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Cottage pie in a glass casserole dish with a sprig of rosemary on the side

Old-Fashioned Cottage Pie

A classic, easy cottage pie made from scratch with seasoned beef, rich gravy, and fluffy mashed potatoes baked until golden.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Serving Size 6

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking dish or similar
  • potato masher or stick blender

Ingredients

For the pie filling

  • 2 Tbsp butter or tallow
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½ lbs (700 g) ground beef
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 Tbsp fresh
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary or 1 Tbsp fresh
  • 1½ cup beef broth
  • 2 tsp unrefined salt, or to taste
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

For the mashed potato topping

  • 2 lbs (900 g) potatoes, peeled & chopped
  • ½ cup crème fraîche or thick cream
  • 2-3 Tbsp raw milk (only if necessary)
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 cup grated cheddar

Instructions

  • Boil the potatoes in a small pot of water until tender and easily pierced with a fork.
  • Drain and mash with cream, salt, and pepper. If too firm, add a little raw milk.
  • Melt 1 tbsp tallow or butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, carrots, and garlic until softened. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  • Melt the remaining 1 tbsp fat in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Season well.
  • Sprinkle flour over the beef and stir for about 1 minute.
  • Stir in tomato paste, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 1–2 minutes.
  • Return the sautéed vegetables to the pan and add the stock. Simmer for 8 minutes until slightly thickened. Preheat oven to 200°C (375°F).
  • Stir in the peas and remove from heat.
  • Transfer the filling to a baking dish and spread evenly. Spoon mashed potatoes on top, smoothing to the edges to seal the filling.
  • Use a fork to create ridges in the mashed potatoes.
  • Sprinkle grated Cheddar evenly over the top.
  • Bake for 25–30 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and golden on top. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze the unbaked pie for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.