Classic Beef Cottage Pie (Print version)

Savory minced beef and vegetables in rich gravy, topped with creamy golden mashed potatoes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1.65 pounds ground beef
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
09 - 1.5 cups beef stock
10 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 3.5 ounces frozen peas
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Fluffy Mash

16 - 2.6 pounds floury potatoes, peeled and cubed
17 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
18 - 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk, warmed
19 - Salt, to taste
20 - Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
21 - 1 egg yolk (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking apart any clumps.
04 - Mix in tomato paste and flour; cook for 2 minutes to combine flavors.
05 - Slowly pour in beef stock while stirring. Add Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring mixture to a simmer.
06 - Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Remove bay leaf, stir in frozen peas, and season with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat.
07 - Place peeled and cubed potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold salted water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
08 - Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Add butter and warmed milk, mashing until smooth and fluffy. Season with salt and white pepper. Stir in egg yolk if desired.
09 - Transfer beef filling to a large baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top, roughening surface with a fork for texture.
10 - Place baking dish on a tray and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden and filling is bubbling at the edges.
11 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without any fussing or last-minute stress, just honest comfort on a plate.
  • The golden mashed potato crust gets crispy at the edges while staying creamy underneath, which is the whole point of doing this right.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, and it freezes beautifully for nights when you need dinner to already be decided.
02 -
  • Don't skip breaking up the beef into small pieces as it browns, because any large clumps will stay tough and the filling won't have that unified, creamy texture you're after.
  • Warming the milk before mashing makes all the difference between smooth, fluffy potatoes and dense ones that feel heavy on the plate.
  • The bay leaf must come out before serving—I learned this the hard way when someone bit into one, and it's not a flavor anyone wants to discover mid-bite.
03 -
  • If your mash seems too thick when you're mashing, add milk a tablespoon at a time rather than pouring it all in at once—you can always add more, but you can't take it out.
  • Letting the filling cool slightly before topping it with mash keeps the bottom layer of potatoes from getting too soft and mushy, which is the secret to structure.

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