Irish Cottage Pie
This Irish Cottage Pie recipe is similar to a traditional “Shepherd’s Pie, ” but this American version uses ground beef instead of lamb and includes carrots, green peas and then topped with creamy mashed potatoes.
A traditional Shepherd’s Pie recipe typically uses ground or cubed lamb, usually leftover from Sunday dinner. Cottage pie uses ground beef.
- Easy comfort food that’s good not only on St.Patrick’s Day, but any day! This is often served with Irish colcannon or champ!
- Use any leftover meat filling to make a Pot Pie with Ground Beef
- One Dish Dinner – you’ve got meat, potatoes and vegetables all in one dish!
Ingredients
If you’ve ever traveled to Ireland, you know that Irish food is delicious, yet simple. Sometimes simple is best and this Irish beef pie recipe is quick and easy!
This recipe uses ground beef, russet potatoes (also known as Idaho potatoes), yellow onion, tomato paste, a few garlic cloves, chopped carrots, green peas and mashed potatoes.
The seasonings are salt, black pepper, ground sage, ground thyme, Allspice, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock (or beef broth) and a few dried bay leaves.
I add a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the meat mixture-this ensures the meat filling and vegetables thicken a little and the dish isn’t watery.
How to make Irish Cottage Pie
This is an overview. Please refer to the recipe card and recipe notes below for details.
- Both Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie rely on a creamy mashed potato topping. Peel and dice potatoes and place in a large stockpot of cold water. Bring water to boil and cook 8-12 minutes until potatoes are fork tender; drain potatoes in a colander and reserve one cup of the potato water
- Return potatoes to stockpot and add butter; mash potatoes with a potato masher and gradually add in the one cup of reserved potato water; season to taste with salt and black pepper; set aside
- In a large skillet, brown ground meat (break it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.) Once the meat is browned and there is no visible pink, drain the meat and return it to the skillet. Add in chopped onion and cook on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle in flour and combine well. Add in diced or finely chopped carrots, minced garlic, ground sage, ground thyme, allspice (optional), beef broth, a splash of Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves.
- Turn heat to medium low and cover; cook until the carrots are tender. At this point, you will want to taste and adjust seasonings for salt and pepper.
- Once the savory meat filling is done, spread it in an even layer in a baking dish or oven safe casserole dish
- Use a spatula to scoop and spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the meat mixture
- Place cottage pie in a 350°F oven, uncovered, on the middle rack for 10-15 minutes
- If you want the top of the dish to have a mashed potato crust on top, turn the oven to the broil setting and broil for a few minutes or until the tops of the potatoes turn slightly golden brown.
- Once your pie is done, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to rest then serve.
Recipe Tips
- Make more mashed potatoes than you think you’ll need – don’t ask me how I know this. You can always make potato cakes if you have more than enough leftover mashed potatoes
- Use any leftover meat filling, to make Pot Pie with ground beef or a Natchitoches meat pies!
Make ahead and storage
Cottage Pie will hold up in the refrigerator when covered airtight with foil or plastic wrap. To reheat, I recommend placing foil over the top and baking at 300°F until the center is warm.
Serving suggestions
Serve with a side of Irish soda bread, braised cabbage wedges, or a crisp green salad.
Use this easy Irish cottage pie recipe for any occasion! It’s an especially comforting dinner and a perfect meal when it’s cold outside!
More Irish recipes
Irish Cottage Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 3 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 cup reserved potato water (see recipe notes)
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup chopped onion , white, yellow or sweet yellow
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (fresh) about 2-3 cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons flour, all-purpose
- 1½ cups beef broth or beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
- ½ teaspoon Allspice (optional)
- 2 dried bay leaves
Instructions
Make Mashed Potatoes
- Peel, cube or dice potatoes and place in a large stockpot with 6-8 cups of cold water; bring to boil and cook 8-10 minutes until potatoes are fork tender; drain potatoes and reserve 1 cup of the potato water3 pounds russet potatoes
- Return potatoes to stockpot; add butter; mash with potato masher and gradually add in the reserved potato water; taste for salt and pepper; set aside1 stick butter, 1 cup reserved potato water (see recipe notes)
Make the Irish Cottage Pie Meat Filling
- Thaw the frozen peas under running water and set aside
- In a large skillet on medium heat, brown beef until there is no visible pink; drain and return browned beef to skillet2 pounds ground beef
- Add onions and saute 3-4 minutes1 cup chopped onion
- Sprinkle in flour and combine well; add carrots and remaining ingredients; cover, turn heat to medium low and allow to simmer until carrots are tender; once carrots are tender, add thawed green peas and let the dish simmer a few minutes; remove bay leaves when done1 cup chopped carrots, 1 tablespoon minced garlic (fresh), 2 tablespoons flour, all-purpose, 1½ cups beef broth or beef stock, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, ¼ teaspoon ground sage, ¼ teaspoon ground thyme, ½ teaspoon Allspice (optional), 2 dried bay leaves, 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
- Scoop meat mixture in an even layer into an oven safe baking dish, casserole dish or ramekins
- Scoop the potatoes onto the meat mixture and, using a spatula, gently spread the potatoes over the mixture
- Place in 350°F oven, uncovered, on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes or until the cottage pie is warmed throughout
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes prior to serving
- See recipe notes if you want a crispy potato topping
