Cottage Pie Easy Recipe

Cottage Pie is a traditional family favourite here in the UK, Just like spaghetti bolognese there are hundreds if not thousands of variations, with every person that makes it claiming their recipe for cottage pie is the best. Warm and filling, cottage pie is a perfect supper treat all year round. This recipe uses everyday ingredients such as gravy granules and easy cooking techniques so that anyone can make it quickly and easily.

This Cottage Pie Recipe is one of the best I have tasted, its simplicity doesn’t hinder the result in the slightest.

Cottage Pie Ingredients

500g lean minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dried mixed herbs
350ml hot beef stock, made with 2 good quality stock cubes
2 tbsp good beef gravy granules
900g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
100ml semi-skimmed milk, warmed
25g butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cottage Pie The Easy Way

Heat a large, heavy-based pan until hot, then add the onions and carrots, and fry, stirring occasionally to ensure they don’t burn, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened.

Add the minced beef to the pan ensuring you break it up evenly so there are no large lumps of meat. Continue to cook, stirring only occasionally to allow browning of the meat to take place. Check that the minced meat doesn’t burn and stick to the pan as this will taint the flavour of the cottage pie.

Meanwhile, stir the tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and mixed herbs into the stock.

Stir the flavoured stock into the mince and vegetables. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the minced beef and vegetable mixture is cooking, cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes, then mash with the warmed milk and the butter. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Preheat the grill to medium.

Strain the meat and vegetables through a colendar or sieve reserving the cooking liquid in another saucepan ready to make the gravy.

Gently stir the gravy granules into the reserved liquid, over a medium heat, and bring just to boiling point stirring all the time to thicken. Continue to cook for 1 more minute and remove from heat.

Spoon the mince mixture into a large, warm ovenproof dish, add a generous few spoonfulls of the thickened gravy to the mince mixture and stir to combine.

Spread the mashed potato over the top and fluff up with a fork.

Put under the grill to brown lightly and crisp the top.

Serve with Garden Peas, green beans,  Cabbage or baked beans and a jug of the  delicious thick gravy for the perfect easy cottage pie.