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A savory cottage pie, also known as shepherd's pie with beef, topped with mashed potatoes.

Quick way to grow a Cottage Pie (Shepherd's Pie with Beef)

This quick cottage pie recipe is perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal, featuring a savory beef filling topped with fluffy mashed potatoes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Topping
  • 1.5 kg potatoes peeled and quartered
  • 50 g butter
  • 50 ml milk
For the Filling
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 2 celery sticks chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 500 g ground beef
  • 400 ml beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 100 g frozen peas

Equipment

  • large saucepan
  • potato masher
  • ovenproof pan
  • wooden spoon

Method
 

Make the Mash
  1. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, then drain thoroughly.
  2. Mash potatoes with butter and milk, seasoning to taste.
  3. Preheat oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).
Make the Base
  1. Heat olive oil in an ovenproof pan and sauté onions, carrots, and celery for 5-7 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Brown the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and drain any excess fat.
  4. Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  5. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
  6. Stir in the frozen peas.
Combine
  1. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the beef filling.
  2. Fluff the potato topping with a fork and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Notes

For an extra golden crust, you can sprinkle some cheese over the mashed potatoes before baking.