Cottage pie is the ultimate cozy comfort food. Ground beef, onions, carrots, and peas in a thick and luscious gravy with a golden brown mashed potato topping.
So today I present to you, a full-size COTTAGE pie, because I love you guys and I want you to be happy. <3
What is cottage pie?
Cottage pie is basically shepherd’s pie made with ground beef. The beef filling includes garlic, onions, carrots, and peas, which all cook in a thick and luscious gravy. And then the filling is covered with mashed potatoes, which turn golden brown and beautiful when baked.
It’s an extremely cozy dinner that is perfect on a chilly evening after a long day.
What’s the difference between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie?
The only difference between shepherd’s and cottage pie is the meat they use. Historically, cottage pie referred to all meat and potato pies, but these days, we typically call pies made with lamb “shepherd’s pie” and use “cottage pie” for beef pies.
Ingredient and Equipment Notes
- 10-inch oven-safe skillet: This recipe is designed to go from stovetop straight to the oven, but if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can do the stovetop portion in whatever large skillet you own and then transfer the filling to an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking dish.
- Ground beef: You can use whatever ground beef you have on hand (I used 85% lean) since you’ll be draining off the fat. If you would like to make shepherd’s pie, you can substitute ground lamb here.
- Tomato paste: This recipe uses tomato paste or ketchup to add depth of flavor to the filling. If using tomato paste and you have most of a can leftover, check out my post What to Do With Leftover Tomato Paste for storage tips and recipes to use up the leftovers.
- Peas: Peas are optional and can be replaced with corn if you’re not a fan.
- An egg yolk: An egg yolk is added to the potato topping to help with browning. You can omit it, but you won’t get the same golden color from your potatoes after baking. For ideas on how to use the leftover egg white, check out my What to Do With Leftover Egg Whites post.
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie
Cover your potatoes with cold water and let them simmer while you make the filling.
Brown the ground beef and use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl. Pour off all but a couple teaspoons of fat left in the pan.
In the same pan, cook onions and carrots until they begin to soften and then add garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Add flour and tomato paste followed by chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce and simmer until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in ground beef and peas.
Mash the potatoes and add butter, milk/cream, and egg yolk.
Drop the mashed potatoes over the filling in dollops.
Spread potatoes out over the top, making sure the filling is completely covered.
Bake until the topping is golden brown and beautiful.
Can I use beef broth instead of chicken broth in this recipe?
Absolutely. I call for chicken broth because that’s what people tend to have on hand, but you can use beef broth, diluted chicken stock , or vegetable broth.
Can I make shepherd’s pie ahead of time?
I think the potato topping tastes best straight out of the oven, but if you want to make this in advance and reheat later, you definitely can. Bake the pie, cover tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours before serving.
More Easy Comfort Food Recipes
- Country-style Pork Ribs
- Easy Carnitas
- Potato Bacon Soup
- American Goulash
Recipe Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes four large servings or five to six smaller ones.
Equipment
- 10-inch oven-safe skillet*
Ingredients
Potato Topping
- ▢ 2 large russet potatoes* peeled and chopped
- ▢ Salt and pepper
- ▢ ¼ cup ( 56g ) butter cut into chunks
- ▢ 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- ▢ 1 large egg yolk
Filling
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 1 pound ground beef
- ▢ 1 medium onion diced
- ▢ 2 medium carrot diced
- ▢ 2 garlic clove pressed or minced
- ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground thyme
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 16g ) all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ketchup or tomato paste
- ▢ 1½ cups chicken broth
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ▢ ½ cup frozen peas
Instructions
Start the Potatoes
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Add potatoes to a medium pot and cover with cold water. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Make the Filling
- While the potatoes cook, heat olive oil in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook, breaking up the meat into crumbles as you go until it is well-browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
- Spoon off and discard all but a couple teaspoons of fat from the pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and ground thyme, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the flour and ketchup/tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring everything to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 6 minutes, until the mixture has thickened.
- Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the hamburger and the frozen peas.
Finish the Potatoes and Assemble
- Add cubed butter to the potatoes and use a potato masher to mash them until smooth. Stir in the milk/cream. Add salt and pepper to taste before stirring in the egg yolk until well combined.
- Spoon the potatoes over your meat mixture in the skillet and spread them out evenly over the top.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the potatoes are lightly golden. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving, and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Adapted From The Best One-Dish Suppers
Coffee whipped cream is a sweet and sophisticated alternative to traditional whipped cream. It’s rich, full of coffee flavor, and irresistible spooned over chocolate desserts.
Alright, coffee lovers, I have a little treat for you today.
We all know regular whipped cream is great. A spoonful of chocolate whipped cream is positively sinful, and cream cheese whipped cream should be eaten by the spoonful. But you know what all those recipes are missing?
Caffeine. And that’s clearly a missed opportunity.
That’s right, friends, today let’s caffeinate our whipped topping and make some coffee whipped cream.
Admittedly, the amount of actual caffeine in a serving of coffee whipped cream is probably not going to have a huge effect on your day, but a spoonful of this over a cup of hot chocolate or a slice of chocolate cheesecake is so good, it might just perk you up anyway.
The deep, slightly bitter coffee flavor makes the rich and sweet whipped cream feel positively luxurious. As I was testing this recipe, I was dreaming of all the things that I could top with it.
And then instead, I just stood there at the counter eating it with a spoon, because that’s a real good time too.
Ingredient Notes
- Instant espresso powder: If you don’t keep espresso powder on hand, you can buy it online or find it in the coffee aisle at your grocery store. It’s a handy ingredient to keep around, especially if you bake a lot of chocolate desserts.
- Heavy cream: Have leftover heavy cream after making this recipe? See What to Do With Leftover Whipping Cream for storage tips and recipe ideas for using it up.
- Powdered sugar: You can substitute granulated sugar if you don’t have powdered sugar. Just be sure to read the substitution notes in the recipe card because you’ll need less of it to get the same level of sweetness.
How to Make Coffee Whipped Cream
Combine all ingredients. In a bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, add heavy cream, vanilla extract, sugar, and espresso powder.
Whisk, whisk, whisk. You can use a whisk, a handheld electric mixer, or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer to whip the cream into billowy peaks.
Stop every once in a while to scrape down the edges of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure no espresso powder or lumps of sugar are being left around the edges. Continue to beat the whipped cream until it reaches your desired consistency.
Soft peaks are perfect for spooning over hot chocolate. Stiff peaks are best for piping onto desserts.
- Serve and enjoy!
Variations
- Mocha whipped cream (chocolate coffee whipped cream): This is SO good. Add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder along with the other ingredients.
Where to Use Coffee Whipped Cream
- On Hot Chocolate (it would be extra amazing on my Rich and Thick Hot Chocolate )
- Over a slice of banana bread
- On chocolate chip waffles
- Over chocolate pudding
Can I use coffee grounds / instant coffee / coffee to make whipped cream?
- Coffee grounds: No. Coffee grounds will not dissolve into the cream.
- Instant coffee: Yes this will work just fine.
- Coffee: Not really. While you can add a little (chilled) coffee to your whipped cream, it’s not going to do much. The amount needed to actually add a detectable coffee flavor would dilute the cream to the point that it would not whip up.
Can I pipe coffee whipped cream/frost a cake with it?
Yes. This whipped cream is stiff enough for piping.
You can frost a cake with with this whipped cream, but like all whipped creams, it’s not going to be nearly as stable or easy to work with as an American buttercream or most other frostings.
More Coffee Favorites
- Homemade Mocha
- Iced White Chocolate Mocha
- Caramel Latte
- Iced Mocha
Recipe Notes
- Storage: Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. The cream will begin to deflate and may weep the longer it sits.
- Freezing: To freeze whipped cream , freeze spoonfuls of whipped cream on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Once frozen solid, cut the parchment paper into squares and transfer the whipped cream (still on the squares) to a freezer bag and store for up to 1 month. The cream may separate a bit after freezing and defrosting, but it still works great for drinks and over a quick dessert.
Ingredients
Full batch
- ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
- ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- ▢ 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup (15-30g) powdered sugar*
- ▢ 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder*
Single serving
- ▢ 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- ▢ A couple drops vanilla extract optional
- ▢ 1 to 2 teaspoons ( 3-5g ) powdered sugar*
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder
Instructions
- To a large bowl* or the bowl of your stand mixer, add heavy cream, vanilla extract, sugar, and espresso powder.
- Use a whisk, handheld electric mixer, or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer to whisk the cream, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Whisk until the cream reaches your desired consistency (soft peaks for spooning over drinks and stiff peaks for piping).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
This ground turkey vegetable soup is absolutely packed with hearty and healthy vegetables. It’s filling, satisfying, and incredibly easy to throw together.
In this time of cozy, indulgent comfort foods it’s nice to have some lighter recipes to pepper in between the goulashes and the creamy pastas and the decadent pies .
This turkey vegetable soup is one such option. (And it’s such a good one.)
It’s made with lean ground turkey and a TON of veggies: onions, carrots, celery, shredded cabbage, and zucchini. So each bowl is super filling, warming, and packed with plenty of texture and flavor.
Keep this recipe in your back pocket for nights when you want something veggie-packed and not-too-heavy, or make a batch on Monday, and enjoy it for lunch all week long.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground turkey: I call for 93% lean ground turkey here, but feel free to use 85% if that’s what you keep on hand.
- Shredded cabbage: Even if you’re not a huge cabbage fan (I’m not), you might be surprised at how well it works in this soup. It adds a ton of bulk and texture without being “cabbage-y.” Give it a try, even if you’re on the fence about it! If you’re shredding an entire cabbage, you’ll have quite a bit of shredded cabbage leftover. Go make these BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with some of the leftovers!
- Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds a nice depth of flavor to the soup without making it taste like tomatoes. You’ll need just 3 tablespoons, so check out my post What to Do With Leftover Tomato Paste for ideas on what to do with the leftovers.
How to Make Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup
- Shred cabbage: If you don’t usually shred cabbage, it’s super easy. Just remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and then quarter it. Slice away the solid white stem from each piece and then lay a piece on its flat side and finely slice it into shreds.
- Start vegetables: Cook garlic, onions, carrots, and celery until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent around the edges.
- Lightly brown turkey: Add the turkey. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the turkey into crumbles as it cooks.
4: Add tomato paste: Once the turkey is no longer pink, add tomato paste. Cook until the tomato paste begins to stick around the edges of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. This will cook the raw taste out of the paste and give it a richer flavor.
- Simmer: Add broth, cabbage, basil, and oregano and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes and then add zucchini. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until all vegetables are softened.
- Add salt and pepper to taste: Depending on the type of broth you used, you may need to add quite a bit of salt. Salt generously! Serve and enjoy!!
Variations
- Beef vegetable soup: You can swap the ground turkey for ground beef and chicken broth for beef broth for a richer beef vegetable soup.
- Shredded chicken or turkey: If you’d like to substitute shredded cooked turkey or chicken, add 2 cups of cooked, shredded meat at the very end.
I don’t like cabbage. Can I leave it out?
I wouldn’t recommend it. The texture of the cabbage kind of acts as the “noodles” in this soup, so without it, it’s just not going to feel balanced or bulky enough. As mentioned above, I’m not a huge fan of cabbage, but I really love it in this soup. Try it, and you might be surprised at how much you like it.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes! This is one of my favorite soups to keep in the freezer for when I need something light and easy for dinner. It freezes extremely well, and the only vegetable that has a particularly noticeable texture change is the zucchini, which will be softer after freezing and reheating, but not unappealingly so.
To freeze, simply transfer the soup to individual containers and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat the soup, defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
For more information, tips, and tricks on freezing soup, check out my post How to Freeze Soup .
Can I make this in advance?
Absolutely. This soup reheats very well. You can make it up to 3 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator and reheat over medium heat on the stove, stirring occasionally.
More Easy Soup Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Soup
- Chicken Carcass Soup
- Easy Tomato Soup
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Recipe Notes
- Advance Prep: While this soup cooks up quickly, there is quite a bit of chopping involved. You can precut all the vegetables up to 48 hours in advance. Just remember that they are being added in 3 stages, so store the cut onions, carrots and celery separately from the cabbage and the zucchini, which should both be stored on their own.
Ingredients
- ▢ Non-stick cooking spray
- ▢ 4 garlic cloves pressed or minced
- ▢ 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- ▢ 2 medium carrots peeled and diced ¼ inch
- ▢ 2 celery ribs diced ¼ inch
- ▢ 1 pound 93-percent lean ground turkey
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 50g ) tomato paste
- ▢ 8 cups chicken broth
- ▢ 6 cups shredded cabbage
- ▢ 1 teaspoon basil
- ▢ 1 teaspoon oregano
- ▢ 1 small zucchini chopped
- ▢ Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Spray pot with non-stick cooking spray or a drizzle of olive oil. Add garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent around the edges, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Turn heat to medium high and add the turkey. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the turkey into crumbles as it cooks.
- Once the turkey is no longer pink, add tomato paste. Cook until the tomato paste begins to stick around the edges of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add broth, cabbage, basil, and oregano and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes and then add zucchini. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until all vegetables are softened.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!!
Notes
Easy Cottage Pie
Equipment
- 10-inch oven-safe skillet*
Ingredients
Potato Topping
- 2 large russet potatoes* peeled and chopped
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup ( 56g ) butter cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1 large egg yolk
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 medium carrot diced
- 2 garlic clove pressed or minced
- ⅛ teaspoon ground thyme
- 2 tablespoons ( 16g ) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ketchup or tomato paste
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup frozen peas
Instructions
Start the Potatoes
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Add potatoes to a medium pot and cover with cold water. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Make the Filling
- While the potatoes cook, heat olive oil in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook, breaking up the meat into crumbles as you go until it is well-browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
- Spoon off and discard all but a couple teaspoons of fat from the pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and ground thyme, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the flour and ketchup/tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring everything to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 6 minutes, until the mixture has thickened.
- Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the hamburger and the frozen peas.
Finish the Potatoes and Assemble
- Add cubed butter to the potatoes and use a potato masher to mash them until smooth. Stir in the milk/cream. Add salt and pepper to taste before stirring in the egg yolk until well combined.
- Spoon the potatoes over your meat mixture in the skillet and spread them out evenly over the top.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the potatoes are lightly golden. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving, and enjoy!
