Cottage Pie Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Dec 8, 2025 
Every time I make my favorite cottage pie recipe, my family comes running to the table! This savory Irish pie is a shepherd’s pie that features a hearty beef filling, topped with creamy mashed potatoes, and baked to golden brown perfection. It’s a simple dinner I can make any night of the week, yet it’s spotlight-worthy enough for a Saint Patrick’s Day feast.
Today, I’m sharing my fast and easy cottage pie main dish, which starts on the stovetop and is finished in the oven. Although I already posted a lovely crock pot shepherd’s pie recipe, it’s not quick to make. The chunks of lamb roast need ample time to slow cook and soften. However, cottage pie is prepped and baked in less than one hour. This is accomplished by using ground beef instead of a beef roast and by using store-bought (or leftover) mashed potatoes instead of making mashed potatoes from scratch. This Irish meat pie is actually my “top pick” variation because of its robust meaty flavor, kissed with Dijon and herbs. The beef filling is chunky and colorful, mixed with onions, carrots, corn, and peas. It is the perfect complement to the golden fluffy mashed potato top.
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Irish flavor any day of the year – You don’t have to wait until Saint Paddy’s Day to enjoy Ireland’s culinary spirit. My simplified meat and potatoes recipe incorporates shortcuts, so that you can make it on a Tuesday. If you don’t have leftover mashed potatoes onhand, I suggest using pre-made mashed potatoes (no judgment; life is busy!) and doctoring the potatoes by adding a little shredded cheddar cheese for extra richness. It helps create a crispy crust and adds extra flavor.
Easy cleanup – I’m a huge fan of one-pot wonders, because they make the after dinner chores much quicker. This beefy meal requires only one large oven-safe skillet or sauté pan. Cast iron is my personal recommendation; it looks great, cooks evenly, and infuses extra flavor into the filling.
Incredible leftovers – If you can’t finish off the entire pie, no worries. I love reheating this beef and taters dinner all throughout the week. In my opinion, in tastes even better on day two and three, making it great for meal-prep.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Ground beef – I suggest using a full-flavored ground beef, not the lean option. Buy 100% ground chuck if possible, for its rich beefy quality.
- Veggies – I use a mix of fresh chopped onion, carrots, and garlic, then add in frozen corn and peas. This creates a lovely blend of rustic vegetable notes, but offers a pop of texture and color to the filling.
- Taste Makers – To intensify the beefy goodness, I add in beef broth, a little tomatoe paste for depth and thickening, worcestershire sauce for oomph, and a touch of Dijon mustard for intrigue. Together, these pantry staples creates the ultimate beef filling.
- Mashed potatoes – If you have leftovers of a homemade mashed potatoes recipe repurpose them in this dish. However, you can also buy pre-made refrigerated mashed potatoes that will work as well. I personally like Bob Evans Original.
- Cheddar cheese – I stir cheese into the mashed potatoes to give them that-little-extra-something, and to create a crispy golden crust.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Sizzle – I start by browning the ground beef in a large cast-iron skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Make sure to break the meat up into little pieces as it cooks, so each bite has a fine even texture.
Sauté – Then I add the onions, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft. If the carrots aren’t cooked enough in the skillet, they will not fully soften in the oven. So be sure they are fork-tender before moving on.
Mix – Now I stir all the filling ingredients together like the peas, corn, broth and sauces. I mix the ingredients well to ensure well-distributed flavor through the pan.
Spread – Then I spread the mixture out into a smooth layer in the skillet so it bakes evenly.
Doctor – I love to sneak cheese into mashed potatoes, especially if they are pre-made, to boost the flavor. Use a spatula to mix it in evenly.
Smear – I spread the mashed potatoes and cheese mixture over the top of the beef filling, as even as possible. It’s important to get both layers even so they bake properly.
Bake – I bake the skillet until the mashed potato top is crispy around the edges. You might see bubbly areas around the pan where beef juices are simmering through the topping. This is not only fine, it’s a way for steam to escape so the filling thickens.
Expert Tips
If using store-bought mashed potatoes instead of homemade mashed potatoes, you may notice extra liquid in the container. I suggest you drain off the liquid, or press the top of the potatoes with paper towels, before mixing in the cheese. This will ensure the potatoes aren’t too soft or watery to create the perfect topper.
Don’t over mix the mashed potatoes! If making your own mashed potatoes, make sure not to over-mash, or they could end up gluey. It is okay if they have some lumps in them. Actually, I prefer them that way.
If you want to do some extra potato doctoring, add fresh rosemary or thyme to the potatoes before baking to add an extra pop of garden essence.
Variations
- For a slightly lighter version, you can replace the ground beef with ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground lamb.
- Veggie swaps – I sometimes like to add mushrooms and cauliflower to cottage pie, but you can add any vegetable you like. If the vegetables you add release moisture as they cook, make sure to add them when you mix in the onions and carrots. You can use frozen veggies, if desired.
Serving Suggestions
This is a one-pot meal, so technically, you do not need to serve anything with it. However, if you like to have more options on the table. Consider serving it with:
- Irish Pub Cheese
- Sweet Irish Soda Bread
- Irish Bacon and Cabbage
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Coffee Brownies (with Baileys)
Frequently Asked Questions
These two items are very similar. Both are British recipes. Both are savory pies filled with meat and vegetables, then topped with mashed potatoes. In fact, shepherd’s pie is a type of the broader term “cottage pie.”
The only real difference is that cottage pie usually refers to a savory pie made with beef filling, while shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with lamb. However, the terms are often used interchangeably.
Yes, you can. Cover the pan with foil. Then, wrap the entire dish in plastic wrap. When ready to use, take off the plastic, and bake at 350 degrees F for one hour. Keep the foil over the top.
You can also thaw it at room temperature, then reheat it for 30 minutes.
Yes! This recipe is great for meal prep, or for taking to a friend in need.
Unbaked: You can make the dinner pie up to the point of baking, then wrap and refrigerate it for up to 5 days. When ready to use, bake for 25-35 minutes.
Meal Prep or Leftovers: Place the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 7 days.
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, scoop the beef filling into a 9×13 inch casserole dish, then top with an even layer of potatoes. I recommend following the same baking time as listed below.
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Cottage Pie Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef preferably ground chuck (or ground lamb)
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 5 cups mashed potatoes (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place a deep 13-14 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Break the ground beef into small pieces, with a wooden spoon, as it browns.
- Once the ground beef is fully cooked, move it to the sides of the skillet. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for 5-8 minutes to soften the onions and carrots. (The carrots should be partially cooked before baking.)
- Stir the mixture together. Then add in the frozen corn and pea, broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, cornstarch, and thyme. Mix well. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
- Turn off the heat. Spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the skillet.
- Mix the shredded cheese into the mashed potatoes. (If using store-bought mashed potatoes, you may need to drain off the extra liquid or press the top with paper towels, before mixing in the cheese.)
- Scoop the mashed potatoes over the meat filling and spread it to the sides of the skillet, making sure there are no gaps. Immediately place the cottage pie in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden on top.
If you order a cottage pie in the U.K you’ll expect beef mince, if you order a shepherd’s pie you’ll expect lamb mince, ( the clue is in the name) a shepherdess pie just uses vegetables..😄Great recipe!
Absolutely amazing! I’ve always been nervous to try a cottage pie but this recipe is so easy and delicious! Gonna be a staple in my dinner rotation now