Beef and Carrot Cottage Pie

Ground beef, carrots and peas cook in a simple thickened gravy beneath a golden mashed potato topping. Letting the filling simmer before assembling keeps the finished cottage pie hearty and spoonable.

Ingredients

• 800 g peeled potatoes
• 500 g ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 150 g frozen peas
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 300 ml beef broth
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 40 g butter
• 100 ml milk
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Method

1. Heat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Cut potatoes into chunks and simmer in water for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with butter, milk, half the salt and half the pepper.
2. Meanwhile, brown beef in a wide skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up lumps. Drain excess fat, leaving a little to cook the vegetables.
3. Add onion and carrots and cook 8–10 minutes until softened. Stir in tomato paste and flour for 1 minute.
4. Add broth gradually, stirring. Simmer 10 minutes until the carrots are tender and the sauce thickens. Stir in peas and remaining salt and pepper.
5. Transfer filling to a 20 × 25 cm baking dish. Spread mash gently over the top and roughen it with a fork. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and the filling bubbles; check the center reaches 74°C / 165°F.
6. Rest 10 minutes before serving. The filling should be spoonable with thick gravy, not a watery pool under the mash.
7. Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours for up to three days. Reheat to 74°C / 165°F.

Dice the carrots small

Small, even pieces soften while the gravy simmers. Large chunks can stay firm after the pie has browned.

Thicken the filling before topping

The filling should already look like a thick stew before it goes into the dish. A runny filling will not lose much moisture beneath the mash.

Roughen the potato surface

Fork marks and little peaks brown more readily than a perfectly flat surface. Spread the mash gently so it stays above the meat rather than sinking into it.

FAQs

How many servings does this make?

Makes 6 servings using the pan or equipment listed.

What should I check before serving?

Rest 10 minutes before serving. The filling should be spoonable with thick gravy, not a watery pool under the mash.

How should I store leftovers?

Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours for up to three days. Reheat to 74°C / 165°F.