James Martin Cottage Pie Recipe

This James Martin Cottage Pie is a classic comfort food! It has a rich, meaty filling made with beef, vegetables, and a flavorful sauce, all topped with creamy mashed potatoes and melted cheese. Perfect for a cozy family dinner!

Ingredients Needed:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1¼kg beef mince
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 celery sticks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• a large glass of red wine (optional)
• 850ml beef stock
• 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• few thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.8kg potatoes, chopped
• 225ml milk
• 25g butter
• 200g strong cheddar, grated
• freshly grated nutmeg

How To Make Cottage Pie Recipe?

1. Brown the beef: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan, add the beef mince, and cook until browned. Do this in batches if needed. Set aside.
2. Cook the vegetables: Add the rest of the oil to the pan, then cook the onions, carrots, and celery over low heat for about 20 minutes until soft.
3. Add garlic, flour & tomato purée: Stir in the garlic, flour, and tomato purée, cooking for a few minutes until well combined.
4. Simmer the filling: Add the beef back to the pan. Pour in the wine (if using) and let it reduce slightly. Stir in the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. Let it simmer uncovered for 45 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stalks before seasoning.
5. Make the mashed potatoes: Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain, let them steam-dry for a few minutes, then mash with milk, butter, and three-quarters of the cheese. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
6. Assemble the pie: Spoon the beef mixture into two ovenproof dishes. Spread or pipe the mashed potatoes over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
7. Bake: Preheat the oven to 220°C. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and crispy.

Recipe Tips:

• Use high-quality beef mince: Choose beef with some fat (about 15-20%) for the best flavor and juiciness. Lean mince can make the filling dry.
• Cook the vegetables slowly: Let the onions, carrots, and celery soften for at least 20 minutes on low heat. This brings out their natural sweetness and makes the filling taste richer.
• Simmer until thick: The filling should be thick, not watery. If it’s too runny after 30 minutes, turn up the heat slightly and let it reduce until it coats the meat well.
• Mash the potatoes well: For creamy mashed potatoes, drain them completely, mash them while still hot, and add warm milk and butter. This keeps them smooth and fluffy.
• Let it rest before serving: After baking, let the pie sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting. This helps the layers set and makes it easier to serve.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: Let the cottage pie cool down first. Then, put it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: After cooling, divide the pie into portions and store them in freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Transfer the pie filling to a pan and heat over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or stock if it looks dry. The mashed potato topping is best crisped under a grill if needed.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 650 kcal
• Total Fat: 38g
• Saturated Fat: 18g
• Cholesterol: 115mg
• Sodium: 750mg
• Potassium: 1,200mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 50g
• Dietary Fiber: 6g
• Sugars: 7g
• Protein: 40g

James Martin Cottage Pie Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Calories

650

kcal

This James Martin Cottage Pie is a classic comfort food! It has a rich, meaty filling made with beef, vegetables, and a flavorful sauce, all topped with creamy mashed potatoes and melted cheese. Perfect for a cozy family dinner!

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1¼kg beef mince

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 3 carrots, chopped

• 3 celery sticks, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp plain flour

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• a large glass of red wine (optional)

• 850ml beef stock

• 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• few thyme sprigs

• 2 bay leaves

• 1.8kg potatoes, chopped

• 225ml milk

• 25g butter

• 200g strong cheddar, grated

• freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

• Brown the beef: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan, add the beef mince, and cook until browned. Do this in batches if needed. Set aside.
• Cook the vegetables: Add the rest of the oil to the pan, then cook the onions, carrots, and celery over low heat for about 20 minutes until soft.
• Add garlic, flour & tomato purée: Stir in the garlic, flour, and tomato purée, cooking for a few minutes until well combined.
• Simmer the filling: Add the beef back to the pan. Pour in the wine (if using) and let it reduce slightly. Stir in the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. Let it simmer uncovered for 45 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stalks before seasoning.
• Make the mashed potatoes: Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain, let them steam-dry for a few minutes, then mash with milk, butter, and three-quarters of the cheese. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Assemble the pie: Spoon the beef mixture into two ovenproof dishes. Spread or pipe the mashed potatoes over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake: Preheat the oven to 220°C. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and crispy.

Notes

• Use high-quality beef mince: Choose beef with some fat (about 15-20%) for the best flavor and juiciness. Lean mince can make the filling dry.
• Cook the vegetables slowly: Let the onions, carrots, and celery soften for at least 20 minutes on low heat. This brings out their natural sweetness and makes the filling taste richer.
• Simmer until thick: The filling should be thick, not watery. If it’s too runny after 30 minutes, turn up the heat slightly and let it reduce until it coats the meat well.
• Mash the potatoes well: For creamy mashed potatoes, drain them completely, mash them while still hot, and add warm milk and butter. This keeps them smooth and fluffy.
• Let it rest before serving: After baking, let the pie sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting. This helps the layers set and makes it easier to serve.