Gordon Ramsay Cottage Pie Recipe

I turned Gordon Ramsay’s Cottage Pie into an Easy Cottage Pie using a clever pantry swap that even seasoned cooks will find surprising.

I can’t resist sharing this Gordon Ramsay Cottage Pie. I make it when dinner needs to be hearty but not fussy.

The minced beef in the filling gets a proper depth that makes you go back for more, and the floury potatoes on top turn into a golden, fluffy lid that everyone fights over. It’s made from easy ingredients and a few little tricks I learned over time, so it comes together faster than you’d expect.

I’ve tweaked it alot, but honestly this is my Best Cottage Pie Recipe, the one I keep returning to.

Ingredients

• Minced beef: Protein rich and iron packed, gives deep meaty flavour, can be quite fatty.
• Potatoes: Floury spuds make fluffy mash, mainly carbs, very comforting and filling.
• Onion: Adds sweetness and a sharp bite when cooked, good source of fibre.
• Carrots: Bring natural sweetness, color and vitamin A, mild texture after simmering.
• Celery: Low calorie aromatics, gives savoury backbone and slight bitterness to the mix.
• Peas: Bright sweet bursts, add fiber and vitamins, lift the filling with freshness.
• Cheese: Grated cheddar adds salty, nutty crust, extra fat and umami, Its optional.

Ingredient Quantities

• 500g minced beef (about 1.1 lb) not too lean
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 celery stick, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 150 ml red wine (optional)
• 300-350 ml beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 100g frozen peas
• 1 kg floury potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 75g unsalted butter, divided
• 100 ml milk (plus a splash more if needed)
• 2 tbsp plain flour (for thickening)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100g grated cheddar or Parmesan (optional, for topping)

How to Make this

1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / Gas
6. Put the peeled, chopped potatoes into a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil to cook while you make the filling.

2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan, add the finely chopped onion, diced carrots and diced celery and sweat on medium heat until soft and starting to colour, about 6-8 minutes.

3. Add the crushed garlic, then tip in the 500g minced beef, breaking it up with a spoon and brown well. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper and drain a little excess fat if the meat is very greasy.

4. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato purée and 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle over the 2 tbsp plain flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to take the raw flour taste away.

5. If using, pour in 150 ml red wine to deglaze the pan and let it reduce by about half, then add 300-350 ml beef stock, 1 bay leaf and the thyme (use the sprigs now and strip the leaves later). Bring to a simmer and cook gently until the sauce has thickened and the flavours have come together, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning; stir in the 100g frozen peas in the last 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and any woody thyme stems.

6. Meanwhile drain the potatoes when tender, then mash with about 50g of the butter and 100 ml milk, add a splash more milk if needed. Season the mash well with salt and pepper but don’t overwork it or it’ll get gluey.

7. Spoon the meat mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish and level it out, then dollop on the mashed potatoes and spread to cover the meat. Make rough peaks with the back of a spoon if you like a crispy top.

8. Dot the remaining 25g butter over the mash and, if using, sprinkle the 100g grated cheddar or Parmesan evenly over the top.

9. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling round the edges. For an extra crusty finish put it briefly under the grill for 2-3 minutes but watch it so it doesn’t burn.

10. Let the cottage pie rest for 5 minutes before serving, taste once more and add extra black pepper if needed. Enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. Ovenproof shallow dish (about 20 x 30 cm) for the pie to bake in
2. Large frying pan or skillet to brown the beef and cook the veg
3. Medium saucepan for boiling the potatoes
4. Potato masher or ricer to make a fluffy mash
5. Colander to drain the potatoes
6. Sharp knife and chopping board for prepping onion, carrots and celery
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to stir and break up the meat
8. Measuring jug and measuring spoons for stock, wine, milk and seasonings
9. Cheese grater (if using cheddar or Parmesan) and oven gloves to handle the hot dish

FAQ

Gordon Ramsay Cottage Pie Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Minced beef: use minced lamb for a richer, more savory pie, or a pork and beef mix for extra juiciness, or go vegetarian with cooked brown lentils plus finely chopped mushrooms (about 300g cooked lentils and 150g mushrooms) sautéed till dry and hit with a splash of soy for umami.
• Red wine (optional): swap with extra beef stock plus 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or 1 tsp balsamic to give acidity, or for alcohol free just use more stock and a teaspoon of soy or Worcestershire for depth.
• Potatoes: substitute sweet potatoes (same weight, mash with butter and milk but expect a sweeter top), or try parsnips or celeriac for a nuttier mash, or make a lower carb cauliflower mash (about 800g cauliflower steamed and blended with 30-50g butter and milk).
• Worcestershire sauce: replace with soy sauce plus a squeeze of lemon or a little vinegar, or dissolve 1/2 tsp anchovy paste in stock for that savory kick, vegan option is tamari plus a splash of balsamic.

Pro Tips

1) Use fattier mince and dont crowd the pan, brown it properly so you get those little crispy bits that carry flavor, then tip off most of the grease but save a spoonful for cooking the veg if you want extra richness, it’ll make a big difference.

2) Cook the tomato paste and Worcestershire a bit before adding liquid, that takes away the raw tinny taste and builds depth, and when you add wine or stock scrape the bottom of the pan to lift up all those brown bits, theyre pure flavor.

3) For fluffy mash, mash while the potatoes are still hot, add warm milk and butter, and dont overwork them or use a high-speed mixer or they’ll go gluey, make rough peaks with a fork so the top crisps up in the oven.

4) This hangs together even better the next day, so you can make it ahead and reheat – if it looks dry when reheating add a splash of stock or milk and cover for a few minutes so the steam brings it back, also its easy to freeze: freeze before baking then bake from frozen adding a little extra time.