Cottage Pie

A traditional comfort classic filled with rich vegetable goodness that the entire family will look forward to.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Servings

6 people

Ingredients

For the Savoury Beef Filling

• 2 carrots
• 1 parsnip
• 2 onions
• 4 tbsp oil
• 375g beef mince
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• 2 beef stock pots
• 800ml water
• 180g frozen peas
• 340g tin of sweetcorn
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Worcester sauce

For the Creamy Potato Top

• 1.3 Kg potatoes
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• 60ml soya cream
• Salt and pepper (to season)

Method

Step 1: Soften the Base Veg

Finely dice your carrots, parsnip, and onions. Drop them into your pan with the oil and sauté over medium heat until entirely softened.

Step 2: Brown Mince and Dust Flour

Add the beef mince into the vegetable pan base. Cook until browned entirely through, then scatter your cornflour directly into the meat mix to combine.

Step 3: Pour the Stock Base

Whisk your two beef stock pots thoroughly into the 800ml of water to form a uniform liquid. Pour this directly into your meat pan.

Step 4: Boil the Potato Chunks

Concurrently, peel and chop your potatoes down into even chunks. Drop them into a clean pan of water to boil on the stove top.

Step 5: Simmer the Rich Meat Fill

Toss your frozen peas and sweetcorn (including the sweetcorn tin water) directly into your meat pan. Stir in the Worcester sauce and continue to simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Step 6: Transfer and Cool Down

Pour your hot savory meat filling directly out into a deep oven casserole dish and leave on the counter to cool down fully.

Step 7: Spread the Mash Layer

Drain your potatoes and mash them with the vegan butter and soya cream, leaving it to cool down on the side. Once the mash and the meat layers are both entirely cool (critical to prevent them running together), spread the mash evenly across your filling.

Step 8: Fork and Bake out

Drag a kitchen fork across the mash to create peaks, adjust with a little salt and black pepper seasoning, and bake at 180°C for 30 minutes until the edges are golden and piping hot.

Step 9: Cool the Peaks

Remove the casserole dish from your hot oven racks carefully.

Step 10: Serve Up

Scoop out generous portions and serve warm.

Recipe Tips & Alternatives

To turn this classic family favorite entirely vegetarian, you can substitute the standard beef mince with an identical weight of Quorn mince alternative instead.