Cottage Pie

Rich minced beef and vegetables under a golden, fluffy mashed potato topping.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1h
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
6 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 750g minced beef
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 400ml beef stock
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1kg floury potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 50g butter
  • 75ml whole milk
  • 50g mature Cheddar, grated
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain, steam dry, then mash with the butter and milk and season well.

  2. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

  3. Add the mince and fry over a high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned.

  4. Stir in the tomato purée and flour, then add the stock, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Simmer for 25 minutes until thick and glossy. Remove the bay leaves and season.

  5. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Spoon the mince into a 2 litre ovenproof dish.

  6. Top with the mash, rough up the surface with a fork and scatter over the Cheddar.

  7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.