Jamie Oliver’s Cottage Pie includes ground beef and vegetables that are simmered in a rich brown sauce before being baked underneath a layer of cheesy mashed potatoes. Baking until it is golden brown and bubbling, this dish is the epitome of the ultimate comfort meal.
Cottage pie is an ideal dish for taking on the go. Serve each portion with a fresh slice of Irish soda bread on the side to mop up the flavorful sauce.
Jamie Oliver’s Cottage Pie Ingredients
Meat. Ground meat like ground beef is a more affordable way of infusing meat and flavor into homecooked recipes. If you decide to use ground turkey or chicken, you can add additional spices or even beef bouillon to enhance their flavor.
Vegetables. Onions, carrots, celery, and frozen peas are typical in cottage pie, but you can vary the recipe by using other vegetables as well. You can save time by using a pre-mixed bag of vegetables, or add other vegetables that you have on hand.
Potatoes. This cottage pie is the best garnished with cheesy mashed potatoes. However, you can make this cottage pie with any leftover mashed potatoes or scalloped potatoes that you have mashed as well.
Cheese. This cottage pie is best with cheddar cheese because of its strong taste, but feel free to omit it if you like.
Sauce. The delicious, meaty sauce of cottage pie is legendary. It’s easy to whip up a flavorful sauce with only a few ingredients, including beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs. However, you can easily prepare a delicious, robust sauce using a bag of gravy mix or a can of tomato soup (like we do in our quick shepherd’s pie) as well.
How to Make Jamie Oliver’s Cottage Pie
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch pieces and place them in a large saucepan filled with cold salted water.
Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 13 to 16 minutes or until fork tender.
While the potatoes are simmering, brown the ground meat and onion in a large pan until no longer pink.
Add the carrots, celery, and garlic to the ground beef mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are somewhat soft.
Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.
Cook for 20 minutes or until the gravy thickens. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Place the meat mixture in a baking dish.
Drain the potatoes thoroughly and mash them until smooth. Add the butter followed by the hot milk a little at a time, stirring constantly, until the potatoes are smooth and fluffy; you may not need all of the milk. Incorporate the cheese into the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the potatoes on top of the meat mixture in an even layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned.
What to Serve With Cottage Pie
Green bean salad
Burgundy mushrooms
Garlic broccolini
Springtime buttered peas
Potato chips
Butter lettuce and watercress salad
Roasted parsnips
Braised red cabbage
Cheesy leek gratin
French carrot salad
Recipe Variations
Meat. You may use any type of meat. Lamb is a traditional dish in England; you could also make use of any leftover turkey after Thanksgiving by preparing it. You may also use ground chicken, ground turkey, Italian sausage, or any of the other options.
Meatless. You can increase the number of vegetables and reduce the amount of meat altogether. Make use of things like mushrooms, squash, and eggplant as a substitute for the meat.
Vegetables. Include vegetables such as corn, frozen peas, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms in the cottage pie.
Topping. Add a sprinkle some herbs, panko, breadcrumbs, or cheese if desired.
Vegetarian/Vegan. Use vegetable stock or vegan-certified milk. In addition, you should make your mashed potatoes with vegan butter, milk, and cream cheese.
Gluten-Free. Remove the flour from the recipe and replace it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, which should be mixed with the chopped tomatoes before being added to the other veggies. Make sure to use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce, and ensure that the other ingredients you use (like ketchup) are gluten-free as well.
Healthier Options. Prepare this vegetarian cottage pie by substituting mashed cauliflower for the mashed potatoes in the traditional filling. Instead of using cream, substitute broth for the filling.
How to Store Cottage Pie
In The Fridge. Cottage pie may be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days after it has been cooked, but remember that the storage time starts its count from the day it was cooked. When using leftover meat to make cottage pie, keep in mind that the meat should not be stored for more than 5 days from the time it was first prepared, not from the time the pie was constructed and baked.
In The Freezer. If it is packaged correctly and stored in an airtight container, you can safely freeze cottage pie for up to six months. However, the consistency of the potatoes may change.
To Make Ahead. You can prepare and assemble the cottage pie a day in advance and then wrap it in plastic before storing it in the refrigerator. Then, you can heat it in the oven for 30 minutes after it has been brought to room temperature. Another option is to wait until the cottage pie has cooled down after it has been cooked and then wrap it well and store it in the freezer for up to a month. The pie should be thawed and brought to room temperature the night before baking it. Then, you should bake it for 30 minutes or until it is warmed through.
To Reheat. You may thaw and reheat frozen cottage pie by placing it in an oven preheated to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour. However, you can cut that time in half by thawing the pie in the refrigerator the night before you want to bake it. To reheat food that has been stored in the refrigerator and then brought to room temperature, bake it at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, uncovered, for approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
My Personal Recipe Tips
If you have time, before you add the potatoes, chill the beef layer in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. This will help keep the layers distinct.
It is not necessary to cut or cook the vegetables if you use thawed frozen vegetables instead of fresh ones.
Use a pre-packaged gravy mix and cook it over low heat until it reaches the desired consistency for a speedy alternative to the sauce or substitute the sauce with a can of condensed tomato soup (no water needed).
You may adjust the amount of flour and sauce in the recipe to achieve the desired thickness of the sauce.
Cottage pie should be baked on a rimmed baking sheet covered in parchment paper in case it overflows while baking.
The leftover cottage pie may be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. Freeze individual servings in airtight containers, let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight, and then reheat them as needed.
Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.