Easy Cottage Pie

5 from 3 votes

This Easy Cottage Pie is classic British comfort food made with a rich meaty sauce topped with creamy&cheesy mashed potatoes.

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: british, English

Diet: Low Salt

Servings: people

Calories: 659kcal

Heat a heavy-based pan or a dutch oven on medium heat and brown the mince until it releases its fat.
Add the olive oil and sauté the onions until lightly brown then add the garlic, and sauté for another minute.
Add the celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly softened.
Stir in the tomato paste and sprinkle on the flour. Give it a quick stir.
Deglaze the pan with port or red wine and let it evaporate.
Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Give it a good stir and bring it to a boil.
Lower the heat and put the lid on. Let it gently simmer for 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until the meat is soft and the gravy has thickened. Stir every half an hour or so to avoid the sauce sticking to the bottom of the pan.
When the meat sauce is cooked, add the frozen peas and transfer them into an oven dish (approximately 25 mm diameter), and let it cool down for 30 minutes to avoid the mashed potatoes sinking in the meat sauce.

Preheat the oven to 180° C - 360° F (fan oven).
Peel the potatoes and cut them into equal chunks. Place them in a saucepan with plenty of cold water.
Put the pan on medium heat and bring to a boil, bring the heat down, and let the potatoes gently simmer for about 20 minutes or until soft.
Drain well and return the potatoes back to the pan. Put the pan back on low heat and let all the water evaporate for 30 seconds then remove them from the heat.
Add the double cream, butter, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes by using a masher or a ricer until smooth.
Add the cheese and egg yolks and give it a quick stir to combine.
Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat sauce and cover completely. Fluff the top by using a fork for extra crispiness.
Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the top turns golden brown.

I prefer to start with browning the meat as this way, the meat releases some fat to sauté the onions/vegetables. And you might get away with not adding any extra oil or only just a little bit depending on the fat percentage of the meat.

Always start cooking the potatoes with cold water for even cooking. If you put your potatoes in boiling water, the outside will be mashy and start to flake while the core is still uncooked.

Make sure the meat filling reduces down enough to avoid a watery filling after baking.

Let the meat filling cool down for 30 minutes before adding the mashed potatoes to avoid them sinking in the meat sauce.

This simple yet delicious Easy Cottage Pie tastes even better when reheated. Make the meat filling ahead (up to 3 days) and top with mashed potatoes later when you want to serve the dish.