Easy Cheesy Cottage Pie Recipes

CHEESY COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Rinse them in a colander with cool water, then place them in a pot and add enough fresh water to cover them completely. Add 1/2 tsp salt, place a lid on the pot, and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes until very tender, about 7-10 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander and rinse them again briefly with hot water. This removes excess starch and helps give the mashed potatoes a light and fluffy texture.
• While the potatoes are draining, add the butter and milk to the pot used to boil the potatoes. Heat the butter and milk over low until the butter is melted and the milk is hot. Add the drained potatoes back to the pot, then mash until smooth. Taste and add salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp). Stir in the shredded cheddar. Set the potatoes aside until you're ready to assemble the casserole.
• While the potatoes are cooking, begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF and begin the filling for the cottage pie. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large skillet along with the olive oil and sauté over medium until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the beef to the skillet and continue to sauté until the beef is fully cooked. Add the all-purpose flour and continue to stir and cook for about 2 minutes more, or until the flour coats the bottom of the skillet.
• Add the beef broth and stir to dissolve the flour from the bottom of the skillet. The broth will come up to a simmer fairly quickly, at which point it will thicken into a gravy.
• Add the Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn to the skillet. Heat through, then taste and add salt if needed (I added 1/2 tsp).
• Finally, assemble the cottage pie by transferring the beef and vegetable mixture to the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish (mine was 9"x11"). Top with dollops of the warm cheesy mashed potatoes, spreading it out smooth to cover the surface.
• Bake the Cheesy Cottage Pie for 30 minutes in the preheated 350ºF oven. If you want extra browning on top, switch the oven to broil after baking and allow it to broil for a few minutes or until the desired browning has been achieved. Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

EASY CHEESY COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet,melt butter. Add onion and cook until lightly browned,stirring frequently. Stir in beef,salt and pepper and cook 5-8 minutes or until beef is no longer pink.
• 2. Stir in gravy and heat until bubbling. Spoon mixture into prepared casserole dish. In a small bowl,combine potatoes and cheese. Spread over top of casserole. Bake 15 to 20 minutes,or until potatoes are lightly browned and casserole is warmed through.

COTTAGE PIE WITH CHEESY TOPPING

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, carrot and celery. Cook for a few minutes, then crumble in the beef. Cook, stirring frequently until the beef has browned.
• Sprinkle the flour over top and cook, stirring for about a minute, then add the stock, tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce. Season with some salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 45 minutes over low heat. Stir occasionally.
• While the filling is cooking, prepare the potato topping. Put the potatoes into a saucepan of lightly salted water to cover. Bring to the boil. Cook at a quick simmer for about 20 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain well and return to the saucepan. Shake the pan over the residual heat of the burner for a few minutes to dry the potatoes out.
• Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk until soft and lump free. Stir in the cheese until it melts. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. (Remember cheese is quite salty.)
• Spoon the meat filling into a deep dish or into 6 smaller deepish dishes. Spread the cheesy potato mash over top to cover, roughing it up a bit.
• Bake in a 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6 oven for 20 to 25 minutes for small pies, or 35 to 40 minutes for a larger pie. When done the meat filling will be bubbling and the potato topping will be golden brown.
• Serve hot with a vegetable or salad on the side.

COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and fry 1¼ kg beef mince until browned - you may need to do this in batches. Set aside as it browns.
• Put the other 2 tbsp olive oil into the pan, add 2 finely chopped onions, 3 chopped carrots and 3 chopped celery sticks and cook on a gentle heat until soft, about 20 mins.
• Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 3 tbsp plain flour and 1 tbsp tomato purée, increase the heat and cook for a few mins, then return the beef to the pan.
• Pour over a large glass of red wine, if using, and boil to reduce it slightly before adding the 850ml beef stock, 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, a few thyme sprigs and 2 bay leaves.
• Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45 mins. By this time the gravy should be thick and coating the meat. Check after about 30 mins - if a lot of liquid remains, increase the heat slightly to reduce the gravy a little. Season well, then discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks.
• Meanwhile, make the mash. In a large saucepan, cover the 1.8kg potatoes which you've peeled and chopped, in salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender.
• Drain well, then allow to steam-dry for a few mins. Mash well with the 225ml milk, 25g butter, and three-quarters of the 200g strong cheddar cheese, then season with freshly grated nutmeg and some salt and pepper.
• Spoon the meat into 2 ovenproof dishes. Pipe or spoon on the mash to cover. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
• If eating straight away, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook for 25-30 mins, or until the topping is golden.
• If you want to use a slow cooker, brown your mince in batches then tip into your slow cooker and stir in the vegetables, flour, purée, wine, stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs with some seasoning. Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours. Make the mash following the previous steps, and then oven cook in the same way to finish.

QUICK COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Tip the mushrooms into a pan with the oil and cook for 5 mins until browned. Mix in the flour, then add the Multi mince. Cook until heated through and the sauce is slightly thickened, then tip the mixture into a medium-sized ovenproof dish. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
• Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15 mins until soft. Drain and mash with the buttermilk, then stir in half the spring onions. Spoon over the mince and fluff up. Cook in the oven for 15 mins until the top is lightly browned. Serve sprinkled with spring onions.