Cottage Pie for the Crew

Name: Cottage Pie for the Crew
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 2.4 lb ground beef; 2 whole yellow onion; 2 whole carrots; 1 1/4 cups frozen peas; 1 3/4 tbsp tomato paste; 1.6 cups beef broth; 1 3/4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 3.2 lb russet potatoes; 5.1 tbsp butter; 5/8 cup whole milk; 3/4 cup cheddar cheese

Ground beef and vegetables under golden mashed potato for ten

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 45 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: easy

Ground beef browns with onion, carrot, and peas in a savory gravy, then bakes under a thick layer of buttery mashed potatoes until the top turns golden. Portion from a large casserole for classic British pub comfort.

Why crews like it: Cottage pie is stick-to-your-ribs food after wet calls. One casserole feeds the hall, slices clean, and reheats well for the next watch—important when you never know who is eating when.

520Cal

32gProtein

48gCarbs

24gFat

Ingredients

2.4 lb ground beef
2 whole yellow onion
2 whole carrots
1 1/4 cups frozen peas
1 3/4 tbsp tomato paste
1.6 cups beef broth
1 3/4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3.2 lb russet potatoes
5.1 tbsp butter
5/8 cup whole milk
3/4 cup cheddar cheese

Instructions

Brown the beef filling: Cook ground beef with onion and carrots until beef is browned and vegetables soften, about 12 minutes. Drain excess fat.
Simmer the gravy: Stir in tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes until thickened, then fold in peas and cool slightly.
Mash the potatoes: Boil potatoes until tender, drain well, then mash with butter, milk, and salt until smooth and spreadable.
Assemble the pie: Spread beef filling in a large buttered casserole. Top with mashed potatoes, ruffle with a fork, and scatter cheddar over peaks.
Bake and serve: Bake at 400°F until potato top is golden and filling bubbles at edges, 30–35 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before portioning. Target oven/smoker temperature: 400°F.

Tonight's spread

Cottage pie wedges with HP sauce and steamed green beans.
Crusty bread for mopping gravy from the pan.

Hall tips

Add a teaspoon of Marmite to the gravy for authentic depth—start small.
Individual ramekins portion faster on busy nights than one huge casserole.
HP sauce on the side makes British crews instantly happier.

Meal prep

Assemble fully ahead and refrigerate—bake add 15 minutes if going straight from cold. Pipe or fork-ruffle potato top for extra crisp edges. Rest 10 minutes before cutting so slices hold shape.

Leftovers

Reheat covered in oven with extra gravy spooned over dried edges.
Press cold leftovers into patties and pan-fry for cottage pie cakes.

Large casserole dish
Potato masher
Large skillet
Sauce pot
Sheet pan