Recipe for Cottage Pie (2024)

Dinner, Recipes · March 8, 2024

Thank you so much for visiting! This post contains affiliate links. That means I may receive a small amount of compensation if you choose to purchase from my links. I only link to products that I know and love.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This recipe for Cottage Pie is a delicious way to enjoy an Irish staple whether you’re making it for St. Patrick’s Day or just because you love it! Save this recipe to Pinterest so you can always find it!

If you’re looking for comfort food, then I think we can all agree that any kind of casserole dish will always fit the bill. For some reason, casseroles just remind me of growing up and they make me feel warm and cozy. My mom or grandma could quickly whip up a casserole and it was a whole meal in one baking dish for everyone to enjoy. Certain recipes – like my recipe for Cottage Pie – still remind me of this time. Even though, my mom was more than likely making Tuna Casserole and my grandma was probably making some sort of baked pasta dish.

Today, a lot of casseroles help to convey this nostalgia to me, but this one really sits differently. Maybe because it’s called pie? Maybe because it’s just a simple, delicious dish that you can actually make fairly quickly.

What is Cottage Pie?

Cottage Pie is a dish that originated in the United Kingdom and my recipe for Cottage Pie is something we bring out seasonally. Either when the weather gets cold or when we’re all hoping to feel a wee bit more Irish. Although, Kevin is half Irish so he doesn’t need to ‘feel” it like I do.

When you are looking for a recipe for Cottage Pie, a lot of people think it’s Shepard’s Pie. Actually the two are very similar. Cottage Pie is ground up beef and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes and baked. Shepard’s Pie is lamb instead of beef. Often in the United States we use Shepard’s Pie to refer to what’s really Cottage Pie. Technically though, Cottage Pie is older than Shepard’s Pie. It originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1700s and it was an easy and affordable meal for the peasants that were living in cottages. Hence, “Cottage” Pie.

How do I make Cottage Pie?

Cottage Pie might be one of the easiest “pies” you ever make. It’s crustless so you don’t have to worry about messing with dough or burning a crust like you would with a pot pie.

Tips for making this recipe for Cottage Pie

Have everything ready to go when you’re ready to make the recipe. This means go ahead and pre-measure and cut everything. Once you get going, the recipe for Cottage Pie comes together pretty quickly.
I use Hunt’s tomato paste and Swanson Beef Broth in my recipe for Cottage Pie, but feel free to use whatever you like.
You can find my recipe for my full recipe for my Red Skinned Mashed potatoes {HERE}. You can make these ahead of time if you like or make them at the same time as you make the base for the Cottage Pie. I use an abridged version of the recipe in this recipe for Cottage Pie.
This recipe can use fresh or dried herbs. Generally I’m a stickler for fresh herbs but dried ones work well in this recipe since it’s double cooked.
To save leftovers, cover tightly in the refrigerator and use within one to two days. Or you can save it in an airtight container and save it up to four days.
Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Or reheating individual portions in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.

Looking for more Irish recipes?

If you love Irish food, try these recipes too!

Guinness Beef Stew {HERE}
Traditional Scones with clotted cream {HERE}
Potato Leek Soup with Bacon {HERE}
Irish Apple Cake or Kerry Cake {HERE}
Irish Soda Bread {HERE}

Visit on our Social Channels!

Instagram@sugarmaplefarmhouse
PinterestPinterest Sugar Maple Farmhouse
YouTubeSugar Maple Farmhouse
FacebookSugar Maple Farmhouse
Tik TokSugar Maple Farmhouse

Thank you so much for visiting today, friends! I hope that you enjoyed this recipe for Cottage Pie. You can find the full, printable recipe below!

This recipe for Cottage Pie is easy to make and it's a delicious way to have a well-rounded meal and celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Ingredients

Pie ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
3-4 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 cup peas
1 cup corn
1 Tbsp. thyme leaves
1 Tbsp. crushed rosemary leaves
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Cheese for topping the pie, additional thyme and salt and pepper as desired.

Mashed Potato Ingredients

3 lbs. red skin potatoes, chopped leave skin on
4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2-1 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. green onion
Pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Boil water for the potatoes and add them to the pot. Boil for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are soft enough to easily pierce with a fork.
Add olive oil to a large pan and when it's heated through add in the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook for 4 minutes or until the onions start to become translucent.
Add in the beef and begin to brown it.
Once browned, add in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Combine well and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add in the peas, corn and the herbs. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
Once the potatoes are done, drain them and then add them back to the pot with the other ingredients for the potatoes (except the onions). Use a potato masher until they are smooth and creamy. Then stir in the onions.
Add the beef mixture to an oven safe baking dish and then layer the potatoes on top of that.
Add on cheese if you like and then bake for 25 minutes.
When done, sprinkle with additional thyme and serve.