I turned a classic Traditional Irish Cottage Pie into something unexpected by adding a single surprising ingredient and a quick technique that readers always ask me about.
I’ve always loved a proper meat pie, and my take on Traditional Irish Cottage Pie is the one I keep making. I stick to minced beef and plenty of potatoes so the topping can be thick, a little crunchy and not too precious.
There’s a stubborn, savory middle that makes people ask for seconds, and honestly I still wonder why it tastes different every time I bake it, so I keep trying new tiny tweaks. Folks at family dinners call it Mary Makes It Easy Cottage Pie when I’m in a hurry, cause it forgives mistakes but still looks like you tried.
Ingredients
- Minced beef: Good source of protein and iron, makes filling savory heft, sometimes fatty.
- Potatoes: Starchy carbs for energy, adds creaminess to mash, has vitamin C and fibre.
- Onion: Adds sweetness and savory depth when cooked, low calorie, has antioxidants.
- Carrots: Bring subtle sweetness and color, good fiber and beta carotene, fairly healthy.
- Garlic: Punchy aromatic, gives savoury umami kick, may boost immunity a bit.
- Tomato paste: Concentrated tomato umami, adds depth and slight tang, contains lycopene antioxidant.
- Peas: Sweet pop of veg, adds fiber and plant protein, brightens the filling.
- Cheddar cheese (optional): Melty, adds saltiness and richness, adds calcium, but also extra fat.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb (450 g) minced beef
- 2 lb (900 g) potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup (50 g) grated cheddar cheese optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel and cut the potatoes into even chunks, cover with salted water and boil until very tender, about 15-20 minutes.
2. While potatoes cook, chop the onion, carrots and mince the garlic. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
3. Push veg to the side, add the minced beef and brown well, breaking it up with a spoon so it gets some color. Season with salt, pepper and thyme while it browns.
4. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and 2 tbsp plain flour, cook 1-2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste and to coat the meat. Splash in the Worcestershire sauce, pour in 1 cup (240 ml) beef stock and toss in the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
5. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until mixture thickens and flavors concentrate, about 8-10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in 1 cup frozen peas at the end just to warm through.
6. Drain the potatoes well and return to the hot pot. Mash with 3 tbsp unsalted butter and 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk, season generously with salt and black pepper. For silkier mash warm the milk first, for fluffier mash use a ricer if you got one. Stir in 1/2 cup grated cheddar if using.
7. Spoon the meat filling into a baking dish and spread evenly. Dollop the mashed potatoes on top and spread to cover, then use a fork to rough up the surface so it browns nicely. Dot a few small bits of butter on top if you want extra color.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges, about 20-25 minutes. If the top is browning too fast cover loosely with foil.
9. Let the pie rest 5-10 minutes before serving so it sets a bit. Serve hot, taste once more for salt and pepper, and enjoy on a cold night.
Equipment Needed
1. oven (preheat to 400°F / 200°C)
2. large pot for boiling the potatoes
3. colander to drain the potatoes
4. large skillet or frying pan for the beef filling
5. ovenproof baking dish (about 2 quart / 2 liter)
6. chef’s knife and cutting board
7. potato masher or ricer for fluffier mash
8. measuring cups and spoons
9. wooden spoon or spatula plus a fork for roughing the top
FAQ
Traditional Cottage Pie Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Minced beef: swap for ground lamb, ground turkey, or a mushroom and lentil mix for a veggie version, use same weight and cook till browned.
- Potatoes: use sweet potatoes, cauliflower mash, or parsnips, they change the flavour and may need different roasting time.
- Butter: olive oil, margarine, or vegan buttery spread, same amount but the taste will be different.
- Milk: heavy cream, half and half, or unsweetened oat milk, thin with a splash of water if it’s too thick.
Pro Tips
1. Brown the beef properly, not just cook it. Pat the meat a bit dry, get the pan screaming hot, and don’t stir every 10 seconds. Let it sit and form brown bits, those bits are where most of the flavor hides, scrape them into the sauce.
2. Cook the tomato paste and flour long enough so they lose that raw taste. Toast the paste until it darkens a bit and the flour for a minute, then add a splash of stock to deglaze and lift up all the browned flavor. If it tastes flat add a tiny splash of vinegar or more Worcestershire, it’ll wake it up.
3. Mash like you mean it. Warm the milk first and use a ricer for fluffy mash, but if you like creamier go heavier on butter or add a few spoonfuls of cream. Don’t overwork it or it gets gluey, and season the mash well, potatoes need more salt than you think.
4. Timing for the veg: stir frozen peas in at the very end so they stay bright and pop, and cut the carrots and onions so they cook evenly with the mince. If the filling gets too thin, simmer a bit longer to concentrate flavors instead of adding more flour.
5. Make ahead and finishing tricks. You can assemble the pie the day before and chill it, bake straight from fridge but add a few extra minutes. For an extra golden top run under the broiler for 1-3 minutes watching it like a hawk, or dot a few small bits of butter on top before baking. Let it rest 5-10 minutes after baking so it sets, otherwise it will run when you cut it.
Traditional Cottage Pie Recipe
I turned a classic Traditional Irish Cottage Pie into something unexpected by adding a single surprising ingredient and a quick technique that readers always ask me about.
6
servings
507
kcal
Equipment: 1. oven (preheat to 400°F / 200°C)
2. large pot for boiling the potatoes
3. colander to drain the potatoes
4. large skillet or frying pan for the beef filling
5. ovenproof baking dish (about 2 quart / 2 liter)
6. chef’s knife and cutting board
7. potato masher or ricer for fluffier mash
8. measuring cups and spoons
9. wooden spoon or spatula plus a fork for roughing the top
Ingredients
-
1 lb (450 g) minced beef
-
2 lb (900 g) potatoes
-
1 large onion
-
2 medium carrots
-
2 cloves garlic
-
2 tbsp tomato paste
-
2 tbsp plain flour
-
1 cup (240 ml) beef stock
-
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
-
1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
-
2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
-
3 tbsp unsalted butter
-
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
-
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
-
1 bay leaf
-
salt and black pepper
-
1/2 cup (50 g) grated cheddar cheese optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel and cut the potatoes into even chunks, cover with salted water and boil until very tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- While potatoes cook, chop the onion, carrots and mince the garlic. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Push veg to the side, add the minced beef and brown well, breaking it up with a spoon so it gets some color. Season with salt, pepper and thyme while it browns.
- Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and 2 tbsp plain flour, cook 1-2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste and to coat the meat. Splash in the Worcestershire sauce, pour in 1 cup (240 ml) beef stock and toss in the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until mixture thickens and flavors concentrate, about 8-10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in 1 cup frozen peas at the end just to warm through.
- Drain the potatoes well and return to the hot pot. Mash with 3 tbsp unsalted butter and 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk, season generously with salt and black pepper. For silkier mash warm the milk first, for fluffier mash use a ricer if you got one. Stir in 1/2 cup grated cheddar if using.
- Spoon the meat filling into a baking dish and spread evenly. Dollop the mashed potatoes on top and spread to cover, then use a fork to rough up the surface so it browns nicely. Dot a few small bits of butter on top if you want extra color.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges, about 20-25 minutes. If the top is browning too fast cover loosely with foil.
- Let the pie rest 5-10 minutes before serving so it sets a bit. Serve hot, taste once more for salt and pepper, and enjoy on a cold night.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 400g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 507kcal
- Fat: 28.5g
- Saturated Fat: 11.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.25g
- Polyunsaturated: 2g
- Monounsaturated: 13g
- Cholesterol: 92mg
- Sodium: 300mg
- Potassium: 1032mg
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 5.6g
- Sugar: 5.7g
- Protein: 26.9g
- Vitamin A: 3000IU
- Vitamin C: 42mg
- Calcium: 111mg
- Iron: 5mg
