Description
A comforting and hearty Cheesy Cottage Pie featuring creamy mashed russet potatoes blended with sharp cheddar cheese, layered over a savory ground beef and vegetable filling simmered in a flavorful gravy, then baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- 2.5 lbs russet potatoes
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
Cottage Pie Filling
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Rinse them under cool water and place in a pot with fresh water to cover. Add 1/2 tsp salt, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until very tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain and Rinse Potatoes: Drain the potatoes in a colander and rinse briefly with hot water to remove excess starch, promoting a light and fluffy texture.
- Make Cheesy Mashed Potatoes: While potatoes drain, heat butter and milk in the pot over low heat until butter melts and milk is hot. Return the drained potatoes to the pot, mash until smooth, season with 1/2 tsp salt, then stir in shredded cheddar. Set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Dice onion and mince garlic. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, then add onion and garlic, sautéing until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until fully browned.
- Add Flour and Thicken: Sprinkle flour over cooked beef and stir for about 2 minutes until it coats the bottom of the skillet.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in beef broth and stir well to dissolve flour, allowing the mixture to simmer and thicken into gravy.
- Add Seasonings and Vegetables: Stir in Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn. Heat through and season with salt as needed.
- Assemble Cottage Pie: Transfer beef and vegetable mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish (approximately 9×11 inches). Spoon dollops of cheesy mashed potatoes on top and spread evenly to cover.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated 350ºF oven for 30 minutes until heated through. For extra browning, broil for a few minutes until desired color is achieved.
- Rest and Serve: Let the pie rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and make slicing easier.
Notes
- Use russet potatoes for the best fluffy mashed potato texture.
- Rinsing potatoes after boiling removes excess starch and helps achieve light, fluffy mashed potatoes.
- You can substitute milk with cream or a dairy-free alternative for richer or lactose-free mashed potatoes.
- Broiling at the end gives a crispy golden crust but watch closely to avoid burning.
- Leftover cottage pie can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
