Weeknight Cottage Pie Recipe (Quick & Easy Version)

This easy cottage pie recipe is perfect way to enjoy a comforting meal on busy weeknights! Like a traditional cottage pie, this simple recipe has a hearty beef and vegetable filling topped with a cheesy mashed potato crust. But we use a few “shortcut” ingredients to make this into a 30-minute meal that’s sure to be one of your new favorite quick family recipes. 

You know we love a good hearty dish here in the Midwest. But let’s be real, life get’s crazy sometimes, and quick meals are a lifesaver on busy nights. Luckily with this simple cottage pie recipe, you can have the best of both worlds! 

Along with our 30-minute Cajun pasta recipe, this savory and rich dish is one of my husband’s favorites! We hope it will be one of your new go-tos as well.

What’s the Difference Between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie?

The main difference between cottage pie and shepherd’s pie is the type of ground meat used and what makes the gravy. A traditional shepherd’s pie is made with ground lamb (or lamb mince) and uses the juices from the lamb to create the gravy. A cottage pie uses ground beef (beef mince) and either beef stock or beef broth to create the gravy sauce.

 Originally, a cottage pie was topped with slices of potato but mashed is also very common.

Otherwise, both of these dishes are pure comfort food that use ground meat, mixed vegetables, and a potato topping.

Ingredients Needed

Ground Beef. You can’t have a cottage pie without ground beef! This is the star of the show in our filling.

White or Yellow Onion. Onion adds both texture and depth of flavor to our cottage pie.

Olive Oil. Used to sauté our beef and onion, adding a nice flavor to our filling.

All-Purpose Flour. Flour is used to help thicken our gravy mix! The starch in the flour will absorb extra liquid, helping create a nice, thick gravy. 

Tomato Paste, Worcestershire Sauce, Soy Sauce, and Salt. These ingredients are used add robust flavor to our gravy! This combination creates a wonderfully savory flavor that marries well with the beef and beef broth.

Beef Broth (or Beef Stock). Used to create our gravy, and also adds rich flavor to our dish.

Frozen Peas and Carrots. Vegetables are also a must in cottage pie. Frozen peas and carrots are generally easy to find at your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart. And are two common veggies used in this dish.

Instant Potatoes (and water to make them). We’re using a packet of instant potatoes for speed and ease in this recipe, allowing for this to be a 30-mnute meal. 

Cheddar Cheese. A classic addition to cottage pie which also brings nice flavor and heartiness to our dish.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

• Make homemade mashed potatoes. I’ve learned that people have very strong opinions on mashed potatoes… if instant mashed potatoes are not for you, simply make your favorite mashed potato recipe for your creamy mashed potatoes topping! You’ll need about 3 cups of fluffy mashed potatoes for your topping.
• Use leftover mashed potatoes. This is a great way to re-purpose leftover mashed potatoes!
• Change up your veggies. Fresh or frozen peas, green beans, and cooked carrots are the most common vegetables in a cottage pie or classic shepherd’s pie recipe. You could also add a half pound of sliced mushrooms, or a stalk or two of diced celery if desired. If your store only carries the standard frozen mixed veggie pack which usually includes green beans, peas, carrots, and corn, that will work too!
• Use fresh vegetables. To keep this as a quick cottage pie recipe, we’ve used frozen veggies. But you can definitely use fresh if you have the time to chop them up.
• Swap the cheddar for parmesan cheese. Parmesan is another popular cheese used on cottage pie, and is often an alternative to shepherd’s pie recipes too!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Place the olive oil, ground beef, and chopped onion into a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté until the beef is browned (no pink remaining), about 7-10 minutes.

Step 2: Remove any excess fat from your pan and then add the flour to the meat mixture. Stir to coat the beef (the flour will kind of disappear / won’t look white anymore when it’s ready).

Step 3: Add the tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and beef broth to the skilling, stirring to combine (and to help break up the tomato paste, allowing it to distribute throughout the gravy).

Step 4: Add the frozen veggies, stir to combine, and reduce your heat to medium. Then simmer the beef filling, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes to thicken.

Step 5: While the ground beef mixture is cooking, prepare your instant potatoes according to the package directions. I generally boil the water in a liquid large measuring cup in the microwave and then mix the potato flakes right into the cup.

Step 6: Stir ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese into your mashed potatoes and set aside.

Step 7: Transfer the beef filling to a prepared casserole dish, then top with an even layer of mashed potatoes.

Step 8: Add the remaining cheese on top of the mashed potatoes, then cook for 10 minutes in a 400° pre-heated oven. 

Step 9: Switch your oven to the broil setting, and watch your dish closely for an additional 1-2 minutes until the cheese is bubbly (the edge of the potatoes or your cheese may also get a little golden brown too). 

Step 10: Allow the cottage pie to rest for about 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Possible Dietary Restrictions?

This cottage pie recipe can be made gluten free with one easy swap! Using corn starch in place of all-purpose flour will work to thicken your meat gravy, and pure cornstarch is considered gluten free. In general, it’s recommended that you use twice as much white flour as cornstarch for thickening purposes. So for our recipe, you’ll need 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch.

Storage

Store leftover cottage pie in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until heated to your desired temperature.

Recipe FAQs

Can You Freeze Cottage Pie?

You may be concerned about freezing leftover cottage pie because potatoes don’t always freeze well. However, with the added fat from butter and milk in the mashed potatoes, cottage pie generally freezes pretty well! To do so, ensure your leftovers are completely cooled, place into an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months.