingredients like worcestershire sauce or tomato purée, then simmer everything. I boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water before mashing them. You can place everything in an even layer and let the oven create a golden brown finish.

Hearty Comfort: The creamy potato topping transforms this into one of those savory pies that warms up the whole table. You can prepare the filling in a large skillet to combine flavors quickly, and the result is a comforting slice of goodness every time.

Family Appeal: “You need to make this more often.” That’s what I heard the first time I made this cottage pie recipe for my family this winter. I knew I had to add it to my blog right then and there. This pie is surely a crowd-pleaser, whether it’s your first time making it or your tenth. Kids love it because of the mashed potatoes, and adults enjoy the comforting taste. You can store leftovers under plastic wrap (use a layer of parchment paper so the plastic doesn’t touch your food) for a day or two if needed.

Flexibility: You can use ground lamb or ground turkey in place of ground beef mixture if I want to change things up. The only real difference is the flavor profile, so you can pick your favorite type of meat without complicating the recipe. That’s why I consider this dish a go-to whenever I need a reliable, hearty meal for my family.

Make Ahead Ease: This is one that I love to make ahead of time when we have an activity-filled night. Having it already assembled and ready to bake at dinnertime makes life easier!

Ingredients You Need for this Simple Cottage Pie Recipe

This really is healthy comfort food. Just take a look at these nutrient-rich ingredients that are comforting AND nourishing! Here’s what you’ll need to make a pie dish with a rich gravy sauce and a melt-in-the-mouth layer of creamy mashed potatoes. Make sure to check out the recipe card for exact amounts needed of each ingredient.

For the Mashed Potatoes

Russet potatoes: They mash easily. Yukon gold potatoes also work.
Whole milk: It helps create a smooth mash and it’s what I have on hand most of the time. Heavy cream or half and half can also be used.
Butter: It adds richness and flavor to the mashed potatoes.
Kosher salt and black pepper: This elevates the flavor with classic seasoning.

For the Filling

Avocado oil: To sauté the filling. It’s a neutral oil that works well for higher heat.
Onion: For a fragrant base and adds flavor. Onions are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, and magnesium.
Carrots: They bring sweetness to the vegetable mix. Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which converts to vitamin A in our bodies.
Garlic: It boosts savory taste and provides anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties.
Ground beef: It delivers hearty protein and as mentioned above is an excellent source of zinc, vitamin B12, and iron.
Black pepper: This is for seasoning.
All-purpose flour: It thickens the sauce. If you need this to be gluten-free, you can use an AP gluten-free flour.
Beef broth: To keep the filling moist.
Tomato paste: It deepens flavor.
Frozen corn kernels: They add sweetness and fiber as well.
Frozen peas: Frozen peas add some green into the vegetable mix, plus they add extra protein, fiber, and potassium.

How to Make Cottage Pie–Step by Step Instructions

If you have leftover mashed potatoes, this recipe is even easier. But don’t worry, the instructions have you making the mashed potatoes along with the filling and it’s not difficult, so this is still easy enough to make on a weeknight whether you have mashed potatoes ready or not!

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water by about 2 inches.
Cover the pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the cover, bring to a simmer and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
While the potatoes are cooking, start the filling. Heat the avocado oil in a large, high sided skillet. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, then add the ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and cook until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons AP flour, and stir to evenly coat. Add 2 cups beefbroth, and tomato paste, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, while you finish the potatoes.
When the potatoes are tender, drain the water. Add the potatoes back to the pot, and mash them. After they are mashed, place them back on the stove and use a spoon or spatula to push them into a mound in the center of the pot, leaving room all around them. Pour the milk and evenly distribute the pats of butter in the empty area surrounding the mashed potatoes. Turn the heat to low. When the milk is warm and butter is starting to melt, stir the milk and butter into the potatoes, along with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Stir the corn and peas into the filling and then transfer the filling into a medium casserole dish.
Place the mashed potatoes on top and spread them out so they are evenly covering the filling.
Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

FAQs

How can I store leftover cottage pie?

You can let it cool and cover it tightly before placing it in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to three days. I recommend reheating individual portions in the oven so the potato layer remains appealing.

Is there a way to make it lighter?

You can reduce the butter in the mash and use low-fat dairy or load up on extra vegetables. Doing so keeps the recipe filling but trims some calories.

What’s the difference between cottage pie and shepherd’s pie?

Cottage pie traditionally uses ground beef, while classic shepherd’s pie calls for lamb. That’s the primary distinction, though both pies share the same comforting concept of layered meat and mashed potatoes and often the names are used interchangeably in the United States.

I hope you love this Cottage Pie recipe and it becomes a dinnertime staple for your family! If you try it (or any of my healthy recipes), please leave a comment and star rating–it’s so helpful! Share a photo of these on Instagram so I can see and I’d love to feature you.

Classic Cottage Pie RecipeVariations

If you love more veggies in the pie or wish to tweak its taste, you can very much do it. Here are some simple and tasty variations you can do to make this pie even better:

Go Vegetarian

Replace the beef mince with lentils or a mix of mushrooms. You still get a hearty meal without sacrificing taste. Follow my Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie recipe.

Extra Veggies

I add green beans or zucchini to the filling when I want more color. I let them cook for a short while to maintain a little texture. This approach makes it feel like a potato casserole that has more depth. You can use beef broth or beef stock to keep the layers moist and boost flavor.

Creamier Topping

Blend in sour cream or greek yogurt with the potatoes for a thicker finish. Some people like to add tablespoons of the butter and finish with melted butter on top.

Flavor Boost with Wine

A splash of red wine adds depth to the ground meat base—you can pour it in while the mixture is hot to let the alcohol cook off. The result tastes richer and pairs well with the hearty filling.

The Best Easy Cottage Pie Recipe (or Shepherd’s Pie)

Why This Traditional Cottage Pie is the Ultimate Comfort Food