Cottage Pie Recipe – Classic Comfort Food with Beef & Creamy Mash

Cottage Pie

The kind of food that tastes like a hug—simple, satisfying, and always a crowd-pleaser. Best of all, it freezes beautifully, so you can make one to enjoy now and another to tuck away for later. Serve it with a side of buttery peas or green beans, and you’ve got comfort food perfection.

Sarah Butler

Recipe - Greystones - Holohan

Cottage Pie

Prep Time15 Minutes

Servings6

Cook Time60 Minutes

Ingredients

40g butter for the filling & 100g butter for the topping

2 tbsp olive oil

400g minced beef

1 large onion

3 carrots

2 celery sticks

2 cloves garlic

1 beef OXO cube

2 tbsp plain flour

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato purée

Lea Perrins Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp thyme

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1.5kg potatoes, peeled and halved

200ml milk

100g white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Ingredients

For the filling:

40g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
400g minced beef
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 beef OXO cube
2 tbsp plain flour
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
400ml chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato purée
Lea Perrins Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the topping:

1.5kg potatoes, peeled and halved
200ml milk
100g butter
100g white cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Cook the potatoes: Steam or boil until tender, then set aside.
Brown the mince: Heat half the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the minced beef and cook until browned. Crumble in the OXO cube, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Cook the vegetables: In a large casserole pot, melt the remaining butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
Combine and thicken: Return the mince to the pot. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well to coat everything evenly.
Add liquids and herbs: Pour in the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Season to taste.
Simmer: Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Make the mash: Warm the milk and melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the cooked potatoes and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper and mash until smooth and creamy.
Assemble: Spoon the meat mixture into a deep ovenproof dish. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly on top.
Grill: Place under a hot grill until golden and bubbling.

Top Tip: Double the recipe and divide it between two dishes—one for now, one for the freezer. Perfect for an easy midweek meal when you’re short on time!

15 minutes

Prep Time

60 minutes

Cook Time

Servings

Shop Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

40g butter for the filling & 100g butter for the topping

SuperValu Irish Creamery Butter (227 g)

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€2.39€10.53/kg

2 tbsp olive oil

SuperValu Olive Oil (500 ml)

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€4.29€8.58/l

400g minced beef

SuperValu Signature Tastes Irish Hereford Prime Beef Steak Mince (400 g)

Only €4

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€4.00€10.00/kg

1 large onion

SuperValu Mild Onions (3 Piece)

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€1.49€0.50 each

3 carrots

SuperValu Irish Grown Carrots (1 kg)

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€1.29€1.29/kg

2 celery sticks

SuperValu Celery (1 Piece)

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€1.05

2 cloves garlic

SuperValu Garlic (3 Piece)

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€0.99€0.33 each

1 beef OXO cube

Oxo Beef Stock 12 Cubes (71 g)

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€2.79€39.30/kg

2 tbsp plain flour

SuperValu Plain Flour (2 kg)

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€2.55€1.28/kg

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

SuperValu Chopped Tomatoes (400 g)

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€0.85€2.13/kg

2 tbsp tomato purée

Giaguaro Tomato Puree In Cans (140 g)

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€0.65€4.64/kg

Lea Perrins Worcestershire sauce

Lea & Perrins Worcester Sauce (150 ml)

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€2.49€16.60/l

1 tbsp thyme

Schwartz Herbs Thyme (11 g)

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€2.50€227.27/kg

2 bay leaves

Schwartz Bay Leaves (3 g)

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€2.50€833.33/kg

2 tbsp chopped parsley

SuperValu Fresh Parsley (40 g)

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€1.19€29.75/kg

1.5kg potatoes, peeled and halved

SuperValu Irish Rooster Potatoes (2 kg)

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€3.79€1.90/kg

200ml milk

SuperValu Fresh Milk (1 L)

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€1.19€1.19/l

100g white cheddar cheese, grated

SuperValu Signature Tastes Vintage Irish White Cheddar (200 g)

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€2.45€12.25/kg

Recipe

Ingredients

For the filling:

40g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
400g minced beef
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 beef OXO cube
2 tbsp plain flour
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
400ml chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato purée
Lea Perrins Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the topping:

1.5kg potatoes, peeled and halved
200ml milk
100g butter
100g white cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Cook the potatoes: Steam or boil until tender, then set aside.
Brown the mince: Heat half the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the minced beef and cook until browned. Crumble in the OXO cube, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Cook the vegetables: In a large casserole pot, melt the remaining butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
Combine and thicken: Return the mince to the pot. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well to coat everything evenly.
Add liquids and herbs: Pour in the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Season to taste.
Simmer: Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Make the mash: Warm the milk and melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the cooked potatoes and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper and mash until smooth and creamy.
Assemble: Spoon the meat mixture into a deep ovenproof dish. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly on top.
Grill: Place under a hot grill until golden and bubbling.

Top Tip: Double the recipe and divide it between two dishes—one for now, one for the freezer. Perfect for an easy midweek meal when you’re short on time!