Easy Cottage Pie

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Onion (Small, diced)
• 200 g Mushrooms (Diced; optional, but adds flavor)
• 1 Carrot (Diced)
• 1 Zucchini (Diced; may be replaced with the carrot by using 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables instead)
• 1 clove Garlic (Minced)
• 500 g Beef mince
• 2 tbsp Plain flour
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 375 ml Beef stock
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
• Salt (To taste)
• Black pepper (To taste)
• Mashed potato (Enough to cover the mince; approximately 1 kg prepared mashed potato is estimated for six servings)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Have a large frying pan and a baking dish ready.

2. 2

   Heat the vegetable oil in the large frying pan over medium heat.

3. 3

   Add the diced onion, mushrooms, carrot, and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5–8 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.

5. 5

   Add the beef mince. Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until thoroughly browned and no pink remains, about 5–7 minutes.

6. 6

   Sprinkle the plain flour over the browned beef and vegetables. Stir well so the flour is evenly incorporated and no dry pockets remain.

7. 7

   Add the Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, and tomato paste. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan if needed.

8. 8

   Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. 9

   Spoon the beef mixture into a baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Cover the surface with mashed potato, then run a fork over the top to create ridges that will crisp in the oven.

10. 10

    Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25–30 minutes, until hot throughout and golden on top. Let it stand briefly before serving.

Notes

The mushrooms are optional. Alternatively, replace the carrot and zucchini with 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables. The recipe can also be made using batch-cooked savory mince, though the source provides the quantities and method for making it from scratch.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• comfort food
• baked
• beef
• family-friendly
• British
• make-ahead-friendly