Irish Cottage Pie

Hearty and filling Irish cottage pie aka Irish shepherd’s pie with juicy and savory ground beef, aromatic veggies, and golden mashed potato topping.

To make delicious homemade cottage pie that tastes exactly like it was for generations, you need to stick with the simple steps I will share. The ingredients and simple and to get that perfect crisp on mashed potatoes you gotta mash them with milk and butter.

If we are to be petty, only meat pie with lamb is called shepherd’s pie, otherwise, it is a simple cottage pie but who is here to judge us? This recipe is amazing with lamb, but so many people don’t eat lamb, so what do we do?

We improvise. And beef is a universal option for savory pies and you can call this recipe shepherd’s pie and people will understand you.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Comforting family dinner that makes amazing leftovers the next day.
• Amazing way to use any leftover mashed potatoes and leftover meat.
• A complete meal in one pan: it has veggies and protein. Healthy and filling.
• Perfect dish for St Patrick’s Day!

Ingredients Notes

For Pie Filling

• Olive oil
• Aromatics: finely chopped onion and minced garlic. One medium-sized onion will be enough for a family pie. You can use onion and garlic powder, but I love the fresh ones.
• Veggies: celery, frozen peas, and carrots (fresh carrots work best, but you can use frozen too if they are chopped already).
• Ground beef. Use lean ground beef for a healthier dish and less fat drippings.
• Tomato paste. One of the bases of the taste of the best pie. I know some people use ketchup but it is not the same. A combination of crushed tomatoes and tomato puree can work though!
• Worcestershire sauce adds depth of flavor, saltiness, and a little tang.
• All-purpose flour works as a thickening agent in the saucy filling
• Beef broth enhances beefy flavor and adds depth. Plus, all the veggies will be cooked in it, soaking all the best flavors.
• Dried thyme. I keep things simple, but other herbs like rosemary, bay leaves, or parsley pair really well with beef.
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Mashed Potato Topping

• Potatoes. You can use Russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed. Even sweet potatoes will work for topping.
• Unsalted butter
• Whole milk
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Kitchen Equipment

• Large skillet
• Large pot
• Potato masher
• Pie dish or a casserole dish

How To Make Irish Cottage Pie Recipe

1: Prepare The Filling

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. 
2. Sauté the onion, chopped carrots, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Once the onion is caramelized, stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute. 
4. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart, cooking until browned.

2: Prepare The Cooking Liquid (Sauce)

1. Mix in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and flour, cooking for 2 minutes. 
2. Gradually pour in the beef broth, stir to combine, and create a thick gravy.
3. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper. 
4. Simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat, then mix in the frozen peas and carrots.

3: Make Creamy Mashed Potatoes

1. Boil the chopped potatoes in a large pot until fork tender, about 15 minutes. 
2. Drain potatoes and return them to the pot.
3. Mash the potatoes with butter and milk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4: Assemble The Pie & Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Spread the beef filling in an even layer in a 9×13-inch baking dish. 
3. Top with the mashed potatoes. You can spread it with a spatula and then create patterns or waves with a fork.
4. Bake the cottage pie uncovered for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown. You can set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to avoid any drippings.
5. Let the dish cool and set for 5-15 minutes before serving.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat each portion in the microwave or the whole pie in the oven at 300F.

To make ahead, prep and store mashed potatoes, meat mixture, and saucy part separately until ready to cook together and assemble.

You can freeze cottage pie once it is completely cool. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months.

Substitutions & Variations

• Meat filling. Use a classic ground meat mixture with lamb or make a leaner pie with ground turkey or chicken. To skip the meat, you can use lentils and make vegetarian shepherd’s pie.
• Make cheesy mashed potatoes by simply adding some shredded cheese to the mashed potatoes. It will bubble when baking and will add more flavor and crispiness to the topping. Parmesan cheese, Cheddar, and mozzarella work perfectly.
• Add cream cheese (or sour cream) and egg yolk to make extra creamy mashed potatoes.
• Bulk the meat pie up with any frozen veggies. Green beans, spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers are some no-brainer choices.
• You can add Guinness beer or red wine after you cooked beef to deglaze the pan and start the savory gravy.
• If you want to make mashed potato crust, whisk an egg yolk with milk before adding it to the boiled potatoes.

Popular Questions

What Is The Difference Between Irish And British Shepherd’s Pie?

Traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie recipe always class for lamb and it is topped with mashed potatoes. British shepherd’s pie or cottage pie, uses ground beef but also has mashed potatoes on top.

What Is The Difference Between A Cottage Pie And Shepherd’s Pie?

Traditional Shepherd’s Pie recipe calls for ground lamb or roast lamb and veggies (carrots and peas) filling, and mashed potatoes on top. Cottage pie uses ground beef instead of lamb mixture.

What Is The History Of Irish Cottage Pie?

Irish cottage pie was historically just simply meant to fill up farmers and workers for long hours with what they had on hands: starchy potatoes, a bit of meat, and whatever veggies they had.

The cottage pie was first made somewhere in the UK and Ireland around the 18th century. But it is very likely that people made some sort of similar pies since the 16th century when potatoes were introduced. 

If you love this cottage pie recipe, you’re going to love these other comfort food dinners too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

St. Patrick’s Day Irish Soda Bread

Dutch Oven Corned Beef and Cabbage

Irish Nachos

Rainbow Cake

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