Cottage Pie

This Cottage Pie recipe features a flavorful ground beef and mixed vegetable filling that’s simmered in a rich tomato sauce. It’s topped with creamy mashed potatoes and finished with a buttery Parmesan crust.

Easy Cottage Pie Recipe

Cottage Pie is essentially the same concept as Shepherd’s pie. The difference being that cottage pie is traditionally made with ground beef and shepherd’s pie with ground lamb. In foodie circles you’ll often hear the terms used interchangeably usually with someone getting a bit out of sorts if you don’t use the proper meat associated with the title of the dish. I have a shepherd’s pie recipe in the recipe index that I use a combination of lamb and beef as it’s our preference. This recipe uses all ground beef in keeping with traditional cottage pie, but done my way.

How to Make the Best Ground Beef Cottage Pie Recipe

• Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Cottage Pie: Ground beef, onion, celery, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, bacon drippings or olive oil, garlic, frozen peas and carrots, garlic salt, lemon pepper, dry Italian seasoning, thyme, beef stock and tomato paste.
• For the mashed potato topping you’ll need: Russet potatoes, butter, salt, milk and sour cream.
• You’ll also need pats of butter and grated Parmesan cheese for the top and parsley for garnishing.
• Kitchen tools you’ll need: A large cast iron skillet or similar oven safe skillet, medium saucepan, measuring cups and spoons, a mixer to whip the potatoes, a large spoon and vegetable peeler.
• Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list as this recipe includes the mashed potatoes for the top. You can certainly use leftover mashed potatoes, if desired.  All of the ingredients are easy to find and you may already have everything you need stocked in you pantry.
• If you prefer, you can cook the filling on the stovetop and transfer everything to a 13 x 9 inch baking dish to assemble and bake.
• For a smaller pie portion, you can easily adapt using half of the ingredient amounts.
• You can make this same recipe using ground turkey, ground chicken or with a mixture of sausage and ground beef.
• Some cottage pie recipes call for red wine in the sauce. If you’d like to add it to the mix, replace 1/2 cup beef broth with red wine.
• You can brown the ground beef in olive oil or bacon drippings. Bacon drippings add a nice smokiness and dimension to the flavor overall.
• The mashed potatoes can be prepared in advance and chilled until you’re ready to assemble for a time saver.
• Store baked Cottage Pie chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in single servings in the microwave.

More Savory Pie Recipes to Make

Savory pies are one of those comforting meals that everyone loves to come home to. Other pie recipes you may like to add to your dinner rotation:

• Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Pot Pie is a twist on a classic pot pie.
• Beef Pot Pie with Cheddar Onion Biscuits is a one dish meal.
• Delight the family with this Crescent Ring Chicken Pot Pie.
• Restaurant quality Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie.
• Steak and Potato Pie is a delicious and hearty meal with a salad and bread for sopping up the juices.
• Mini Chicken Pot Pies are made in a muffin pan.
• Mile High Meatless Lasagna Pie from Better Homes and Gardens.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Measuring Set
• Mixing Bowls
• Saucepan