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    Home / British / Irish Kitchen / Cottage Pie

    Cottage Pie

    Ground beef simmered in a rich onion-and-carrot gravy, capped with a billowy layer of golden mashed potato.

    ⏱ 25 minPrep time
    🔥 55 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 British / Irish KitchenCategory
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    Ground beef simmered in a rich onion-and-carrot gravy, capped with a billowy layer of golden mashed potato. It’s the beefy cousin of shepherd’s pie, and it’s exactly what you want when the weather turns grey and the oven is warm.

    A stalwart of British home cooking, cottage pie is the ultimate family supper — cheap, forgiving, and loved by all ages. Serve it straight from the dish with green peas or buttered cabbage on the side.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, 15-20 minutes; drain and mash with the milk and 2 tbsp butter. Season well and set aside.
    2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrots until soft, about 8 minutes; add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
    3. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes.
    4. Pour in the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the peas and season to taste.
    5. Heat the oven to 400°F. Spoon the beef into a 2 1/2-quart baking dish and top with the mash, swirling the top.
    6. Dot with the remaining 2 tbsp butter and bake until bubbling and golden, 25-30 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Use ground beef for cottage pie and ground lamb for shepherd's pie — that's the real difference. Letting it rest after baking helps the layers hold their shape when served.

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    Recipe details

    Prep25 min
    Cook55 min
    Servings6
    CategoryBritish / Irish Kitchen
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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