This Cottage Pie is a warm and comforting dish, perfect for family dinners. It’s rich minced beef, soft mashed potatoes, and a flavorful gravy. A true British classic that’s simple, hearty, and delicious!

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Ingredients Needed:

For the filling:

1 tbsp Olive oil
500 g Beef mince
1 Onion
2 Carrots
2 Celery sticks
1 tbsp Plain flour
1 tsp Dried thyme
1 tsp Dried sage
500 ml Beef stock
2 tbsp Tomato puree
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the topping:

1 kg White potatoes
2 tbsp Salted butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

How To Make Cottage Pie Recipe?

Cook the Meat Filling: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add minced beef and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until browned. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 10 more minutes until soft. Sprinkle in flour, thyme, and sage, mix well, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Pour in beef stock, tomato puree, and Worcester sauce. Stir well, season with salt and black pepper, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Make the Mashed Potatoes: While the meat is simmering, place potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain, then mash with butter, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Assemble the Pie: Pour the cooked meat filling into an ovenproof dish. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly on top. Use a fork to ruffle the surface (this helps it get crispy). Sprinkle some grated cheese if you like.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the meat is bubbling at the edges. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then serve hot.

Recipe Tips:

Brown the Meat Well: Cook the beef on high heat until it’s deep brown. This gives the filling a rich, deep flavor instead of tasting plain. Don’t rush this step!
Simmer the Filling Properly: Let the meat sauce simmer for 30 minutes so the flavors blend. If it’s too thin, let it cook longer to thicken. If it’s too dry, add a little more stock.
Make Smooth & Fluffy Mash: Drain the potatoes completely before mashing. Any extra water makes the mash too soft and runny. Also, mash while the potatoes are still hot for the best texture.
Ruffle the Mash with a Fork: After spreading the mashed potatoes, use a fork to make small peaks and ridges. This creates a crispy golden top when baked, making the pie extra delicious.
Let the Pie Rest Before Serving: After baking, let the pie sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it. This helps the filling thicken slightly and makes serving easier, so the layers stay neat.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

Refrigerate: Let the Cottage Pie cool down first. Then, put it in a container with a lid or cover the dish well. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Cool the Cottage Pie completely before freezing. Wrap it tightly or put it in a freezer-safe box. It stays good in the freezer for 1 month.
Reheat: Place the Cottage Pie in a pan over low heat. Cover with a lid and heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring gently now and then. If it gets too dry, add a splash of water or beef stock.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 500 kcal
Total Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 60mg
Sodium: 600mg
Potassium: 1000mg
Total Carbohydrate: 50g
Dietary Fiber: 6g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 30g

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

Jamie Oliver Air Fryer Chicken in Pastry Recipe
Jamie Oliver Bruschetta Recipe

Jamie Oliver’s Cottage Pie Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

minutes

Calories

500

kcal

Ingredients

For the filling:
1 tbsp Olive oil
500 g Beef mince
1 Onion
2 Carrots
2 Celery sticks
1 tbsp Plain flour
1 tsp Dried thyme
1 tsp Dried sage
500 ml Beef stock
2 tbsp Tomato puree
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the topping:
1 kg White potatoes
2 tbsp Salted butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the Meat Filling: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add minced beef and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until browned. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 10 more minutes until soft. Sprinkle in flour, thyme, and sage, mix well, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Pour in beef stock, tomato puree, and Worcester sauce. Stir well, season with salt and black pepper, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Make the Mashed Potatoes: While the meat is simmering, place potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain, then mash with butter, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Assemble the Pie: Pour the cooked meat filling into an ovenproof dish. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly on top. Use a fork to ruffle the surface (this helps it get crispy). Sprinkle some grated cheese if you like.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the meat is bubbling at the edges. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then serve hot.

Notes

Brown the Meat Well: Cook the beef on high heat until it’s deep brown. This gives the filling a rich, deep flavor instead of tasting plain. Don’t rush this step!
Simmer the Filling Properly: Let the meat sauce simmer for 30 minutes so the flavors blend. If it’s too thin, let it cook longer to thicken. If it’s too dry, add a little more stock.
Make Smooth & Fluffy Mash: Drain the potatoes completely before mashing. Any extra water makes the mash too soft and runny. Also, mash while the potatoes are still hot for the best texture.
Ruffle the Mash with a Fork: After spreading the mashed potatoes, use a fork to make small peaks and ridges. This creates a crispy golden top when baked, making the pie extra delicious.
Let the Pie Rest Before Serving: After baking, let the pie sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it. This helps the filling thicken slightly and makes serving easier, so the layers stay neat.