Cottage Pie with Cheddar Mashed Potato Crust

Steps

1. Step 1

   Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by an inch, and add a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until a knife slides into a chunk with no resistance, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain well and leave them in the colander to steam dry while you start the filling.

   20 min

   • 3 lb russet potatoes
   • salt
2. Step 2

   Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring now and then, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

   8 min

   • 2 tbsp olive oil
   • 1 yellow onion
   • 2 medium carrots
   • 2 cloves garlic
3. Step 3

   Turn the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Break it up with a spoon and cook until no pink remains and some of it has browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.

   10 min

   • 2 lb ground beef
4. Step 4

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then sprinkle over the flour and stir for another minute so it coats the meat. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up anything stuck to the pan, and add the thyme and bay leaf.

   3 min

   • 2 tbsp tomato paste
   • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
   • 2 cups beef broth
   • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
   • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
   • 1 bay leaf
5. Step 5

   Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 12 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf, stir in the frozen peas, and season well with salt and pepper. Spread the filling in a 9×13 baking dish.

   12 min, hands-off

   • 1 cup frozen peas
   • salt and black pepper
6. Step 6

   Heat the oven to 400°F. Mash the drained potatoes with the butter and warm milk until smooth. Stir in the grated cheddar and the egg yolk, if using, and season with salt and pepper. The mash should be thick and scoopable, not loose.

   10 min · 400°F

   • 3/4 cup whole milk
   • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
   • 4 oz sharp cheddar
   • 1 egg yolk
7. Step 7

   Drop spoonfuls of mash over the filling and spread to the edges so it seals in the gravy. Rough up the surface with a fork — the ridges brown best — and scatter over the remaining cheddar.

   5 min

   • 2 oz sharp cheddar
8. Step 8

   Set the dish on a baking sheet to catch drips and bake until the filling bubbles at the edges, 30 to 35 minutes.

   32 min, hands-off · 400°F

9. Step 9

   Switch the oven to broil and move the dish about 6 inches below the element. Broil until the top is browned in patches, 3 to 5 minutes — watch it closely, it goes fast. Let the pie rest 10 minutes before serving so it sets.

   15 min, hands-off

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 4, 2026