Okay, I’m going to squeeze in one more wintry comfort food dish before the weather really starts warming up! This Cheesy Cottage Pie is chock-full of vegetables in a rich beef gravy, and topped with a layer of super smooth and creamy cheddar mashed potatoes. It’s kind of a labor of love, but you won’t regret one minute of it—promise! This Cheesy Cottage Pie tastes even better as leftovers, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I ate it for lunch, then dinner, and then breakfast the next day. Yup, it’s that good.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
Can I Make This Cottage Pie Vegetarian?
If you’re interested in making a vegetarian cottage/shepherd’s pie, check out my Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie, or replace the ground beef in this recipe with about 1.5 cups cooked lentils, and replace the beef broth with vegetable broth.
Fresh or Frozen Vegetables?
I’m all about using frozen vegetables for this recipe because they’re fast, easy, and you can keep them on hand in your freezer without them going bad. My grocery store didn’t have the frozen pea and carrot mix this particular day, so I chopped up one large fresh carrot (about 1 cup chopped) to use in place of the frozen. Whether you use fresh, frozen, or a mix of both, just make sure you have about 3 cups of vegetables total.
The Mashed Potato Short Cut
If you’re in a hurry and looking to make this recipe a lot faster and easier, you can use store bought mashed potatoes, but keep in mind that it will increase the recipe cost quite a bit. You’ll need about 6 cups of prepared mashed potatoes.
Cheesy Cottage Pie
Servings 6Ingredients
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- 2.5 lbs. russet potatoes ($0.87)
- 1 tsp salt, divided ($0.05)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.36)
- 1/2 cup milk ($0.16)
- 4 oz. shredded cheddar ($0.85)
Cottage Pie Filling
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.23)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.21)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1/2 lb. ground beef ($2.65)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.01)
- 1 cup beef broth ($0.13)
- 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.03)
- 1 tsp dried rosemary ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme ($0.05)
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots ($0.26)
- 1 cup frozen corn ($0.30)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
Instructions
- Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Rinse them in a colander with cool water, then place them in a pot and add enough fresh water to cover them completely. Add 1/2 tsp salt, place a lid on the pot, and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes until very tender, about 7-10 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and rinse them again briefly with hot water. This removes excess starch and helps give the mashed potatoes a light and fluffy texture.
- While the potatoes are draining, add the butter and milk to the pot used to boil the potatoes. Heat the butter and milk over low until the butter is melted and the milk is hot. Add the drained potatoes back to the pot, then mash until smooth. Taste and add salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp). Stir in the shredded cheddar. Set the potatoes aside until you’re ready to assemble the casserole.
- While the potatoes are cooking, begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF and begin the filling for the cottage pie. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large skillet along with the olive oil and sauté over medium until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the beef to the skillet and continue to sauté until the beef is fully cooked. Add the all-purpose flour and continue to stir and cook for about 2 minutes more, or until the flour coats the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the beef broth and stir to dissolve the flour from the bottom of the skillet. The broth will come up to a simmer fairly quickly, at which point it will thicken into a gravy.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn to the skillet. Heat through, then taste and add salt if needed (I added 1/2 tsp).
- Finally, assemble the cottage pie by transferring the beef and vegetable mixture to the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish (mine was 9″x11″). Top with dollops of the warm cheesy mashed potatoes, spreading it out smooth to cover the surface.
- Bake the Cheesy Cottage Pie for 30 minutes in the preheated 350ºF oven. If you want extra browning on top, switch the oven to broil after baking and allow it to broil for a few minutes or until the desired browning has been achieved. Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Deep Stainless Steel Skillet
- Glass Casserole Dish
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!PURE COMFORT.
How to Make Cottage Pie – Step by Step Photos
Peel and cube about 2.5 lbs. russet potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Rinse them briefly with cool water in a colander, then add them to a large pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add 1/2 tsp salt, place a lid on the pot, and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes until they are very tender, about 7-10 minutes.
Once the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander and rinse them briefly a second time with hot water. Let them drain in the colander. While the potatoes are draining, add 2 Tbsp butter and 1/2 cup milk to the pot you just used. Heat them over low until the butter is melted and the milk is hot. Add the drained potatoes back to the pot and mash until smooth (I also whipped mine with a hand mixer). Taste and add more salt if needed. I added 1/2 tsp salt.
Finally, stir in 4 oz. shredded cheddar. It’s okay if the cheddar doesn’t fully melt. Set the mashed potatoes aside until you’re ready to assemble the cottage pie. Placing the lid back on top will help them keep warm.
While the potatoes are cooking you can begin the filling. Also begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF. Dice a yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add both to a large skillet along with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the ground beef and continue to sauté until the beef is cooked through.
Add 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour to the skillet with the beef and continue to sauté for about 2 minutes more, or until the flour coats the bottom of the skillet. Add 1 cup beef broth (I use Better Than Bouillon) and stir to dissolve the flour from the skillet. The broth will quickly come up to a simmer, at which point it will thicken into a gravy.
Once the gravy has thickened, add 2 cups frozen peas and carrots (or in my case, 1 cup frozen peas plus 1 cup fresh chopped carrot), 1 cup frozen corn, 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp dried rosemary, and 1/2 tsp dried thyme.
Stir everything to combine and heat through. Give the beef and vegetable mixture a taste and add salt if needed (I added 1/2 tsp salt).
Finally, assemble the Cheesy Cottage Pie. Pour the beef and vegetable mixture into the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish (mine was 9″x11″). Add the cheesy mashed potatoes on top in dollops and spread it smooth to cover.
Bake the Cheesy Cottage Pie in the preheated 350ºF oven for 30 minutes. It should be bubbling up all around the edges. If you want extra browning on top, like I have in my photos, switch your oven to broil and broil for a few minutes more, or until you get the desired amount of browning.
Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow the gravy time to cool just enough to thicken up a bit and make serving a little easier.
I’ve made this a million times! It also works well with ground turkey and those bags of frozen peas/carrots/corn/green beans from walmart 😁
Looks great except the prices/cost are 2020 :)
I plan on making this soon. If I double the beef, do I double all of the fillings ingredients?
Will be making your cottage pie this week but have to mention that yr Crustless spinach, mushroom and feta quiche has proved to be an absolute winner de Luxe !
Huge thanks from Cape Town.
Made this tonight and it was delicious!!! Thank you!!!
I made this exactly as instructed Beth and we all loved it! But I’m serving it as a main dish, what sides would you serve it with? I added a salad and garlic bread but want other ideas. Thank you!
Try our lemon butter green beans, baked beans, Irish soda bread, or balsamic mushrooms!
Used up all my leftover veggies laying around and we loved it! Thanks for another great recipe.
This was great. I added a bit of curry powder to the beef mixture and chopped up four large mushrooms to add in after the beef, but otherwise made it as written. Everyone went back for seconds, which tells me I will need to make it again. = )
This turned out great! Lower in calories than you’d expect, and very savory. Easy to make, too!
If you’re doubling it, I’d suggest another 1/2 lb or lb of beef to even the radios a bit more. I added green beans to mine as well as a few teaspoons of curry powder if you want to make the flavors more complex.
Love this recipe so much. I made it with Beyond Beef and it turned out excellent. I love the amount of veggies and next time I want to add green beans because I think they would also go really well in there! Thanks for another great one, Beth!!
This was so flavorful on a chilly rainy Sunday. I added a dab of Dijon mustard with the Worcestershire sauce. Made it gluten free by subbing cup4cup GF flour.
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s always been well received. Using ground turkey and leftover mashed potatoes, frozen mix of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots today’s meal turned out just as good!
This is *good*. It’s been in my rotation for several months now, and that’s where it’s staying. I make a vegetarian version with an equivalent amount of Beyond Beef and Better Than Bouillon vegetable stock. It’s rich and savory, with plenty of gravy, and a generous amount of mashed potatoes on top. This easily makes several meals’ worth for two people, plus plenty to freeze (it freezes beautifully) for future meals.
I always add mushrooms, which is good if you want to add to the dish without adding more meat or a great addition/substitute for non-meat versions.
It’s okay. It tastes exactly how you think it would… It’s kinda bland and doesn’t really satisfy my appetite. But if you like this sort of thing definitely give it a try!
Bland = needs more salt. Keep adding until the flavors pop.
So delicious! I doubled the filling since I had a pound of ground beef I wanted to use up. Instead of doubling the liquid to two cups of broth, I used 1 1/2 cups broth and 1/2 cup red wine. It was so good. Will definitely add this to our rotation of fall/winter meals.
Can I completely skip the flour for this?
The flour thickens the gravy in the filling, so if you leave it out it will be more watery.
Cornstarch would probably make an excellent thickener as well – I’ve used it to thicken a lot of gravies/stews/etc. when I’m cooking gluten-free.
For any other vegetarians out there- I made this tonight with beyond beef, better than bouillon no beef broth, and Annie’s vegan Worcestershire sauce and it was really good comfort food! I froze two portions for later, and would definitely make this again. My meat eating boyfriend loved it too.
This recipe is so yummy! I made this for my Christmas dinner tonight. Only things I subbed were 1 lb of ground turkey instead of beef and I used almond milk. It’s so tasty! Thank you!
So good! A crowd pleaser for everyone – which is hard to do in this house! Definitely going in our keep pile!
Delicious! I don’t eat red meat, so I used ground turkey and chicken broth. And eliminated the Worcestershire sauce, but that was because I forgot it until it was in the oven. In any case, it tastes awesome and was so easy. It tastes like a cross between cottage pie and chicken pot pie. Definitely going on my make-again list.
Since it’s just two people eating dinner here, I divide the recipe into several deep dish pot pie pans; cover a couple of them with foil and freeze; and save one for later that week.
It’s good, but the secret to killer cottage pie is to make it with leftover meatloaf
Can I ask why i can’t find this on the app?
Hi Carry, the app comes pre-loaded with 500 recipes and everything new that I’ve posted to the blog since the app was launched can be found in the app’s marketplace (you can still get them for free). Just tap the little shopping bag icon on the bottom of the home screen to go to the marketplace, then once there tap over to “recipes” at the top instead of “bundles”. All the newest recipes are available there for you to download into your app. If you search “cottage” at the top when you’re viewing recipes, this Cheesy Cottage Pie will be the first one that pops up. :)
This was so tasty! My family loved it!
Can you assemble this the morning of and then pop it into the oven? Or would it be better to make the meat and gravy mixture beforehand and then make the mashed potatoes while the oven preheats?
I like mine a little spicy, so I added a teaspoon of sweet paprika, garlic and onion to the mashed potato. I also added mushrooms to the meat mix.
Oh, this looks so delicious! I would love to make it, but am working on loosing weight and thus cutting back on carbs. When you have a chance, can you share some low-carb recipes? I’ve been following your site for years and have made many of your recipes. Just now, though, until I get my weight where I want it, I’m skipping high-carb meals, but that doesn’ mean I don’t enjoy reading about them! :D
Hi Peggy! You’re in luck as we have a great round up of low carb meals here.
This looks FABULOUS! Here’s the thing: I need 12 servings. Not sure if I should just double the meat, or double all the bottom ingredients, or double everything and put it in a big lasagna pan?
Hi Karen! All of the recipes on the site are servings adjustable, simply hit the arrows up or down depending on what you need. And I would cook in a large 11×13 pan or split between two pans.
Just curious, why 30 mins in the oven if all ingredients are already cooked? Would a quick broil to brown the potatoes be enough, or are we trying to get some of the liquid absorbed as well?
Hi Neil! The baking really does bring all of the flavors together and allows it to heat all the way through.
Delicious!! I modify and use 1lb of ground beef and only 1 and 1/2lb potatoes, 2oz of cheese and 1/4 cup of milk for our carnivore family and make as directed. To reduce clean up I bake it in the skillet I cooked the meat filling in (it is oven proof). Thank you SO MUCH Beth!!!
Love when it’s a meal that everyone can enjoy. And even better when it’s only a one dish clean up! Great work!
I was wonderig if anyone has tried to freeze this in single portions. Could you please let me know how it went? I am trying to fill my freezer with grab and go meals before school starts.
Thank you
This should freeze well. :)
Dear Beth , I LOVE YOUR STUFF ,, greatest site on line , more comments that make sense than any other told my daughter and friend about gonna bake this one next for a family with 3 kids picky picky picky , will post and let you know how it went over ,,,sounds great love the presentation … awsome girl love your style !!!!!!!!!!
I made this following the recipe exactly and IT. WAS. DELICIOUS. Yum :) thanks for this recipe!
I feel funny commenting, because I haven’t made this version, but made a zillion times something we called shepherd’s pie which is very much like it. It was a great way to feed a family and get vegetables into our kids, altho one would leave a little pile of peas on the side of his plate. I will try your version Beth and I bet it will be even better than ours was. I’m giving yours five stars ahead of time, because I KNOW this will earn it. And I look forward to trying it out on a grandchild and maybe the peas will not be picked out!
I had fresh carrots. Sliced & added with the onions & garlic. Another great recipe loved by the whole family – thanks Beth.
This was soooo good! I did make a few changes. I used Daiya cheese in the potatoes and added in some garlic powder for extra oomph. I added an extra cup of broth to the filling before topping it as I wanted it more saucy. This was easy and really delicious!
Yum! Made with “meatless crumbles” for the vegetarian in the family. Super tasty and quick.
This was so good! Instead of ground beef, I chopped up 3 Field Roast Apple & Sage veggie sausages in my food processor and added that. I also threw in some chopped mushrooms and used red potatoes instead of russets. I will definitely be making this again. :o)
This was absolutely delicious! I replaced the beef with chicken and used the vegetables I had on hand and it still worked perfectly! Can’t recommend this recipe enough :)
Do you think I could make this and freeze it after the casserole is put together but not baked? I’m thinking of doing that for a couple who just had their first baby and mom is going back to work on Monday. I want to give them several frozen entrees to have on hand when life has been too crazy that they could make.
This is exactly my question (even about giving it to a mom who just had her second!)! Looking forward to the answer 😊
I actually don’t have any experience with freezing whole casseroles like this (since I mainly cook for myself I always bake, divide into single portions, then freeze). I think there are two areas where this might have issues, but it’s hard to say without actually testing it. Sometimes flour-thickened sauces don’t hold up well and this has a flour-thickened gravy. Second, some people don’t like the texture of potatoes after they have been frozen and thawed, although I’ve never noticed any issues with potatoes myself.
Yummm. This is so delicious and perfect for leftovers. I omitted the corn and added broccoli and extra peas. I have a dairy problem so I used the Daiya fake cheese and this was such a yummy treat. Thanks!
This was so so so so good. Your recipes are virtually fool-proof. I’ve not been disappointed yet. I used golden potatoes with the skin on. They were so velvety and cheesy. I was licking the spoon. I also used a full pound of ground beef and slightly increased some of the other ingredients to accommodate. It was very easy to do so and not botch up the final result, which my boyfriend also loved and praised me for. Thanks Beth!
Going to try this with ground bison! Looks so yummy
Looks Awesome… Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe.
Love cottage pie! My partner and I love to use half regular potatoes half sweet potatoes as a topping. You get the (arguably) better texture of a russet or gold, but the sweetness of a sweet potato really complements the salty/savory beef filling (and the nutritional boost ain’t bad either!).
ANOTHER KEEPER!!! We made this last week and everyone LOVED it – leftovers in the fridge were GONE in a flash. Love the fact that it only required 1/2 lb ground beef – I was able to splurge on grass-fed beef and still have half a package left in the freezer for next time I make this (which will be SOON!!!) Traditional shepard’s pie always calls for a lot more meat – but we didn’t miss the additional meat at all in this recipe. It was delicious.
I was so bummed when I went to make your original shepherd’s pie recipe this winter and discovered it had been removed. Thank you for bringing a new and improved version back!
I have some ground thyme, would that work? I’m sure the measurement would be different, right?
You’ll probably need slightly less because when it’s ground it’s a little more concentrated.
This looks delicious, especially the topping part. This Sheppard’s Pie is just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. 😀☘️
It looks wonderful and I look forward to trying it! We have enjoyed so many of your recipes. Just a note: it looks like the cup of beef broth has been omitted from the ingredient list.
Thank you! It’s fixed now. :)
This looks so good, but I really do not like rosemary. Could I omit and double up the thyme? Would a little tarragon work?
Yes, you can leave the rosemary out. I can’t imagine tarragon in there, though, so I’m not sure if that would be a good fit. You can increase the thyme a little, or just leave the rosemary out. As long as you’re using a flavorful broth it will still be delish.
Hi Beth, I am rotating my emergency supplies this month.. just found several cans of mixed veggies… I was going to look for a recipe like a meat pie to use them up in. I love your recipes because they (very) rarely fail to please me. I’m wondering if you think I can use my canned veggies in this recipe, and if so, how I ought to do it. Thanks!S
Yes, you definitely can. :) Just make sure to drain them well and you’ll want about 3 cups of vegetables total (after draining). You may also need to use less salt, since the canned vegetables will be providing some.
I use this (I know it as shepherds pie) as a sweep the kitchen type of meal. It always has ground beef (or if I have leftover meat from a previous dinner, it goes in) garlic and onion, but I’ve been known to put in whatever vegetables I have lying around. Yellow and green squashes diced small work well(and gets my family to eat them), I’ve put in green beans, lentils, leftover rice, whatever I have. I like to play around with the flavor profile too depending on what’s going in it. I’ve done traditional, barbecue, Tex-mex, and now I’m contemplating Asian. How will that work with potatoes you ask? I don’t know yet- probably not great, or maybe just weird, but it’s all about experimentation.
With the asian flavor profile idea, maybe take a look at Japanese-style curry recipes for inspiration (it’s sometimes called Karei Raisu). It’s a hearty dish made with potatoes, so it might mesh well with that component.
I popped over here for your colcannon recipe, because I wanted to use the colcannon as a topper for a cottage pie, and here is a cottage pie recipe, too. I’m so excited for dinner tonight.
Two things struck me as odd about this recipe. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen only a half a pound of ground beef for a Cottage Pie, as it’s usually 1-2 pounds. I also find it surprising that your ground beef is $5.30 a pound. I buy extra lean ground beef at Costco or Sam’s Club for no more $3.29 a pound. I’d throw in an extra half pound & have a great Cottage Pie!
I bought grass fed beef this time. Prices are always subjective to what your shopping preference are and what’s available in your area. :) I routinely like to reduce the meat in my recipes by half and increase the vegetables or add beans or lentils to make up for it. That way I still get the flavor of meat, but it helps cut the cost of the recipe. One of my favorite tricks! :)
Am I going nuts or is there not a beef broth in the ingredients list?
This looks great and I can’t wait to try your lentil and veggie broth substitutions!
Sorry, forgot to type it in, but it’s fixed now!
The recipe calls for beef broth but it’s not listed in the ingredients. It says 1 cup under the picture – I just want to confirm that it is 1 cup of broth that’s needed. Thank you!
Yes, it’s one cup! Sorry about that, it’s fixed in the ingredient list now. :)
I recently created a very similar recipe except I put the cheese on top. It is a lot of dishes, but it is SO AMAZING! I can’t wait to try this version!
What would be a good replacement (if any) for the peas? My fiance doesn’t like peas or beans & I’d like to include another type of vegetable with it.
If you want another green vegetable that won’t change the flavor of the dish too much I think some chopped celery would work. You would probably want to throw it in with the onions so it can cook a little.
Mushrooms would be great in this. :)
Can I use canned corn? I can’t get frozen corn where I live.
Yes, just make sure to drain it well and use about one cup once drained. :)